Spaceship Builder Games
Spaceship games Play Spaceship Games on Y8.com. Command your spaceship throughout the galaxies and bring glory to your homeland. Fight foreign races and be the first to land your ship on new planets. Mass Effect 2. It’s part Star Wars space opera, part brilliant Star Trek episode, and one of the best sci-fi games on PC. It doesn’t have the freedom of Elite and is largely a linear experience, but it takes you on an unforgettable journey around the galaxy, visiting bizarre planets and getting involved in the lives of the aliens who live on them.
I originally compiled this list for /r/Robocraft, but actually I think it could be useful here as well. I've just added Robocraft to the list.
All these games allow you to build some sort of vehicle that you then control.
Robocraft - Free, with in-game purchases - 78% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Vehicle combat with vehicles built from parts.
Pros: Many vehicle options from cars to mechs to planes and helicopters. Frequent updates and a huge active userbase.
Cons: Can be a grind to get the parts you want. Recent change to a loot system with crates has polarised the community.Scraps: Modular Vehicle Combat - $14.99USD - 79% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Vehicle combat with vehicles built from parts.
Pros: A lot like a Robocraft with no microtransactions and more complex functional parts and systems. Currently deathmatch-style play, with an expanded singleplayer mode coming soon. Also allows player-hosted servers and LAN play.
Cons: Small community right now with very quiet multiplayer. One lone dev so development can be slow - the devlog goes back to pre-Robocraft times.Crossout - Will be free, with in-game purchases. Currently $19.99USD or go on a list for closed Beta. - Windows
What is it?: Vehicle combat with vehicles built from parts.
Pros: Pretty much a big-budget version of Scraps with more Robocraft-like mutiplayer matchmaking.
Cons: Currently in closed Beta. Vehicles seem to die quickly under fire. Some user complaints about slow progression and tedium.Gear Up - Free, with in-game purchases/premium version - 74% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Vehicle combat with customisable vehicles. Like Robocraft/Scraps/Crossout but with simpler customisation.
Pros: Polished game with a cool 1950s art aesthetic. Easy to pick up and play.
Cons: Limited customisation: Just choose your chassis, then your main gun, then your secondary gun and some extra bits.TerraTech - $19.99USD - 78% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Vehicle combat with vehicles built from parts, that you scavenge from the world itself. Ran a successful Kickstarter in 2014.
Pros: Pretty unique style and survival-based gameplay.
Cons: Has historically been a bit unstable and unbalanced, but devs are very active and have done (and continue to do) a lot of work on it.
M.A.V. - $19.99USD - 81% - Windows
What is it?: Customisable mech combat in the vein of Chromehounds.
Pros: Lots of mech design possibilities. Smart AI. If you liked Chromehounds you'll like this.
Cons: Slow development with another solo dev - Devlog here. Game can be a bit janky in its current state.Airships: Conquer the Skies - $9.99USD - 99% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: 2D combat airship or land walker builder.
Pros: Look at that review score! Build crazy airships, and land walkers now as well.
Cons: Simplistic art style by a solo dev.From The Depths - $19.99USD - 89% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Like Robocraft meets Space Engineers except with boats.
Pros: Super-huge, complex builds are possible. Multiplayer. Campaign mode.
Cons: Pretty hardcore building that can be complicated to get into. Multiplayer still fairly early in dev.Guns And Robots - Free, with in-game purchases and package options - 66% - Windows
What is it?: Build combat robots from parts and fight them in a third-person shooter.
Pros: Cool concept. Simple to get into with lots of options.
Cons: Many complaints in reviews about limits in the free version and focus on paying for content.
Homebrew - $17.99USD - 70% - Windows
What is it?: Detailed physics sandbox vehicle builder.
Pros: Many build possibilities and parts. Ability to make realistic-looking vehicles. Programmable parts.
Cons: Multiplayer exists in an older version but is not in yet for the latest version. Relatively complex to get into, and relatively expensive.Scrap Mechanic - $19.99USD - 85% - Windows
What is it?: Detailed physics sandbox vehicle builder. The new kid on the block, but very similar in concept to Homebrew. Has a devlog here.
