There's something about games like Palworld that makes them near impossible to put down. As we say in our Palworld review, Pocket Pair's immensely popular game "embraces the standards of the popular survival-crafter wholeheartedly" to create a living sandbox for players to really make their own, and the unique type-specific Pals you capture in the wild help build a thriving headquarters. It's fast becoming one of the most talked about and best Xbox Game Pass games ever, and if you're wondering if there are any existing games out there that feel similar to it, you're in luck.
No matter what you love best about Palworld, whether it be the creature-catching elements as seen in the best Pokemon games, the management sim-like base construction, open world exploration and tower defence, or the simple joys of survival crafting, we've found plenty of alternatives that fit the bill. You'll find a range of games like Palworld below, each reflecting at least one of the core gameplay systems the mega-hit survival game on everyone's lips.
With Palworld being an Xbox console exclusive, we've made sure to include a variety of games to suit your setup of choice – including some games like Palworld for PS5 owners or Nintendo Switch fans to try out if you're feeling left out of the hype.
10. Cult of the Lamb
Developer: Massive Monster
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
If you find the autonomous building crafting systems of Palworld super satisfying, Cult of the Lamb is worth a try. This roguelike-meets-management sim has you collecting cute Followers out in the wild (not unlike your adorable Pals) to bring back to the cult grounds as your adoring minions. The thing that makes Cult of the Lamb similar to Palworld is how you basically don't have to lift a finger to construct anything in your camp yourself, since your Followers carry out chores autonomously. Likewise, Palworld's focus on crafting sees type-specific Pals helping out according to their strengths – water-type Pals water plants, for example – meaning you can spend more time exploring the land while your lackeys do the grunt work for you.
9. Rust
Developer: Facepunch Studios
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac
Open-world online multiplayer game Rust has a lot in common with Palworld. As one of the best Steam games out there, Rust is a survival crafting experience centered around banding together with fellow players to set up camp, farm for materials, and raid other encampments across a huge map. The risk of getting raided and carrying out attacks against other live players is something that Palworld fans will find familiar, especially if the tower defense and guild alliance elements are your favorite things about it. Plus, Rust can be played on PC, Mac, and PS4 platforms, making it a great alternative for those without access to a PC or Xbox.
8. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Developer: Nintendo
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Another game that has clearly influenced Palworld and therefore feels similar to it at times is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This 2017 Nintendo exclusive redefined our expectations when it comes to the best Zelda games, introducing a verdant open world to explore as Link. Emergent storytelling and chance encounters really magnify the reactivity offered by Breath of the Wild and sequel Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, something that Palworld seeks to emulate in its massive open world as well. You might not be able to capture Bokoblins and put them to work at base camp, but when it comes to exploration-focussed gameplay, the parallels between Palworld and BOTW speak for themselves.
7. Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Developer: Game Freak
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
An obvious game like Palworld is, well, any of Game Freak's Pokemon games. More specifically, Pokemon Legends: Arceus feels extremely similar to Palworld as a creature-catching RPG set in a semi-open world. Pals and Pokemon creatures themselves strike an uncanny resemblance to each other at times, and you capture Pals much in the same way you capture Pokemon: with Pal Spheres, the legally-distinct answer to Poke Balls. That being said, your Pals are much more useful than their Game Freak counterparts, as not only can they battle other Pals out in the open world, but they make very helpful crafting minions back at camp.
6. Temtem
Developer: Crema
Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC
If the MMO-like feel of Palworld is what you enjoy best about it, as well as the adorable pocket monsters, consider giving Temtem a go. Heavily inspired by the Pokemon franchise but adding a more competitive slant to its PvP battles, Temtem is one game like Palworld that combines cutesy creature-catching, online multiplayer encounters, and PvE showdowns. You can play Temtem on all new gen consoles as well as PC and the Nintendo Switch, making it one of the more broadly-accessible Palworld dupes on this list.
5. Cassette Beasts
Developer: Bytten Studio
Platform(s): Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Pixel RPG Cassette Beasts is an excellent alternative to Palworld if you like your creature-catching games with a heavy dose of nostalgia. It riffs off elements of both Pokemon and the likes of Persona 3, with the ability to fuse your caught beasts with others to make brand new creatures. The only snag here is that unlike Palworld's online servers, Cassette Beasts is currently couch co-op only. Still, if it's a diverse range of catchable creatures you're after as well as a lovely overarching story, you can't go wrong with Bytten Studio's music-infused spin on the classic Pokemon formula.
4. Valheim
Developer: Iron Gate Studio
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One
Another one for fans of a good survival crafting experience, Valheim will fill the Palworld-shaped hole in your heart if you're craving more open-world antics. Just like Palworld, Valheim launched into Early Access and went on to attract a similarly dedicated fanbase. Its brooding Viking theme might not match Palworld's vividly bizarre aesthetic, but if you're after a gigantic survival crafting experience with complex management and building systems, it's well worth a try.
3. Scrap Mechanic
Developer: Axolot Games
Platform(s): PC
Merging the broad open world and automatic maintenance systems of Palworld, Scrap Mechanic is a Palworld alternative to consider as a PC player. Of all the games like Palworld on this list, Scrap Mechanic might be the best match in terms of tone: it's bright, it's loud, and all about exploring with your friends and battling enemies found all across a frankly huge map. You'll be building ingenious machines instead of catching and recruiting Pals to do your bidding, but the engineering slant means that plenty of these machines operate by themselves to complete helpful tasks without you needing to lift a finger.
2. Minecraft Legends
Developer: Mojang Studios
Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Palworld's multiplayer potential is promising, but Minecraft Legends represents the kind of in-depth multiplayer-raid experience you might be craving. Much as in Palworld, Minecraft Legends tasks players with constructing a base out of found materials that they later must defend from enemy attacks. The PvP element adds a layer of competitiveness as your team battles it out against the other, and although you don't have any cute Pals to catch in the wild, you can spawn a variety of allied golems, creepers, and other iconic Minecraft creatures to follow you and fight by your side.
1. Ark: Survival Evolved
Developer: Studio Wildcard
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC
One of Palworld's best alternatives is a game the developers say partially inspired it. Ark: Survival Evolved is a dino-infested sandbox where you can either eliminate or domesticate some fearsome prehistoric beasts, much in the same way you collect Pals in Palword. It's a first-person experience that feels a lot grittier and darker than the splashy colorful vibe of Palworld, but it lays a lot of groundwork in terms of survival crafting, scavenging, and automatic management systems that Pocket Pair would go on to emulate. It's worth trying Ark: Survival Evolved if you're on the hunt for more games like Palworld, especially since it's a little more accessible across a broad range of platforms.
For more Palworld alternatives, why not check out the best survival games?
