space tour game

Universe simulator

SpaceEngine is a realistic virtual Universe you can explore on your computer. You can travel from star to star, from galaxy to galaxy, landing on any planet, moon, or asteroid with the ability to explore its alien landscape. You can alter the speed of time and observe any celestial phenomena you please. All transitions are completely seamless, and this virtual universe has a size of billions of light-years across and contains trillions upon trillions of planetary systems. The procedural generation is based on real scientific knowledge, so SpaceEngine depicts the universe the way it is thought to be by modern science. Real celestial objects are also present if you want to visit them, including the planets and moons of our Solar system, thousands of nearby stars with newly discovered exoplanets, and thousands of galaxies that are currently known.

Cosmographic's Second Anniversary

Author: Alexander T. Long, CEO Yesterday we celebrated our second year as a studio! A lot has happened in the last year, and we have plans for even mo...

Update 0.990.46.2000: Catalog Update and Bug Fixes

Author: Dr. Megan Tannock Today’s update includes several smaller updates to several SpaceEngine features. The first is a major exoplanet catalog ex...

Update 0.990.46.1990: Climate Model Update Full Release

Recently, we announced the addition of a Climate Model to SpaceEngine, which introduced global temperature maps, local pressures, local densities, win...

All types of celestial objects

represented

Galaxies, nebulae, stars and star clusters, planets and moons, comets and asteroids

Thousands of known

celestial objects

Known galaxies, stars, planets, asteroids, nebulae are represented using catalogs: HIPPARCOS, NGC/IC, Messier, MPC, NASA Exoplanet Archive and many others

procedural generation

for uncharted regions

Uncharted regions of space feature procedurally generated objects: galaxies, stars, star clusters, nebulae and planetary systems

Incredibly huge

and realistic Universe

Trillions of galaxies with billions of star systems in each, everything is realistically scaled

free to move

around the universe

Seamless transition from the surface of a planet to the most distant galaxies, and free game-like movement with the WASD keys

Easy navigation

many useful tools

Click on any visible object with the mouse and hit the 'G' key to fly directly to it. Search for objects by name, search by parameters within a certain radius, browse an interactive map of the surrounding space and view a map of the current planetary system

Save locations

and name objects

Save a favorite point in space and time and share it with friend. Give a name to any discovered planet, star or galaxy, and write a description for it.

Observe the Universe

Accelerate, decelerate, or reverse the flow of time to see the orbital motion of planets and moons, and watch sunsets and eclipses

Tools to learn

how the Universe works

Read detailed physical and astronomical data of any celestial body using the built-in Wiki system. Look at the orbital path lines of planets and moons, and compare their size side-by-side

3D landscapes on planets

volumetric galaxies and nebulae

Solar System bodies have real terrain models obtained by space probes; realistic hi-detail terrain on procedural planets

Photorealistic

Photorealistic lighting and atmospheric model

Space ships

with realistic orbital mechanics

Pilot star ships with realistic orbital mechanics, Alcubierre warp drives, and aerodynamics in planetary atmospheres

Multilanguage

Localization in 20 languages, with a simple system for creating new translations

Huge modding

Import space ship models, planetary surface textures and terrain, astronomical catalogs, and more

And much more

Movement made possible with free, spacecraft or aircraft mode

``Select and fly`` autopilot to automatically go directly to the object

Automatic binding of the observer to moving objects

Automatic selection of optimum flight speed

Built-in wiki system with descriptions and ability to extend

Ability to import user addons: models, textures, catalogs

3D models of galaxies and nebulae with interstellar dust clouds

Accurate planetary atmosphere models

Controllable space ships

Original music with context-dependent track switching

Localization in many languages, with the ability to add new ones

• CPU: Intel Core i3-3220T, AMD FX-4100
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, AMD Radeon RX 460; 3+ GB dedicated video memory (VRAM)
• OS: Windows 10

Recommended

• CPU: Intel Core i5-4430, AMD FX-8350
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060, AMD Radeon RX 480; 5+ GB dedicated video memory (VRAM)
• OS: Windows 10/11

If you like SpaceEngine, buy the latest version on Steam , and receive free updates as we make improvements and add new features!

At the moment, we are no longer accepting donations via PayPal. If you want to support SpaceEngine beyond purchasing it for yourself, consider buying a copy for a friend or simply tell your friends and family about SpaceEngine and why you love it. No matter what you do, we deeply appreciate your support!

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Online Version

Desktop version, mobile version, merchandise, recent releases.

2018 December - App Release

Added Messier Objects Explorer

Improved Night Sky view

Added Milky Way Galaxy

Added More Objects to the Search List

Added Distance Meter

Added More Options

Added Fluent Movement through Cosmos

Added Manual Search for objects

2018 June - Web Release

2018 March - Web Release

2018 February - Web Release

2018 January - Web Release

2017 December - App Release

Added manual search

Added nav menu

Paper Planets!

Astronomy places, major app update.

We've created SolarLab to share ideas and inspiration.

You can vote here for the best ideas, find all news, releases, as well as things we're currently working on.

The 20 best space games on PC

Be pilots, pirates and space truckers

Video games are great at transporting us to different worlds, but none capture that feeling quite so perfectly as intergalactic space games - and 2023 looks set to be one of the biggest years for space games yet, with the launch of Starfield , Homeworld 3 and more all on the horizon. But what games have gone before them and staked their claim already on the dusty planet surface known as 'Best Space Games'? We reveal all below, with our carefully curated list of all the best space games you can play on PC right now. Whether you're a budding space cruiser captain, a wannabe space conqueror or an intrepid space-faring explorer, there's a space game for you.

