No Man’s Sky had a troubled launch, to put it mildly. To the developers' credit, they stuck to their guns and it is almost an entirely unrecognizable game than when it started out. No Man’s Sky should be the model for other developers out there who struggle with a game at launch.
Praise aside, there are plenty of other games in this sim/space adventure experience that will satisfy Switch fans. Some of these games may stretch the idea but fit the criteria in one way or another. Even if they may look like bizarre picks to recommend to these fans, they are all wonderful games deserving of a look as popular or obscure as they may be.
10 The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds is a wild RPG that can best be described as Fallout in space. It was a surprise hit that gathered a lot of praise and may have been one of the reasons why the developers were brought into the Xbox family.
It doesn’t run or look as well on the Switch. If one truly wants to experience this game the best way possible, any of the other platforms should be checked out. It’s still good on Switch though.
9 Starlink: Battle For Atlas
Starlink: Battle for Atlas was the last toys to life game in the genre that mattered. It was released a little past the genre’s time which may be why some missed out on it. That and getting the kit was expensive.
Unlike The Outer Worlds, the Switch version is the best version of this game to get. That’s because it has a Star Fox campaign in it. It might be the best game in that series in quite some time. This spaceship action RPG is a good companion piece to No Man’s Sky.
8 Void Bastards
Void Bastards is a roguelike shooter set in space. The most striking thing about it is its visuals, which make it look like a comic book.
Players are prisoners trying to escape the vast trials of space by boarding other ships and trying to find the right components needed to move on. It has decent accessibility options for a roguelike to help out beginners to the genre and it’s pretty funny too.
7 Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation might be the best Alien game out there or at the very least it captures the spirit of the movies best. It’s a brutally hard survival horror game that has players not only trying to outrun a devilishly smart AI-controlled Alien, but killer androids as well.
This is more of a hide and shoot if only necessary kind of horror game so it may not be for everyone. It’s also not the best representation of the game on Switch but it gets the job done.
6 Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 may not have any space exploration in it, but it is a game about exploring huge colorful worlds. It’s a close approximation to the idea behind No Man’s Sky. Both this and the Switch remaster of the original are worth checking out if players also dig MMO-style RPGs.
Both games have complex battle systems to master but thankfully they have been around long enough. This means that if something is truly stumping players, there is always the Internet to turn to for help.
5 Journey To The Savage Planet
Journey to the Savage Planet is a more obscure and smaller indie game. It definitely fits the vibe of No Man’s Sky. Players are abandoned on a literal savage planet full of things that want to kill the player.
There is some shooting involved but it’s more about exploring the world and collecting data for the company ship. It’s a more chill Metroidvania in a way with exploration outranking fighting.
4 Subnautica
Subnautica is a perfect match to No Man’s Sky for those that want to explore the sea rather than the land. There was also an expansion to explore some frosty oceans. It’s beautiful and yet haunting at the same time.
Reality might never allow humans to explore other planets like in video games. However, undersea life is still pretty alien to mankind and this game shows the possibilities of what might be down there albeit in the most abstract way possible.
3 Terraria
Terraria is like a 2D version of Minecraft. There is mining, crafting, building, and plenty of monsters to fight as well. It has nothing to do with space but it still fits the mold of No Man’s Sky infinite exploring action.
This 2D crafting game is also a good companion piece to Minecraft to those that never heard of it before. That seems like a rare case because this game is almost literally on every system known to man.
2 Flinthook
Flinthook is a roguelike platformer centered around space pirates. The big gimmick around this game, besides exploring randomized pirate ships in space, is the hookshot gun. It works well as a mechanic to get around quickly as well as a weapon.
It’s one of the more challenging roguelikes out there as not a lot of progression carries over between deaths. There are cards to equip that can help improve the odds but even then it’s still a challenge but one worth investing time into.
1 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons may not seem like a good recommendation to No Man’s Sky fans but think about it. No Man’s Sky does have action in it but the best part about the game is discovering new planets and species. That makes the game a chill experience.
Animal Crossing then is the ultimate chill game for Switch players. It’s been joked about before but it really could be the reason why many gamers were able to keep their sanity during the 2020 lockdown. This simulation game could not have launched at a better time and Nintendo continues to improve it.