Pros: A bit simpler than Homebrew to get into. Major multiplayer component.
Cons: Not as detailed as Homebrew.MachineCraft - Free, with a $9.99USD premium option - 73% - Windows
What is it?: Another detailed physics sandbox vehicle builder.
Pros: Multiplayer. Similar building to RoboCraft. Premium edition is more like a way to support the dev - doesn't give premium players an advantage. No microtransations - Truly free!
Cons: Another single-dev game (I think?). Kinda janky interface.Besiege - $7.99USD - 96% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Physics-based siege engine construction.
Pros: Vehicle parts aren't one solid piece - everything moves and interacts like a janky medieval siege engine should. Build complex monstrosities and lay waste to stuff.
Cons: No multiplayer.SimplePlanes - $12.99USD - 90% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Physics-based aircraft and vehicle construction.
Pros: Intuitive build system with with a powerful aircraft physics engine.
Cons: Not a huge amount of variety in things to build.
Kerbal Space Program - $39.99USD - 97% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: A classic at this point. Build spaceships from parts.
Pros: Awesome physics-based spaceship gameplay. And some non-spaceship options as well. A bajillion mods.
Cons: Relatively expensive. No multiplayer, although there is a mod.Starmade - $14.99USD - 73% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Build huge spaceships Minecraft-style in a massive universe.
Pros: The free version is currently the same as the full game (and will remain so until Beta). Huge world with lots to do and lots of players.
Cons: Some performance issues. Development updates can be slow.Space Engineers - $24.99USD - 90% - Windows
What is it?: Physics sandbox space station creator madness.
Pros: Tons of content and possibilities. Multiplayer. Minecraft-style space station building. Has planets now too!
Cons: Can be buggy, especially in multiplayer.Empyrion - $17.99USD - 86% - Windows
What is it?: Space and planet survival with ship and base building, similar to Space Engineers.
Pros: Multiple worlds to explore. Survival game systems along with building stuff. Lots to do.
Cons: Current version has some bugs.
Gimbal - $14.99USD - 82% - Windows
What is it?: 2D custom spaceship combat.
Pros: Awesome space combat with buildable ships from tiny fighters to huge behemoths.
Cons: Another single-developer game with a small, very quiet multiplayer community.Captain Forever Remix - $14.99USD - 94% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: 2D custom spaceship combat.
Pros: Like Gimbal with the part scavenging of TerraTech. Based on the free 2009 original Captain Forever.
Cons: Roguelike-style quick deaths and no saves, which mightn't appeal to everyone.Reassembly - $14.99USD - 94% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: 2D custom spaceship combat.
Pros: Much like Captain Forever, with a little more depth and ability to save.
Cons: End-game ships can become fast and powerful enough that they're near-unstoppable; Captain Forever has more punishing enemies.SimpleRockets - $7.99USD - 88% - Win/Mac/Linux
What is it?: Build 2D spaceships from parts. The predecessor of SimplePlanes.
Pros: It's basically a simpler Kerbal Space Program in 2D.
Cons: Initially a mobile port.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - Xbox 360
What is it?: Build vehicles and complete missions with your designs.
Pros: AAA budget. Fun varied vehicle designs. Multiplayer.
Cons: Some didn't appreciate the deviation from the style of previous games in the series. As a standalone game though, it was well received.
The International Space Station will be opening itself up to tourists in the near future, but let's be real, we ain't gonna be able to afford it. So let's play some space games instead from the gravity-bound, terrestrial comfort of home. Whether you want to explore strange new worlds, seduce weird aliens, or become a feared galactic bounty hunter, there's a space game for everyone on PC, and the following are currently the best examples you can play right now.
Outer Wilds
Year 2019
Developer Mobius Digital
Link Official site
A first-person game about exploring a small solar system full of weird planets and odd cosmic phenomena. The catch? You're trapped in a time loop, giving you just 20 minutes to explore at a time. Outer Wilds is reminiscent of games such as Her Story and Obra Dinn in the way you piece a puzzle together by discovering and connecting small, often seemingly unrelated details.