Best space games

We've kept our definition of "space game" fairly traditional here. There are still plenty of hybrid games in our best space games list, from RPGs and space-themed strategy games , but almost all of them are about being in space, whether that's hurtling across the universe in a ship of some kind, or wafting around in zero gravity. Games about settling down on the surface of a new planet such as Surviving Mars and Astroneer, or those set in space-like locations such as Alien: Isolation aren't present in this list, as you never actually get to go to space while you're playing them.

Plus, while there are still plenty of classics here, we've mainly focused on games we'd recommend you play today, rather than a 'greatest space games of all time' affair. Disagree? Tell us about your favourite space game in the comments below, and maybe you'll convince others to give it a try.

• Everspace 2
• Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
• Hardspace: Shipbreaker
• Star Wars: TIE Fighter
• Rebel Galaxy Outlaw
• Star Traders: Frontiers
• Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2
• Sins Of A Solar Empire
• X3: Albion Prelude
• Homeworld Remastered
• Distant Worlds Universe
• Outer Wilds
• FTL: Faster Than Light
• No Man's Sky
• Elite Dangerous
• Kerbal Space Program
• Freespace 2

20. Everspace 2

Everspace 2 is a classic arcade space shooter that feels like it's flown in through a wormhole from the early 00s. While the first game was more of a roguelike, Everspace 2 ditches that structure for a more traditional action RPG that sees you gradually upgrading your ship with bigger and better parts and weapons grabbed from ships you've just obliterated with some well-executed laser beams.

Battles are spectacular and frantic, but beneath the space fighting veneer, these ships are essentially behaving like your favourite RPG classes. Each has their own special and passive abilities, and if it weren't for the flying around in space aspect, you could almost swear you're actually playing something like Diablo. Just, you know, without the endless grind cycle. It's enormously entertaining, and its hand-crafted locations are some of the glossiest and most spectacular pockets of galaxy this side of No Man's Sky.

19. Mass Effect Legendary Edition

The Mass Effects are Captain Kirk simulators. You're not Sulu, blowing Klingons out of space, or Chekov, piloting a ship; you're the boss. And being the boss largely means telling people what to do - and snogging.

Commander Shepard's second mission remains their best - it's a planet-hopping Argonautica and suicide mission with some of BioWare's best-realised characters - but now the entire trilogy has been remastered as part of the Legendary Edition, there's really no reason not to play the whole lot from start to finish. After all, no Mass Effect is an island. The middle game might be the best, but the first lays all the groundwork. And don't listen to the naysayers, the final game drops the ball a bit during the closing act, but otherwise it's a cracking end to the trilogy.

18. Descent

Having been lumped in with run-and-gun first-person shooters since the time of its release (CGW magazine called it "Doom on Benzedrine in a vacuum"), Descent's numerous innovations have often been serially overlooked. True, it didn't have many rock star developers working on it, there were no demons from hell rampaging through it's claustrophobic corridors and there was not one smear of blood to enrage or delight its audience. What it did have was speed, maze-like 3D levels and a range of movement in all directions that was at beautiful odds with the limited space in which to manoeuvre.

Disorientation was a constant companion - for some players so, too, was motion sickness - but in rescuing trapped colonists otherwise doomed to die and escaping each quaking level before it was engulfed in a nuclear fireball the game paid out in full. After more than 20 years, does Descent remain an essential game in the same way as Doom? Given that it would morph into Freespace and remain to some degree in Red Faction's DNA, yes, yes it is. More importantly, it's still enjoyable, more so in many ways than the game that inspired it.

17. Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Hardspace: Shipbreaker is one of those working sims that utterly transports you into the mind and soul of one of its titular shipbreakers the moment you fire your very first laser cutter. You're a nameless employee of the Lynx Corporation with an enormous debt to pay, and you'll gradually chip away at this impossible sum of cash by stripping derelict spaceships for parts and materials. Not from the comfort of a nice space hanger, though. Oh no. You've got to do this in zero gravity, and carefully punt each individual component into their respective recycling bins, or face the wrath of your corporate overlords. It's a tough gig, but oh so fulfiling.

Played correctly, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is wonderfully mundane. And we mean that in the best possible sense. Yes, there's the occasional explosion when you accidentally slam a laser through volatile fuel pumps, and yes, you'll need to manage your fuel and oxygen levels as you go about your work. But there is a zen-like loop of cutting, grabbing and punting that lets you revel in your own sense of growing expertise, and stripping a ship clean in record time like some giant, indentured space vulture is intensely satisfying.

16. Star Wars: TIE Fighter

Contrary to popular belief, the X-Wing series wasn't a direct assault on Wing Commander. It was an attempt to transpose the systems and success of Totally Games' first series onto what would be its second. Indeed, you don't need to play much of either to see that there's more of Wing Commander in Battlehawks 1942 and Their Finest Hour than there is of X-Wing or TIE Fighter in Wing Commander. Just as Star Wars' space battles are inspired by WWII combat footage, the X-Wing series are informed almost entirely by Totally's WWII fight games. That they all featured a mission builder, combat recorder and historical missions only serves to underline that fact.

