The 12 Best Games Like 'Grounded'

• Developer: The Fun Pimps
• Rating: M for Mature

Admittedly this game’s setting - a nuclear attack in World War III - is vastly different from that of Grounded, but the spirits of the games are fairly similar. The objective here is to survive as long as possible, while the game’s various enemies make that as hard as possible. As well as fighting them off, you’re also in a constant battle to stay well-fed, hydrated, and sheltered, all while gathering resources for the nights which increase in difficulty pretty consistently. 

• Developer: Studio Wildcard
• Rating: T for Teen

As vast and full of life as the world in Grounded feels, ARK: Survival Evolved achieves the same thing, albeit on a much larger scale. Enemies here are not spiders, but dinosaurs, fantasy monsters, and other players, as well as an environment that is equally beautiful to look at and dangerous. Like Grounded, you can also tame some of the wildest creatures to use to your advantage, which is great and feels very rewarding when you finally get it done. 

Don’t Starve Together is a free expansion for Don’t Starve that supports up to six players playing at the same time. You must all band together to not just survive, but thrive and stay mentally sane in The Constant. Gathering materials, crafting items, and defeating enemies is a lot of fun. 

• Developer: Creepy Jar
• Rating: M for Mature

Released in 2019, Green Hell puts players in control of Jake, a man who wakes up in a camp in a jungle with no explanation as to how he got there. You track his diet with a smartwatch and have to take health seriously, which means sleeping enough, avoiding injuries, and keeping fed and hydrated. Even if you manage all of this well, changes in the environment can often lead to hallucinations. 

• Developer: Hazelight Studios
• Rating: T for Teen

It Takes Two is easily one of the best co-op experiences in gaming. The game sees you and a friend take on the role of Cody and May, parents to a young girl named Rose. Their relationship begins on the rocks and when Rose wishes that her parents would resolve their issues and play with dolls that she pretends are them, they enter the dolls’ bodies and go on an incredible journey together. The game has so many great mechanics that switch up with every level. Working together to solve puzzles has never been so rewarding. 

• Developer: Mojang Studios
• Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+

If your favorite part of Grounded was playing with friends, gathering resources, building things, and fighting enemies while managing stamina and health, there’s really no better game to play than Minecraft. The possibilities are truly endless in a way that’s hard to fathom without diving in yourself. 

• Developer: Hello Games
• Rating: T for Teen

Grounded is of course set in a backyard, which is colossal due to the size of the player. But even grander than that is the open world of No Man’s Sky, which boasts an unfathomable 18 quintillion planets, which is a billion billion! You can traverse space with a few friends, and despite being in space, building bases and fighting enemies is still key to the survival gameplay. 

• Developer: Redbeet Interactive
• Rating: N/A

Raft sees players step into the shoes of a forward scout that heads out to sea in an apocalypse, on the search for land that isn’t flooded and resources. Players start on a 2x2 raft and must gather resources by fishing, all the while defending their raft as it continues to expand. The great thing is just like Grounded, you can play on your own or in co-op mode with a friend. 

• Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
• Rating: E10 for Everyone 10+

As the only survivor of a spaceship crash on an oceanic alien planet, your job is to explore and eventually find the resources to escape it. The game is played in first-person and while it’s billed as an action-adventure game, it does many generic conventions of a survival game very well. If you enjoy this game, seek out its equally entertaining sequel Subnautica: Below Zero.

• Developer: Re-Logic
• Rating: T for Teen

Developed by Re-Logic, Terraria is widely considered one of the best sandbox games out there. It features exploration, survival, crafting, and all that good stuff that fans of Grounded will appreciate, but does it so well and with so much depth that it’s unlike anything before it. There’s a good emphasis on combat and adventure here that’s often missing from sandbox games. 

• Developer: Endnight Games
• Rating: M for Mature

When your plane crashes, you must search for your son Timmy. The problem is that you find yourself trapped in a forest that is home to vicious cannibals. You have to avoid and/or fight them when you can to search for clues to unravel the mystery of where your son is and you can do this with up to seven friends. The same gameplay loop and themes are present in the sequel Sons of the Forest, so be sure to check that one out if you end up loving its predecessor.

• Developers: Iron Gate Studio, Fishlabs
• Rating: N/A

Set in a world where slain Vikings must prove that they are fit and worthy for Valhalla, Valheim kicks players off with very little as they prepare to fight enemies of Odin. The game isn’t just about endless combat though. Staying fit for battle includes building a village where you can strengthen armor and resources. The best part about this is the co-op mode supports 11 players at a time.