Read more Outer Wilds review
Homeworld Remastered Collection
Year 2015
Developer Relic/Gearbox Software
LinkOfficial site
One of the best singleplayer RTS campaigns ever made, and beautifully remastered by Gearbox. The sight of thousands of your ships streaking across the game’s vividly colourful space-scapes is hugely dramatic. And battles are tense and tactical, with many types of ship to command, including colossal battleships. The Remastered Collection looks great on modern PCs and comes complete with the original Homeworld and its sequel.
Read more Homeworld Remastered Collection review
Observation
Year 2019
Developer No Code
Link Official site
The space station Observation has broken away from its Earth orbit and is drifting somewhere near Saturn. Its systems are malfunctioning, a fire has broken out, and the on-board artificial intelligence, SAM, is acting strangely. Things are not looking good for Dr. Emma Fisher, the reluctant hero of this sci-fi thriller from the studio behind Stories Untold. But what's interesting about Observation is that you don't play as Fisher. Instead, you play as the AI.
Read more Observation review
Surviving Mars
Year 2018
Developer Haemimont Games
LinkSteam
Leaving Earth behind, humanity heads to Mars to start a new colony: and you're in charge of it. Your new civilisation will grow from one small dome in the Martian desert to a bustling, sprawling off-world metropolis. But just make sure you don't run out of oxygen or power, because on this ruthless planet it's a death sentence for every citizen under your control.
Read moreSurviving Mars review
Tacoma
Year 2017
Developer Fullbright
Link Official site
The crew has mysteriously abandoned the Tacoma lunar transfer station, and you’ve been sent to investigate and recover its precious AI, Odin. This atmospheric sci-fi mystery from the makers of Gone Home is wonderfully written, with a cast of rich, nuanced characters telling a compelling story through interactive AR recordings. Exploring the hyper-detailed station is a delight thanks to the game’s extraordinary attention to detail, and the more you learn about Tacoma, the deeper the mystery gets.
Read more Tacoma review
Objects in Space
Year 2019
Developer Flat Earth Games
Link Official site
This unique twist on the space sim shares the trading and exploration elements of games such as Elite Dangerous, but feels more like commanding a submarine. You don't see space itself; just a series of utilitarian rooms full of screens and machinery. There's a lot to manage, and you play several roles at once: pilot, engineer, comms officer. But despite the limited view of your surroundings, you still feel like you're hurtling through space in a starship.
Read more Objects in Space is a very different kind of space sim
Elite Dangerous
Year 2014
Developer Frontier Developments
Link Official site
An entire galaxy is your playground in this space sim. Starting with a basic ship and a handful of credits, you shape your own destiny. Do you become a fearsome pirate? A master trader? An explorer? The beauty of Elite is being able to play in a way that suits you. From thrilling dogfights to gentle exploration, there’s something for everyone. And its ships are all an absolute dream to fly, whether it's a nimble fighter or a heavy duty cargo hauler.
Read more Visiting NASA's latest discovery in Elite Dangerous
EVE Online
Year 2003
Developer CCP Games
Link Official site
Live another life—in space! There’s nothing else like EVE Online on PC, a massively multiplayer RPG where everything is controlled by players. It’s a living galaxy in which thousands of capsuleers fight, trade, mine, and explore together. Break away from the relative safety of your police-patrolled starting system and you’ll find a ruthless, cosmic Wild West, where piracy, espionage and scamming are rife. Whether you’re fighting in a massive space war, where thousands of real-world dollars hang in the balance, or just exploring New Eden on your own, EVE is an unforgettable experience.
Read moreEVE Online's biggest scammer tells us his secrets
Everspace
Year 2017
Developer Rockfish Games
Link Steam
When you die in roguelike Everspace, you’re dead. But money earned carries over and can be spent on upgrades, which means you’ll be more powerful for your next run through the cosmic gauntlet. And these perks keep adding up, allowing you to travel deeper into space, and more boldly, with every successive attempt. It’s a compelling loop, and when you die you're never frustrated: just excited to start again, wondering how far you'll make it this time.