In any case, had X-Wing been intended as Star Wars' answer to WingCo, X-Wing 2 would surely have followed it. Instead Totally and Lucasarts opted to flip the story to the Dark Side, in so doing allowing players the opportunity to fight for the Empire for the first time while avoiding the mistake of painting everyone in it as wholly and irredeemably evil. Even though we knew we were on the wrong side, the game had us believing our hearts were in the right place, even if our guns were pointing at the good guys.

Plus, if you want to see what TIE Fighter might look like with modern day graphics, be sure to check out the recently released TIE Fighter: Total Conversion mod for X-Wing Alliance, too, which pretty much recreates TIE Fighter from the ground-up, and adds in VR support.

15. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is that rare space sim that manages to capture the thrill and wonder of exploring a star system without wildly over-promising on what to expect. It may only be set in a single region of space with 40-odd star systems to peruse, but within those limited confines is a game packed with dogfights, bounty hunts, underhand deals and fraught delivery runs. Action is the name of the game here, and Double Damage Games makes you get you're able to get your hands dirty at every possible opportunity.

Thanks to Outlaw's clever targeting system and auto-pursuit system, dogfights are brilliant fun. You can turn off auto-pursuit if you prefer to go old-school with your space fights, but leaving it on makes every skirmish feel like a nail-biting battle of wits rather than chance pot-shots into the void. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw also manages that rare feat of giving us a character we actually care about, and a story that gives them a place and purpose in this vast region of the unknown. A lot of it covers familiar ground, but it makes a refreshing change from your No Man's Sky and Elite Dangerous types. Lovingly crafted and always stunningly pretty to look at, Rebel Galaxy Outlaw always has us coming back for more.

14. Star Traders: Frontiers

Space captains are better served than ever for 2D Elite-ish games, but Star Traders: Frontiers is by far the best out there. Create your captain, pick a ship, and fill it with a crew of pilots, navigators, swordsmen, and whatever niche experts suit your needs. Getting on your feet can be hard, but once you've got a little money and the favour of some political figures, the galaxy is yours to adventure in.

Your ship and crew define you more than in any space RPG, as you can refit and reorganise them as you see fit. Almost everything you do in Frontiers can affect the economy, status, and political relations of local characters, planets, and factions, whether you want to dig into its multi-threaded story jobs or not. And you'll inevitably end up doing more than you planned for when opportunity knocks. Your unarmed spy ship might make a great smuggler. Your ship-disabling pirates might create perfect opportunities to start taking on bounty hunter jobs. Or you might just stumble across some exotic goods, and find yourself waylaid in a chain of unexpected events on your way to find a black market to sell them at. Plus, you can hire a sniper who wears pink thigh high boots in space. What's not to love?

13. Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2

If you're happy to trade off realism for sheer spectacle when it comes to space battles, then Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 (the definitive Warhammer 40,000 navy 'em up) is going to be your happy place. Despite all the cinematic 3D camera work, its battles play out on a resolutely 2D playing field. It's essentially a sea battle game with bombastic, giga-scale space stylings, and it pushes a lot of the same buttons as Total War games in terms of play feel - you build up fleets on a campaign layer, then position them on a tactical map and shove them into the enemy to start knocking lumps out of each other.

Conflict in BFGA2 feels huge: hundreds of individual turrets batter away at each other, while fighters zip around like clouds of dust, and massive ships explode gloriously with a groaning sound like a whale reading its credit card bill. You can play as 12 of the major 40k factions in BFGA2's skirmish mode, while four get their own campaigns. The strategic game sometimes feels a little light, but not so much that it feels stripped down, and there's an impressive level of storytelling and lore involved, when it didn't necessarily have to be. The big draw, however you choose to play, and whatever you choose to play as, is that you're guaranteed one hell of a light show.

12. Sins Of A Solar Empire

Ironclad Games' RTS pinches the scale of a 4X game and pits massive armadas against each other in orbital laser light shows. All the diplomatic, trade and research systems borrowed from 4Xs prop up the constant war, funding and upgrading increasingly diverse fleets. At first you'll just be throwing light attack ships at planets you want to gobble up, but eventually you'll be surrounding worlds and enemy fleets with capital ships the size of small moons and a whole host of support vessels, carriers, tiny fighters and bombers.

Sins' smartest trick is the use of restrictive lanes to connect worlds. It forces fleets to travel down predetermined paths, appearing in specific places. Even in space, then, there's terrain, with the lanes' entrances and exits acting as choke points around which weapons platforms can be constructed and fleets positioned. The Rebellion standalone adds the additional wrinkle of new playable rebel factions and their accompanying victory conditions, but also powerful Titan-class ships and overhauled vanilla factions. Oh, and it's quite a bit prettier!

11. X3: Albion Prelude

Although it started out as a rather humourless and unhurried take on Elite, the X series has carved out an impressive niche for itself over the course of 15 years or so, becoming the go-to game for space captains who'd rather explore a capitalist frontier than venture beyond anything physical.

Egosoft would no doubt argue that there's been more to its games than first-person Industry Giant in space, pointing to the series' motto and the prominence of fighting ahead of thinking. The truth is that that it took a few attempts for the German developer to properly nail combat. The X3 games seemed to nail it though; each release offering a more evolved OS-styled control setup that managed to avoid falling into the FPS mouse trap while complimenting the complexities of the trading simulation underpinning the game. Some might protest that the Albion Prelude expansion went a step too far, with too much slow-burning intricacy and not enough explanation, but by setting the X universe at war with itself ahead of the slate-cleaning Rebirth, it offered players the best opportunity in the long-running series to make good profit at the expense of others.

