‘Creative Mode’ Games You’ve Never Heard Of
These hidden gems are affordable and underrated
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These are games that support playing casually in a sandbox, where you don’t have to survive or win.
The great thing about games with a creative mode is the ability to get unlimited resources for building, without having to mine or gather.
Boundless — Top Recommendation
As block-based games go, Boundless takes the cake in almost every way. There’s probably more to do and explore in this game than any other title in this list.
Planets upon planets of randomly generated landscapes combined with one universe of every player-built structure ever made.
Planets are connected through portals, and portals can be put anywhere. This means a single hallway can contain portals to all the best shops, houses, castles, and more.
Alongside all this is a deep player system that will have you increase your power in unique ways at every turn.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Simplicity
- ️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐☆️ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Everyone 10+) The danger with a game that is this multiplayer-driven is it’s hard to control what people say or build. With that being said, the Boundless developers actively fight to keep the game true to its rating. We consider this kid-safe but exercise caution.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS, iOS, Android, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Switch
If you enjoy crafting video games and true limitless creativity, you’ll love this endless title and its incredible price.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Teen) It does contain some cartoon violence but we think this game is totally fine for kids, it’s even less visually realistic than Minecraft.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS
If you want to make and break stuff to your heart’s content, this is for you. If you’re looking for objectives, challenges, or a campaign, you might get tired of this game quickly.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐☆☆️ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Not Rated) We recommend Teen. It does contain blood and violence, challenges sometimes involve killing figure people with your machines. The physics engine makes building harder than it seems, so kids might also find this frustrating.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Xbox One, Playstation 4
A staple in the survival and base-building category, if you like either of those you’ll absolutely want to take this game for a spin. It’s only gotten better with many free expansions, and it now has a sequel if you finish this and want more.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Everyone 10+) 10+ is an accurate age for this one, it could be too scary or difficult for kids younger than that.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS, iOS, Android, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Switch
Well-priced fun for adults, while this might isn’t the simplest or the most creative title it remains easygoing and calm. This allows you or a child to learn at your own pace, without being punished for mistakes.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐☆☆️ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Everyone 10+) Despite the rating, we think this game is appropriate for all ages.
Shop: Windows, Xbox One, Playstation 4
This title has been transformed with free updates and has become a full-fledged space exploration and crafting game. There are literally endless worlds to explore, a lot to do, and a base-building system that leaves you with more than enough room to be creative.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Teen) We think this game is appropriate for anyone, especially if you use Creative Mode instead of the normal campaign. There are space battles (in ships), and creatures that attack you on planets, but even those aren’t bloody or gory.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS, Xbox One, Playstation 4
This isn’t the most creative game on here, but it’s certainly one of the most fun and the most soothing. Slime Rancher creates a peaceful environment that will keep you coming back.
You’ll fall in love with the creatures and characters, and find just enough mystery to keep you wondering what comes next.
Slime Rancher has outstanding ratings and reviews on almost every platform, and we highly recommend it as well!
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Everyone 10+) This is safe for all ages and has a great play-at-your-own-pace style, too.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS, Xbox One, Playstation 4
KSP could have easily made it into our “popular” category, it’s got a huge following and for good reasons.
You’ll find a complex crafting system hidden behind a simple objective: flying.
KSP’s best quality is keeping you challenged for hours on end without being frustrating. Mastering flight is just the beginning, the real fun is in building any type of spaceship you can imagine.
There are a few DLC expansions for those who need more, and a sequel is coming in 2020.
- ⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Everyone) While this game is kid-safe, it will likely be way too difficult for anyone under 10.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS
Starmade is basically Minecraft in space, but with much more depth.
Instead of just making structures, you can actually program blocks and structures.
If you like crafting and space exploration, you’ll love Starmade. The limitless building is combined with endless space and deep crafting.
It’s also a great co-op title to play with a friend. There’s something satisfying about building a giant spaceship that you can actually fly.
- ⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Not Rated) Starmade is safe for all ages but will be more punishing than Minecraft if you’re not playing it in Creative Mode.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Switch
The humor in this game might be the best quality, but the second-best is bite-size physics challenges.
Unfortunately, there isn’t always room to build bridges in creative ways, many times you’re forced to find a single answer.
Bridge Constructor Portal is short (unless you download user-created challenges) and sweet, but the price is fitting.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Everyone 10+) Appropriate for all ages, though kids under 10 might not understand the humor or the physics at play.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS
Starbound is a lot like Terraria, a 2D Minecraft. What’s unique about it is a focus on exploration and the ability to travel to other planets.
At its core is a simple but fun process of exploring a planet, fighting a boss, then traveling to a new planet. If you get bored, Starbound allows you to restart the game with a new character and totally new planets.
You can also stay on a planet and build as long as you want.
We highly recommend playing on casual difficulty, it’s still challenging but you won’t lose items if you die.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Everyone 10+) It contains violence and alcohol in some places, but we don’t think the game promotes either. We consider this safe for kids.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS, Xbox One, Playstation 4
This game is an architect’s dream. You have full creative control of building a prison with an immense level of detail.
You’ll have to design everything from electrical wiring and water pipes to which type of doors to use in different areas.
Thankfully you can pause time, use planning mode to figure out what you want before buying it, and there are deep difficulty controls that let you play however you want.
Overall Prison Architect is a fantastic time-sink for those who want to solve problems creatively.
- ⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Mature) This game contains quite a bit of cursing, drug references, and sexual references as well. Definitely not a kid-safe title, it’s too complex for kids as well.
Shop: Windows
Satisfactory is a lot like other base building video games that revolve around factories.
Where it really shines is being a first-person factory builder with fantastic visuals. This is definitely aimed at people playing games on PC.
There’s something more rewarding about walking through your creations in video games like this, versus games like Factorio.
It’s early-access but already packed with content, and we’re excited to see how this title grows.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB RP) This game hasn’t been rated yet, but outside of the ability to hunt animals, we haven’t run into any violence. So far, kid-safe. This could change when the full game is released with a campaign mode.
Shop: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux / Steam OS, Xbox One, Playstation 4
This game is the modern-day evolution of what started with Sim City in the 1990s. If you’re looking for video games in the city building genre, this is all you need.
Full freedom to shape the land however you like, and build the city whatever way you like…with some limits.
You’ll have to deal with issues like traffic flow, food supply, finances, and just about anything that affects morale.
With that being said, you can control the difficulty and save/load your game whenever.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Everyone) Yes, with one warning: people in your city can die (nothing visual) and you have the ability to use natural disasters like meteors.
Shop: Windows
In the same way that Satisfactory is focused on factories, Scrap Mechanic is a building game focused on building vehicles.
It’s in early access but already has a ton of promise. It feels similar to Besiege but with modern vehicles instead of medieval ones.
Vehicle building is pretty rare if you look across other building games, this actually might be the only game to do it well.
Scrap Mechanic executes well on its goals, it’s simple to get the hang of and has a very flexible crafting system. If you’re looking for games on PC, this is one you won’t find anywhere else.
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Simplicity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ Fun
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Creativity
- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ Affordability
- Kid-safe? (ESRB Not Rated) Yes, you can craft things like flamethrowers to put on your vehicles but it’s pretty hard to be deliberately violent.
Games with Creative Mode that ended up in other posts:
- Ark: Survival Evolved
- Surviving Mars
Potential future reviews: Fantastic Contraption, Infinifactory, The Universimp
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