Read moreDeath is the road to glory in Everspace
Dead Space
Year 2008
Developer EA Redwood Shores
Link Steam
Space is the perfect setting for a horror game, and Dead Space is, next to Alien: Isolation, one of the best examples of the scary sci-fi genre. Engineer Isaac Clarke is sent to investigate a stricken 'planet cracker' ship, the USG Ishimura, and finds the craft overrun with hideous, fleshy monsters. Taking cues from Alien and, quite blatantly, cult favourite Event Horizon, the first game in the series is still the best. The increased focus on action in the sequels killed it.
Read more Returning to Dead Space
Star Wars: Empire at War
Year 2006
Developer Petroglyph
LinkGOG
Developed by Petroglyph, a studio founded by Westwood veterans, this real-time strategy is one of the best Star Wars games on PC. The streamlined interface and accessible systems might turn off some hardcore strategy fans, but in the thick of its chaotic, thrilling land and space battles the game is irresistible—especially if you’re a Star Wars fan. And hero units like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker only add to the excitement.
Read morePitting Star Wars against Star Trek in Star Wars: Empire at War
Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2
Year 2019
Developer Tindalos Interactive
Link Official site
A real-time tactics game about giant spaceships clashing in the Warhammer 40,0000 universe. Battles take place on a 2D plane populated by capture points and asteroid fields, and the ships handle like giant, deadly cruise liners. You can unleash fighter and bomber squadrons, launch torpedo barrages and laser attacks, and board other ships. The space battles are involving and spectacular and the campaign is satisfying—especially for 40K fans.
Read moreBattlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 review
Endless Space 2
Year 2017
Developer Amplitude Studios
Link Official site
A stylish game of galactic conquest. Not the broadest or deepest 4X strategy game on PC, but an atmospheric afternoon-killer that blends strategic decision making with a beautiful presentation. Set in a vivid sci-fi universe, the game lets you explore mysterious star systems, discover the secrets of ancient races, build colonies on distant planets, and encounter aliens to meet and conquer.
Read moreEndless Space 2 review
Heat Signature
Year 2017
Developer Suspicious Developments
Link Steam
In this top-down sci-fi action game you board spaceships and use an array of weapons and gadgets to take out the crew. The genius lies in how much creativity you're given to play your own way, inspired by the best immersive sims. And how you react to the chaos that erupts when your presence on the ship becomes known makes Heat Signature a powerful anecdote generator. Things might not always go to plan, but that's just part of the fun.
Read more 8 sadistic ways to take out guards in Heat Signature
Duskers
Year 2016
Developer Misfits Attic
Link Official site
Despite being viewed entirely through a retro-futuristic computer interface, Duskers is one of the scariest, most tense sci-fi horror games on PC. In it you pilot a fleet of drones searching derelict spaceships for fuel, upgrades, and clues about why the galaxy is so mysteriously devoid of life. The ships you board are crawling with strange creatures, which makes looking for clues in those narrow, dark corridors an especially nerve-racking experience.
Read moreDuskers review
Destiny 2
Year 2017
Developer Bungie
Link Official site
Bungie's addictive FPS/MMO hybrid features some of the prettiest alien landscapes on PC. From the forested ruins of Earth and the vast seas of Titan, to the red jungles of Nessus and the volcanic Io, every location is a pleasure to loot-and-shoot in. The endgame doesn't have the iron grip it perhaps should, but sci-fi fans will get a kick out of this vivid, colourful setting.
Read moreBungie outlines how it plans to fix Destiny 2 in 2018
The Dig
Year 1995
Developer LucasArts
Link GOG
A mission to divert an asteroid heading for Earth goes awry, sending a group of astronauts to a distant, seemingly abandoned world. Some of the puzzles are maddeningly obscure, even for a LucasArts point-and-click adventure, but the colourful, bizarre planet feels genuinely alien. Great voice acting too, with X-Files star Robert Patrick playing the lead character.
Read moreReinstall: The Dig
Universe Sandbox 2
Year 2014
Developer Giant Army
Link Official site
This space simulator lets you become an all-powerful cosmic deity, manipulating replicas of real galaxies and solar systems and witnessing the (often catastrophic) results of your meddling. Increase the mass of Jupiter and you’ll see the rest of our solar system being sucked into it, or delete the Sun and watch Earth and the other planets drift away confused.