10. EVE Online

For all its infamous high stakes drama and ruthless corporate betrayals, there's room for a lot more in EVE than most people think. The enormously complex player economy is ultimately about loads of random players all doing their own thing, after all.

More so than perhaps any other game, EVE is about interacting with others, but that too can be done as you see fit. The jostling alliances of hundreds-strong players make the headlines, but exist alongside countless small groups of friends, pairs, even the occasional solo player making their space life by trade, manufacture, murder, or just quietly shooting endless disposable NPC ships for an hour or two after work to unwind. It's a demanding game for sure, but getting to know even a small corner of it feels satisfying. Seeing familiar names and knowing what they're up to, who they're friends with, and what things you can achieve together is one of the promises that few MMOs deliver on.

It takes some patience and a lot of initiative, and the ability to sigh and shrug some things off. But if you're not enjoying what you're doing in EVE, you can just do something else. Get talking to someone, for heaven's sake. There are opportunities everywhere if you're willing to make the effort.

9. Homeworld Remastered

The original Homeworld is one of the all-time great space RTS games, but trying to get it running on a modern PC is a bit of a nightmare - if only because it hasn't been available to buy for the better part of a decade. Thankfully, Gearbox's 2015 remaster brought it bang up to date. Bundling remastered editions of both Homeworld and Homeworld 2 and a special Steam multiplayer mode, this is the definitive way to play one of the best space games of all time.

A lot of Homeworld's accomplishments may seem like old-hat now. Moving multiple units in 3D space? Yawn. A choice between total annihilation and desperate survival? Been there, done that. And yet, the thrill of Homeworld's epic space battles remains just as strong as it did back in the olden days of 1999. Add in modern dynamic lighting, hi-res textures and a remastered score, and it really is quite the homecoming.

8. Distant Worlds Universe

Distant Worlds Universe collects Code Force and Matrix Games' complex space 4X game and its DLC in one package, and it was our strategy game of the year back in 2014. The accolade is still well deserved. It's a sprawling behemoth of a game set in a universe that gets along with or without you. Trade companies do business all across the universe, empires rise and fall, sectors transform from tourist traps into warzones.

Rather than presenting empire building as a series of paths, it's a pure sandbox absent all but player-defined goals. If that sounds daunting, it is! But that that's OK because Distant Worlds also boasts an unparalleled automation system that breaks the game up into manageable chunks. If war isn't your cup of Earl Grey, you can leave all martial matters up to the extremely competent AI. The same goes for every system. If you really want to ease into things, or if you just fancy exploring space, you can give up control of everything apart from a single ship. Effectively you take a break from being Emperor to become a simple spaceship captain. From that perspective you can just watch the universe evolve around you. When that gets old, you can start switching off the automation of other systems one by one until you find your limit.

7. Outer Wilds

The solar system of Outer Wilds may only take a few minutes to cross in your rickety old space ship, but the mysteries of its six planets and accompanying moons, comets and satellites will keep you guessing for hours and hours. Our game of the year in 2019 , Outer Wilds is a clever space detective game with a Groundhog Day twist. The sun goes supernova every 22 minutes, but thanks to a strange encounter with an ancient alien artefact, your wide-eyed explorer manages to escape being turned into space dust by getting stuck in an infinite time loop. The only way to break it is to solve the mystery of the space-faring Nomai, whose architecture, technology and discoveries shape each and every planet you'll eventually touch down on.

The planets themselves are marvels of design and engineering. From Brittle Hollow, which has a black hole tearing it apart from the inside, to The Hourglass Twins, which are linked by an epic column of sand that gradually drowns one and reveals the secrets of the other with every passing second, the world that Mobius Digital have created here really captures your imagination. It's exactly the kind of mad science fiction you've always dreamed about in games, and each one feels like a distinct ecosystem with its own rules and systems. You're free to explore them at your own pace, too. Driven by hints and secrets you gather by translating ancient Nomai scrolls and texts they've left behind (but never giant 'go here next' icons), Outer Wilds' greatest achievement is simply letting you follow whatever trail of Nomai-shaped breadcrumbs you please as you work to solve this galaxy-wide mystery. Brilliantly written and beautifully crafted, Outer Wilds is a truly stellar stuff.

6. Stellaris

After years of simulating the politics, economics and wars of history, Paradox decided to head off into the stars with their grand strategy/4X hybrid, Stellaris. Crusader Kings II and Europa Universalis IV had been pumping out weird stories and slices of historical drama for a few years, and more than anything else that's what Stellaris brought to 4X's sector of space.

You can spend hours creating your brand new alien species, right down to their government type and how good they are at making babies, but new technology and special events can transform them into something completely different. Since launch, Stellaris has gone from strength to strength, with Paradox adding a steady stream of new expansions, species and story packs. Its latest expansion, Nemesis, came out in April 2021, too, making it a great time to jump in if you haven't already.

5. FTL: Faster Than Light

Subset Games' roguelike-like darling deconstructs spaceship sims and presents managing a vessel as a series of disasters and crises. Each of FTL's procedural adventure casts you adrift in space with a single goal: outrun the Federation and bring their secret plans to your Rebel allies. In between you are scouts, pirates, people needing help and horrible space parasites. You can't turn back, though, because the Federation is always nipping at your heels.

