Top 10 Crafting Games Worth Your Time

People like control. In a world full of schedules, rules, and limits, sandbox and crafting games let you do whatever you want. Build a giant castle, survive on a deserted island, decorate your own farm—whatever feels right in the moment. That freedom scratches a creative itch, and the sense of accomplishment from crafting your own tools or shelter feels personal. It’s not just about what you build, it’s that you built it.

That’s why crafting games are still going strong, and GamesRadar+ recently published a list of top crafting games to celebrate that. We took ten from their lineup to share with you here—games that give you the tools and space to create your own world, no matter the genre or setting.

Minecraft is still the giant in the space. It’s the one game you can count on being in every crafting list for good reason. With over 170 million copies sold, it’s more than just a game—it’s a platform where imagination runs wild. Whether you’re mining resources or placing blocks to build a scale model of your hometown, Minecraft has something for everyone. It's flexible, fun, and endlessly playable. With the recent Minecraft movie hitting big, it’s not just a game anymore—it’s pop culture.

Then there’s Terraria, a 2D classic that's still going strong. It may look like a pixel art throwback, but it delivers deep crafting systems alongside intense combat. You can dig deep underground, find rare items, and use your loot to build gear, furniture, or full-on castles. Crafting in Terraria isn’t just a feature—it’s the backbone of the entire experience.

No Man’s Sky has been on one of the most impressive comeback trails in gaming. At launch, it fell flat, but massive updates turned it into a rich sandbox. Crafting now plays a big role as you travel from planet to planet. Upgrade your suit, build your base, customize your gear—there’s always something new to create. The game never stops growing, and neither does the universe it gives you to explore.

In Subnautica, crafting is your lifeline. You start with almost nothing, stranded under the ocean on an alien world. You’ll need to gather resources, build tools, and eventually create habitats to survive. What makes it stand out is how dangerous and beautiful the world is at the same time. The deeper you go, the better your gear needs to be—and crafting is how you get there.

Starbound goes beyond Earth, letting you travel across planets and create homes wherever you land. It's like Terraria but in space, with a story woven into the sandbox. There’s structure if you want it, or you can simply build at your own pace. Every planet has something different to offer, making crafting a constant process of adapting and improving.

Then there’s Stardew Valley, the game that brought back love for farming sims. It’s more than just planting crops—you can build up your house, customize your farm, craft tools, make wine, and raise animals. Everything in the game supports your ability to create the kind of life you want. Whether you're fishing or mining or growing rare fruit, crafting helps you make progress without ever feeling rushed.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 blends a strong RPG story with freeform crafting. That mix might sound odd at first, but it works. You get quests and a full story to follow, but you also have full control over shaping the world around you. It’s like Minecraft with characters and charm. You can go wild with what you build or stick to the storyline—both approaches work and feed into each other.

ARK: Survival Evolved throws you into a world full of dinosaurs. You start with nothing but your fists and slowly work your way up to metal tools, fortified bases, and even taming giant reptiles. Crafting is essential from the start, helping you stay alive, safe, and powerful. There’s also a community element with multiplayer servers, where players build settlements and compete—or work together.

Sons of the Forest, the follow-up to The Forest, leans into survival horror with co-op crafting. You build shelters, weapons, and tools while dealing with threats in the woods. Crafting here is detailed but easy to use, helping you focus on surviving and exploring without getting lost in menus. It’s a smart evolution of what worked in the first game, and it makes building feel like part of the tension.

Finally, there’s Don’t Starve, the game that looks like a cartoon but plays like a harsh survival sim. Everything is out to get you—darkness, monsters, weather, and your own sanity. Crafting here isn’t optional; it’s how you stay alive. Even something as basic as a campfire needs careful thought. The game rewards experimentation and smart planning, making every crafted item feel hard-earned.

“Would you really stand that close to a herd of beefalo?”

That’s how Don’t Starve handles survival. It pushes you to think like you're really there.

Crafting games aren’t just about collecting stuff. They’re about turning what you find into something that keeps you alive, makes your world better, or expresses your creativity. Whether it’s a house on a cliff, a high-tech base on Mars, or a cozy farm in the valley, the goal is the same: to build something that feels like it’s yours.

All ten games listed here—from big-budget to indie hits—offer that same spark. You gather, you build, you improve. Over time, you see your work become something bigger than you expected. That’s the pull of crafting games. It’s not just playing in a sandbox—it’s shaping it.