Event[0]
Year 2016
Developer Ocelot Society
Link Steam
Stranded alone somewhere near Jupiter on an old luxury starship, your only hope of returning home is an AI that has serious emotional problems. You interact with Kaizen using your keyboard, and sometimes it'll be willing to help you. But then it'll change its mind and decide the best thing to do is close the airlock and trap you outside the ship until you run out of air. A clever adventure with the understated mood of a '70s sci-fi film.
Read moreEvent[0] review
Mass Effect 2
Spaceship Builder Games Download
Year 2010
Developer BioWare
Link Steam
If you’ve ever fantasised about being Captain Picard, in command of your own starship, exploring the galaxy, meeting weird aliens, being confronted with cosmic dilemmas, then Mass Effect 2 is that in game form. It’s part Star Wars space opera, part brilliant Star Trek episode, and one of the best sci-fi games on PC. It doesn’t have the freedom of Elite and is largely a linear experience, but it takes you on an unforgettable journey around the galaxy, visiting bizarre planets and getting involved in the lives of the aliens who live on them. We love the whole series, but we all agree that this is our favourite.
Read moreThe Mass Effect games ranked from worst to best
Stellaris
Year 2016
Developer Paradox
Link Official site
Developed by Paradox, of Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis fame, this sci-fi epic puts the ‘grand’ in grand strategy. Explore the universe, form alliances with alien factions, and engage in the odd large-scale space battle. The multitude of systems makes Stellaris a powerful story generator, and you never know what strange beings you’ll meet among the stars.
Read more Stellaris: Utopia review
Alien: Isolation
Year 2014
Developer Creative Assembly
Link Official site
Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen, is hunted through a dilapidated space station by a xenomorph in this incredible survival horror. Taking its cues from Ridley Scott's original 1979 film, it's a masterpiece of slow-burning tension. And the station itself, Sevastopol, is a great example of lo-fi sci-fi, with chunky retro-futuristic tech and eerie flickering lights. One of the most faithful movie adaptations ever, and a great horror game in its own right.
Read moreWhat Alien: Isolation gets right that Alien: Covenant gets wrong
No Man's Sky
Year 2016
Developer Hello Games
LinkOfficial site
This is one of the most dazzlingly colourful sci-fi universes on PC, and being able to seamlessly transition from space to the surface of a planet is an impressive technical feat. The addition of features like base-building and a mission system in recent updates give you a lot more to actually do when you touch down on these worlds, and the procedural generation algorithm has been tweaked to make for weirder, prettier planet surfaces.
Read moreThe best No Man's Sky mods
Star Wars: TIE Fighter
Year 1994
Developer Totally Games
Link GOG
A rare opportunity to be the bad guy in George Lucas’s beloved space opera. With a variety of Empire-themed missions—dogfights, escorts, attacking capital ships—and a story to follow, it’s one of the best Star Wars games LucasArts ever published. Of course, you can replace this entry with Star Wars: X-Wing if you’d prefer to play as the boring old Rebel Alliance.
Read moreThe best Star Wars games on PC
FTL: Faster Than Light
Year 2012
Developer Subset Games
Link Steam
FTL mixes turn-based and real-time strategy together to capture the experience of captaining a Star Trek-style spacecraft. It’s a strong roguelike, too, with a backdrop of a familiar yet fun sci-fi universe that comes with its own semi-humorous lore and a neat set of narrative beats that make the journey to its finale endlessly exciting. Being able to name your ship and crew makes it all the more heartbreaking when they die together in enemy space.
Read moreThe writing in FTL
Spaceship Building Games Free
Wing Commander: Privateer
Year 1993
Developer Origin Systems
Link GOG
Fans of the series will argue endlessly about which Wing Commander is the best, but we love Privateer’s darker feel. It’s a rich sandbox in which you can be a mercenary, a pirate, a merchant, or a mix of all three. You jump between systems looking for bounties to hunt and ships to rob, and the first-person dogfights are a thrill. There’s a linear story, but the real joy lies in doing your own thing and carving your own path through the stars.