In real-time fights against other ships, you'll see your crew slain, your ship boarded by droids, hulls ripped open, explosives teleported in and allies psionically controlled. But you'll be able to do all of that to your enemies as well. Along the way, you'll also find or rescue new crew members, get access to the fanciest of future tech, and hopefully get tough enough to take on the final Federation boss.

Even seemingly blessed runs can end in catastrophe, but each failure becomes another brilliant sci-fi story. The journey of the Ham Sandwich, for instance, ended particularly tragically. After a run in with a pirate, the ship looked to be done for, with a fires and breaches in multiple rooms and just about every system offline. The engine fire was the worst of the problems and if it wasn't taken care of, the whole ship would be doomed. Our engineer tirelessly fought the fire, even as the oxygen was sucked out of the room through a tear in the hull. With his final breath he managed to put out the fire, the doors could be unsealed, and the rest of the crew repaired the hole. Unfortunately, an encounter with a solar flare one jump later finished the Ham Sandwich off.

4. No Man's Sky

It's been a bumpy old ride for No Man's Sky since it launched in 2016, but after a steady stream of free updates, patches and a lot of jiggery-pokery behind the scenes, Hello Games' epic, procedurally-generated space exploration game has finally become everything we hoped and dreamed it would be. No Man's Sky has gone from strength to strength in recent years, adding a proper multiplayer experience, full VR support, aquatic biomes, and even more beasts, flora, fauna and customisation options. Heck, you can even fly around in sentient, living, breathing space ships now, and if that doesn't shout 'best space game' material, we don't know what does.

It is, without doubt, one of the greatest comeback stories of the last decade. At its heart, No Man's Sky is still a crafting-based survival 'em up that sees you journeying toward the centre of the universe and gradually upgrading your ship so you can jump farther and farther distances, but it's also about flying to and from stunning looking planets and staring slack-jawed at all the mad creatures you'll find therein. You no longer have to make the journey alone, either, as up to 32 players can now join a single server, and you'll see other players appear onscreen when they're nearby. Its VR support is also first rate, making it one of the best VR games you can play on PC right now, and it's also one of the best games to play in ultrawide mode, too.

3. Elite Dangerous

What makes Elite Dangerous so compelling isn't so much about the game as the experience. It's the tinkering with and the taking out of a performance car for a Sunday drive, not to rack up more miles, nor to break any speed limits, but to just feel the growl of the engine and the wind comb through what's left of your hair. To remember those carefree days arched over a BBC Micro or blinking angrily into a Lenslok and to forget for a short while that you have to make 357 people redundant in the morning. Elite is a hermetically-sealed escape capsule and it's the best there is. Hell, you could fire the game up and just sit there on a launch pad and the sounds are enough to carry you away, so strong is your ship's presence and so absorbing are the station surroundings.

Taking off, tearing through the station entrance a little too fast and just missing a Python, angling for the next jump, scooping fuel from a blazing sun, spinning the camera around your ship to catch its best profile, starting a fight just for the hell of it, seeing smoke rise from the command console, hearing the screen crack and precious oxygen escaping into space and landing back at base with seconds to spare - these are the moments that make Elite essential. Trading, missions, mining - not so much. But it's all right, we're not going anywhere.

2. Kerbal Space Program

It could be argued that Kerbal Space Program doesn't belong on this list, because it's a game about trying but (mostly) failing to get into space. Sometimes it's a game about smashing into the ground. Botched attempts and hopeless failures litter the path to success, but it's those disastrous experiments that often prove to be the most fun.

That might not be the Kerbal Space Program everybody recognises, though. We're sure it feels great to successfully get the Kerbals on and off the Mun without breaking a sweat, but we're just happy to see them drifting around in space. We don't even see our many misadventures as failures anymore because that implies that we haven't done what we set out to do, which is to draw a blank on everything we know about physics and just muck around with some cool rockets.

1. Freespace 2

Was it Freespace 2 that almost killed the space combat genre? Some like to think it was the game's commercial failure that did the damage; that there was no interest in space combat games any more and that if anyone persisted in making one, their sales would suffer the same fate. If it ever was a wreck, we now know that Freespace 2 wasn't left empty for very long, and that the message in the static was soon changed to offer a place of refuge, a rallying point for gamers uninterested in a New World Order of terrorist take-downs.

It's not simply that Freespace 2 is a highly accomplished sequel to what was arguably the finest game in its genre, but that it has become the source of so much creativity over the years. For space genre fans, Diaspora, The Babylon Project, Blue Planet and Wing Commander Saga have been some of the brightest releases in what has, until the last couple of years, been a veritable dark age.

The thing is, standard issue Freespace 2 remains largely unchallenged. Considering it was barely a year in development and many of Volition's ideas for ground attacks and super weapons went unrealised, it offers a number of improvements on the original game. Prior to Freespace 2, capital ships were largely treated as static backgrounds, but now they were part of the foreground, one that fizzed and crackled with explosive energy like never before. Of course Freespace wasn't perfect. But what the Freespace games did better than anything else was put the player in the midst of a series of epic battles, fighting against the odds versus a relentless and unknowable foe. The spectacular weapons, the frenetic and desperate movement that remains a perfect marriage of UI and controller and graphics that were so in advance of everything all those years ago that, even un-modded today, the game can maintain the fantasy. Even in this new space age, one of procedurally-generated universes and forceless feedback joysticks, Freespace 2 stands as a titan of the genre. The Galactica among Battlestars. The game that has lead the genre home.

