Summary
- Minecraft's success has led to many similar games on mobile platforms.
- Survivalcraft 2 offers a Minecraft-like experience with user mods.
- Terraria stands out as a feature-rich 2D game alternative to Minecraft.
When a game gets popular, there are many developers who try to put their own spin on its formula. This is in an attempt to attract fans of said game. One of the biggest success stories in all of gaming history is Minecraft. A game that showed that you can still make something truly great with the blockiest of graphics.
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Mobile devices remain one of the most profitable platforms around for video games, and so it stands to reason many developers will make games that mimic traits of Minecraft on this platform. This has given rise to countless voxel crafting games, some free and some with price tags.
9 Craft The World
2D Dwarf Fantasy Base Management
Craft the World
This is a game where you don’t control a single character but rather a group of dwarves. These dwarves will collect resources, mine the terrain, and craft new items and structures. These dwarves will face off against many kinds of monsters, so crafting better gear will help ensure their survival.
There is a campaign that players can follow, in which they will need to find a portal in each level to progress through the game. The game also features a sandbox mode where players will need to keep their dwarves alive for as long as possible.
8 Survivalcraft 2
Great Alternative at a Cheaper Price
- Release Date: December 2016
- Developers: Candy Rufus Games
- Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone
If someone looks at this game while it is being played, there is a high probability they’ll think it's Minecraft. The world makes use of the same voxel manipulation that Minecraft is known for, and it features a similar user interface for its inventory and crafting menus.
The game features plenty of user-created texture mods and skins for players to explore and express themselves. Players can select numerous game modes, with some pushing for a challenging experience. This challenge involves keeping dry and maintaining a healthy balance of various stats.
7 Block Craft 3D
Structures Can Build Themselves
- Release Date: July 2015
- Developers: Fun Games For Free
- Platforms: iOS, Android
Block Craft 3D features a much more vibrant and bouncy esthetic, and is the second free title on this list. The menus are more akin to other mobile games, and the user interface while in the game has a lot to take in at first glance. It is much easier to build structures in Block Craft 3D compared to Minecraft, so much so that you can have structures build themselves.
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The game is also a lot more colorful and cartoon-like, which may make it more appealing to younger gamers. The game also lets players teleport around to speed up travel for those that don’t wish to traverse massive distances all the time.
6 Minicraft 2
A Quality Sandbox Product
- Release Date: Unknown
- Developers: BarBarianTech
- Platforms: Android
Minicraft 2 feels like the free mobile Minecraft game that many players spend hours trying to find. Its default textures feature an aesthetic that distinguishes it from vanilla Minecraft. This texture is of high quality, along with some good lighting effects.
This makes for a very pleasing world to play in, one that many Minecraft fans can enjoy. Even falling into water and looking up is an experience that feels fresh. Minecraft fans really should give this title a try.
5 Junk Jack
Great for Players who Want Quality of Life Features
- Release Date: April 2013
- Developers: Pixbits
- Platforms: iOS, Android
Junk Jack is another game that utilizes 2D gameplay but stays very true to the sandbox gathering and crafting Minecraft is known for. Players will have a similar starting experience, where they will punch down a tree and create a shelter to make it through till morning.
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Looking through the various biomes of Minecraft will show just how many are mirrored in Junk Jack — such as forests and deserts. One of the benefits of this game is that players can see valuable resources, such as coal, while moving around at a higher elevation.
4 Roblox
A Multitude of Minecraft Options
Roblox
- Released
- September 1, 2006
- Developer(s)
- Roblox Corporation
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Android, iOS, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro
- Genre(s)
- Game Creation System
While Roblox is a true giant in the gaming world and a much better game than some of the other entries on this list. It is, however, a very different game from Minecraft. It lets people create all manner of games, including games based on Minecraft and Minecraft minigames.
Players can install the Roblox mobile app for free, type in Minecraft, and explore a plethora of options. Some of these options will be more polished than others, so players should not let the first option speak for all the other ones.
3 Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition
Old Timey Charm with a Focus on Staying Sane
Don't Starve
- Released
- April 23, 2013
- Developer(s)
- Klei Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PS Vita, Nintendo Wii U, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PC
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Management
Don’t Starve has all the charm and whimsy of modern survival games, and it has a lore-rich atmosphere for its players. The game has a world setting reminiscent of the early 1900s and uses an old-timey visual esthetic. There are numerous characters to choose from, and each offers different pros and cons.
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In Don’t Starve, players will need to manage more than just their health and hunger. They will also need to watch out for diminishing sanity, which can lead to players seeing creepy shadows and hearing whispering voices. Should the player’s sanity fall too low, visibility will become distorted and dangerous shadow beasts will be upon them. Maintaining all of these necessities is the trick to beating Adventure Mode.
2 Dragon Quest Builders
A Full Action RPG Adventure
Dragon Quest Builders
Dragon Quest builders may feature a sandbox mode, but it pales in comparison to its robust campaign mode. This mode alone makes it an exceptional game. Players will be able to smash blocks to reshape the world around them, but with each new area comes new challenges.
After completing each chapter, players will venture to a new island with its own hazards and different means of survival. From poisonous bogs to harsh deserts, players will need to change up how they survive to overcome each of them. This is a full-fledged Action RPG that is well worth its price tag.
1 Terraria
So Much More than a 2D Minecraft Game
Terraria
- Released
- May 16, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Re-Logic
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Vita, iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, 3DS, Stadia, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Terraria is the pinnacle of 2D Minecraft-styled games. It features an overwhelming amount of items to craft and a plethora of bosses to face off against. Players will discover many ways to fight these bosses and will create a bustling community of NPCs back at their base.
Terraria is such a great game that many fans actually prefer it over Minecraft. Just like with many other entries on this list, there are a wide variety of biomes to explore, with some being extremely challenging affairs.
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