EVE: Valkyrie
Year 2016
Developer CCP Games
Link Official site
If you have a VR headset, this is the game to play on it. In Valkyrie you get to experience EVE Online’s famous space battles from the more intimate perspective of an individual fighter pilot. The feeling of being strapped into a cockpit, hurtling through space at immense speeds, is a visceral one. And the combat has been tuned specifically for virtual reality.
Read moreEVE: Valkyrie review
May 31, 2011 Shareaza 2.5.5.0 has been released! DC and Gnutella updates, enhanced anti-spam protection, multi-file download merging, and other fixes and improvements are included in this release. Shareaza was first released in mid-2002 with rapid development from its creator. May 29, 2011 Version History of Shareaza 2.5.5.0 DC and Gnutella updates, enhanced anti-spam protection, multi-file download merging, and other fixes and improvements are included in this release. Shareaza was first released in mid-2002 with rapid development from its creator. 
May 29, 2011 Shareaza 2.5.5.0 Change Log. DC and Gnutella updates, enhanced anti-spam protection, multi-file download merging, and other fixes and improvements are included in this release. Shareaza was first released in mid-2002 with rapid development from its creator. OldVersion.com provides free software downloads for old versions of. May 31, 2011 Shareaza is a peer-to-peer client for Windows that allows you to download any file-type found on several popular P2P networks. Shareaza is the most luxurious and sophisticated file sharing system you'll find. It can harness the power of up to four separate peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, including.
Kerbal Space Program
Year 2015
Developer Squad
Link Official site
Wrestle with gravity and the laws of physics as you build your own spacecraft and attempt to explore the cosmos. A robust, compelling sandbox of possibilities that’s as funny as it is clever. Escaping Kerbin’s atmosphere and landing on the Mun (without exploding) for the first time with a ship you’ve built yourself is about as satisfying as PC gaming gets.
Read moreKerbal Space Program: Making History review
Take On Mars
Year 2013
Developer Bohemia Interactive
Link Official site
If you like your space games a little more grounded, try Arma developer Bohemia’s Take On Mars. It’s a space exploration and colonisation simulator largely based on real astro-science. You can build a Curiosity-style rover and explore the surface of the red planet or construct your own Martian colony. A game for folk who want the sci without too much of the fi.
Read moreBuilding a mighty space base in Take On Mars
Sins of a Solar Empire
Spaceship Builder Games Online
Year 2008
Developer Ironclad Games
Link Official site
Mixing real-time strategy with 4X elements, Sins is a game of galactic conquest. Choose a faction, gather resources and become a mighty space-lord. Commanding its real-time wars is thrilling, but combat isn’t always the answer: you can use diplomacy to conquer systems too. A refreshingly slow-paced RTS with some truly massive space battles to stare slack-jawed at.
Space Engineers
Year 2013
Developer Keen Software House
Link Official site
Harvest asteroids for building materials then craft them into floating bases, flyable spaceships, and more besides. You can hover around the map with a jetpack or build a gravity generator to walk safely on the surface of bigger asteroids. One of the best co-op build-’em-ups on PC.
Read moreAn erratic journey to the Moon in Space Engineers
Starbound
Year 2013
Developer Chucklefish Games
Link Official site
Terraria-esque survival with a science fiction twist. Hop between randomly generated planets on a starship, hunt alien creatures for food, build colonies and underground bases, and try not to die in the process. A brilliant sci-fi sandbox with a charming art style. Playable races include robots, beings made of solar energy, ape-like creatures, and colourful wingless birds.
Read moreStarbound review
Music could be of different types - by the soothing music of old Hindi movie tunes to the peppy thing songs of the contemporary world. Free mp3 song downloads sites. Among the factors for that music is most commonly utilised in modern times is through workout or exercise sessions.
SpaceEngine
Year 2010
Developer Vladimir Romanyuk
Link Official site
Do you like feeling small and insignificant? Then play SpaceEngine, which features, incredibly, the entire universe. Or at least the bit we know about. Focus on Earth, then pull back at top speed, and you suddenly become aware of how you’re on a tiny speck of dust hurtling through an endless void. The tech is remarkable, allowing you to travel effortlessly between galaxies and land on planets. But besides exploring, there isn’t much else to it.