Off the list

Alas, as with every update, there are inevitably some games we end up saying goodbye to. In this version of the list, we swapped Slipways and Galactic Civilizations II for Hardspace: Shipbreaker and Everspace 2. Everything else has stayed in the same position. It doesn't mean we love those games any less, or that they won't be featured here again in the future, but right now they just fall short of that top 20 cut-off.

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Play International Space Station Tour VR

About this game, system requirements.

• OS *: Windows 8
• Processor: Intel i5-4590 equivalent or greater
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290 or greater
• Storage: 2 GB available space
• VR Support: SteamVR

This experience is created by The House of Fables. ESA is not an author of the application. ESA holds all rights for photos and videos used.

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The best space games on PC

All the best space games you can play right now on PC.

• Singleplayer
• Multiplayer
• Cool space games

The best space games on PC squeeze all the stars and planets into little worlds for us to visit, explore, or save. Anime fans might like how Honkai: Star Rail zooms in on individual planets for comedic stories and slick combat, and strategy-minded players could lose track of time as they build an empire in Stellaris. And if you have a group of friends who can stomach absurdist horror, Lethal Company should be your next destination. Space games have been around for as long as PCs have been around, so there's a ton of games to choose from. The ones below are playable on most modern systems and aren't a pain to track down. You can find many of them on Steam, and often at a discounted price. Not every game treats space the same way. Some of them are made to be explored with a group of friends, while others are best played alone. We've broken every space game into categories to help you decide which one to dive into.

The best space games

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The best singleplayer space games

Release date: 2023 | Developer: Bethesda Softworks | Steam

Starfield opens, like many Bethesda RPGs, in a small location that eventually gives way to a massive open world. But this time, its a whole galaxy. Mountains of loot await you in this sci-fi world full of hundreds of unique quests and characters. Grab a companion and go exploring planets for resources and spots to construct a base in, or build your own space ship. Starfield might not be our favorite Bethesda game, but as far as space RPGs go, it's one of the most expansive ones out there.

Read more: Starfield review

Outer Wilds

Release date: 2019 | Developer: Mobius Digital | Steam

A first-person open world 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

Honkai: Star Rail

Release date: 2023 | Developer: HoYoverse | Epic

The turn-based sci-fi RPG from the developers behind Genshin Impact has no business being so good. As a male or female Trailblazer, you join a crew of explorers who travel to different planets to save them from being doomed by the universe's gods. It doesn't have a fully open world like Genshin, but each planet has cities and locations to explore and an expansive storyline that can be both surprisingly comedic and heroic—like any good space opera.

Read more: Honkai: Star Rail review

The Outer Worlds

Release date: 2019 | Developer: Obsidian Entertainment | Steam

Not to be confused with Outer Wilds, which is also a space adventure and also on this list, Obsidian's interplanetary RPG is a comedic action RPG that hearkens back to the studio's days working on Fallout. You and your companions will hop around a solar system full of literally colorful environments and figuratively colorful characters. Corporations are the big bads of the retro space future where you'll shoot up aliens, choose dialogue, and generally make a mess of every planet you show up on if it suits your fancy. 

Read more: Outer Worlds review

Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Release date: 2022 | Developer: Blackbird Interactive | Steam

Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a game set in the future where cutting apart ships pays the bills, but not much else. This first-person destruction simulator has you learning the craft, taking jobs, and refining your skills so that eventually you can pay off your crippling pile of debt. It's creative and monotonous in a way that blue collar jobs often can be. And it uses that to underline the vital role of undervalued and overworked labor in a world run by billion dollar people and billion dollar corporations.

Read more: Hardspace: Shipbreaker review

Observation

Release date: 2019 | Developer: No Code | Steam 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

Release date: 2017 | Developer: Fullbright | Steam 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

Alien: Isolation

Release date: 2014 | Developer Creative Assembly | Steam 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 more: What Alien: Isolation gets right that Alien: Covenant gets wrong

Dead Space (2023)

Release date: 2023 | Developer: Motive | Steam

Isaac Clarke is an extremely unlucky guy. He's sent to repair a ship, the USG Ishimura, but very quickly finds out that it's stuffed with horrifying alien monsters. Dead Space blends the industrialized horror of Alien and tasks you (in third-person) with chopping up every monster that stumbles toward you. The 2023 remake cleans the game's visuals up, gives Clarke a makeover, and embraces what made the original so atmospheric and suspenseful. 

Read more: Dead Space review 

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Release date: 2021 | Developer: BioWare | 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 the Mass Effect series (especially 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 series on PC. It doesn’t have the freedom of open-ended games like Elite: Dangerous 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, which have been modernized in the Legendary Edition, but we all agree that Mass Effect 2 is our favourite. Unfortunately, the original PC version of Mass Effect 2 isn't great, so you're best option is to pick up the Legendary Edition.

Read more: The Mass Effect games ranked from worst to best

Release date: 2013 | Developer: Chucklefish Games | Steam 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 more: Starbound review

Release date: 2017 | Developer: Rockfish Games | 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 more: Death is the road to glory in Everspace

Elite Dangerous

Release date: 2014 | Developer Frontier Developments | Steam 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

Heat Signature

Release date: 2017 | Developer Suspicious Developments | 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

Release date: 2016 | Developer: Ocelot Society | 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 more: Event[0] review

Star Wars: TIE Fighter

Release date: 1994 | Developer: Totally Games | 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 more: The best Star Wars games on PC

FTL: Faster Than Light

Release date: 2012 | Developer: Subset Games | 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 more: The writing in FTL

Release date: 2016 | Developer: Misfits Attic | Steam 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-wracking experience. Read more: Duskers review

Release date: 1995 | Developer: LucasArts | 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 more: Reinstall: The Dig

Wing Commander: Privateer

Release date: 1993 | Developer: Origin Systems | 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.

Take On Mars

Release date: 2013 | Developer: Bohemia Interactive | Steam 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 more: Building a mighty space base in Take On Mars

Objects in Space

Release date: 2019 | Developer: Flat Earth Games | Steam

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

The best strategy space games

Battlefleet gothic: armada 2.

Release date: 2019 | Developer: Tindalos Interactive | Steam

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 more: Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 review 

Endless Space 2

Release date: 2017 | Developer: Amplitude Studios | Steam

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 more: Endless Space 2 review

Release date: 2016 | Developer: Paradox | Steam 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

Sins of a Solar Empire

Release date: 2008 | Developer: Ironclad Games | Steam 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.

Homeworld Remastered Collection

Release date: 2015 | Developer: Relic/Gearbox Software | Steam 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

Surviving Mars

Read more Objects in Space is a very different kind of space sim 

The best multiplayer space games

Lethal company.

Release date: 2023 | Developer: Zeekerss | Steam

Lethal Company has a simple premise: You and a group of orange-jumpsuited friends take on jobs to scavenge derelict space stations filled with unfathomable horrors. This first-person survival horror game is as terrifying as it is ripe for comedy as everyone stumbles around looking for treasure. Proximity voice chat and planets riddled with hazards make for one of the most chaotic multiplayer playgrounds available. The vacuum of space is the least of your worries when you've got three other greedy astronauts waddling beside you. Read more: Lethal Company is a viral hit in no small part thanks to all the intense shouting

Space Engineers

Release date: 2013 | Developer: Keen Software House | Steam

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 more: An erratic journey to the Moon in Space Engineers

Release date: 2003 | Developer: CCP Games | Steam 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 more: EVE Online's most notorious scam took 16 months of commitment

Release date: 2017 | Developer: Bungie | Steam Bungie's addictive FPS/MMO hybrid features some of the prettiest alien landscapes on PC. From the forested ruins of Earth and the frigid barrens of Europa, to the cosmic beauty of The Dreaming City, every location is a pleasure to loot-and-shoot in. Although Bungie has removed a few planets to the recycle bin, the game continues to layer more lore and story with each new expansion, as well as smart reworks to its signature classes and gear. Read more: Destiny 2: The Witch Queen review

No Man's Sky

Release date: 2016 | Developer: Hello Games | Steam 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, missions, and actual multiplayer in its continuous stream of 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 more: The best No Man's Sky mods

The best simulation space games

Kerbal space program.

Release date: 2015 | Developer: Squad | Steam 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 more: Kerbal Space Program: Making History review

Universe Sandbox

Release date: 2014 | Developer Giant Army | Steam 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. Read more Universe Sandbox review

Just really cool space games

Spaceengine.

Release date: 2010 | Developer Vladimir Romanyuk | Steam 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.

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Best space games which will let you explore the unknown

From Elite Dangerous to Outer Wilds, here's the 10 best space games which will let you journey through the stars

The best space games capture a sense of wonder and make the most of the setting to deliver adventures of all shapes and sizes. From sprawling RPGs to MMORPGs and creative roguelikes, there's no shortage of fantastic games out there that bring to life interesting and memorable experiences among the stars. Many games set in space are often counted among the best sci-fi games out there, but the wealth of possibilities the setting presents has also set the scene for some of the best game stories . 

Happily, we have plenty of new adventures that take place in space to look forward to, with upcoming Star Wars games such as Star Wars Outlaws .  But while we wait for what lies ahead, why not join us as celebrate all of experiences you try out right now. So whether you enjoy the setting, love getting lost in exploration, or you want to live out a space-faring fantasy, get ready for lift off as we take you through our pick of the best space games you can play right now. 

Recent updates

This list of best space games was updated on October 23, 2023 to add Starfield to the ranking. 

Platform(s) : PC Developer: CCP

Eve Online is bigger and better than ever before, as the community continues to expand their horizons. In Eve Online, everything is player-directed: From the structure of entire alliances to the whole in-game economy. With so many different factors at play – thousands of players online at any one time, each with their own goals – you find that cool stuff just constantly happens, from the collapse of superpowers to huge PvP fights with thousands of ships spewing lasers across the sky. Eve Online remains among the best MMORPG s to play in 2023. 

9. Elite Dangerous

Platform(s) : PC Developer : Frontier Developments  

Elite: Dangerous feels a bit like Space: The Game. It hands you a ship, boots up the engine and asks you to make your living however you like in a galaxy full of other players, be that via trading, smuggling, mining, exploring or dogfighting. It’s not a full-on flying sim, but it really sells the fantasy of space travel. Your cockpit is alive with blinking lights that let you adjust the balance of power to your ship’s systems, and the sheer scale of the world means flying between two planets can take ages, even with a hyperspace jump. Sit back and enjoy the gorgeous views.

8. Starfield

Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

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Starfield allows you step into an expansive universe and explore any one of its many planets as you join up as a member of the Constellation. If you've ever wanted to bring your own ship to life that you can pilot among the stars,  there's all kinds of parts and options to do just that. The ambitious RPG puts you behind the pilot seat of your very own spacecraft, with an extensive level of freedom when it comes to Starfield ship customization . There's plenty to discover as you venture through the cosmos, with companions who can join your crew and help you fight against any enemies that might cross your path. With a variety of Starfield traits and backgrounds to choose from, Bethesda's latest RPG is also home to different skills that can enhance spaceflight and exploration planet-side. 

Read our Starfield review

7. Kerbal Space Program

Platform(s) : PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X Developer: Squad

Half toybox, half science project, Kerbal Space Program is the most fun you can have while learning about space. On the surface, it’s a game about building ridiculous rockets and launching tiny green men into space – and then watching the whole thing literally fall apart before your eyes while you giggle. But the more you play, the more you want to understand it. Before long, you’re agonizing over the correct entry angle for a moon landing, or the right configuration of engines to achieve maximum thrust. The proper rules of physics apply, and the most satisfying achievements require careful planning and attention to detail. It’s a sandbox, but you’ll always have a goal to aim for. 

6. Stellaris

Platform(s) : PC, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 Developer: Paradox Development Studio

Stellaris is a deep, gripping strategy game about building up a space-faring empire and squashing any foe in sight. Or, if you prefer, it’s about establishing a race of friendly technocrat turtles that help other species expand. That’s the beauty of it: you set your own goals, assign your own traits to your species, and play it however you like. It has all the exploration of a traditional strategy sim, but your relationships with other factions take on more weight than usual. You’ll steer your civilisation through war and peace, watch alliances form and betray each other, and band together with foes to fight extra-dimensional invaders. Dive in, and prepare to lose all track of time.

5. Outer Wilds

Platform(s) : PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch Developer: Mobius Digital

The cutesy presentation Outer Wilds belies just how clever this game is: as a first-time astronaut, you explore a miniaturized galaxy over the course of 22 minutes, zooming between planets in your ship and picking at story threads. When the clock runs out, you respawn and do it all over again – this time armed with everything you learned in your previous life. A truly dynamic and unique experience, The Outer Wilds is one of the most imaginative and creative space games out there. 

4. FTL: Faster Than Light

Platform(s) : PC, iOS Developer: Subset Games

One of the best indie games ever made still has plenty of fuel in the tank. As the captain of a top-down ship, your goal is to reach friendly territory by jumping between randomly-generated segments of space, each full of nasty enemies, traders, and the odd friendly face. Combat somehow feels both urgent and thoughtful: you can pause at any time to assess your options, and yet we’re always in a constant panic, re-routing precious power from our weapons to our shields to absorb damage, or even purposefully bombing our own ship to neutralise boarding parties. Every decision is tortuous, and every victory has a cost. Over a decade later, and FTL is still one of the best roguelike games on the market. 

3. Destiny 2

Platform(s) : PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5 Developer: Bungie

If you only have room in your life for one online FPS, make it Destiny 2 . It’s got it all: challenging PvP modes, big co-op boss fights, long story arcs, and, most importantly, tons of loot to collect on alien planets. When it comes to the actual shooting, Destiny 2 remains one of the best FPS games out there. Guns feel weighty but not cumbersome, and headshots reward you with showers of special effects. We’d advise playing with a group, especially for the toughest raids, but it’s still a fun time if you’re solo. Best of all, the base game is free-to-play, and you could easily dump 100 hours into it before being tempted to spend any cash on expansions.

2. Mass Effect 2 

Platform(s) : PC, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X Developer: BioWare

Mass Effect is among the best RPGs – the space RPG by which we measure all others. The original trilogy, and particularly the second game, remain masterpieces. And thanks to the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition , it's even easier to relive the excellent series all over again. The overall plot of the series – space hero tries to unite and save the galaxy against a deadly force – sounds generic, but doesn’t feel it moment-to-moment. That’s largely down to the crew you assemble, each with distinct personalities, goals, and senses of humor. As they gradually open up, you’ll look forward to every trip back to the Normandy between missions, just so you can see what they have to say next. 

1. No Man's Sky

Platform(s) : PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch Developer : Hello Games

No Man's Sky has so much to offer when it comes to space exploration. With a wealth of big updates recently added to make the experience even more in-depth, Hello Games presents you with infinite galaxies to discover, as well as more than 30 hours of story. The massive and ambitious Beyond update brought with it even more features and improvements, and along with the Origins , Prisms , Expeditions , and Echoes updates, there's never been a better time to jump right in. 

If you don't feel like exploring on your own, you can also play the space-faring adventure with your pals. The No Man's Sky multiplayer aspect offers you the chance to build up colonies together, try to survive the expanses of the galaxies, and even dogfight and race in your ships. The ever-growing community of players that continues to go from strength to strength just goes to show how much love there is for No Man's Sky, and it really has become of the best sim games for space-curious players around. 

Look ahead to future releases with our roundup of new games for 2023 and beyond. 

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19 Cool Spaceship Building Games

Players can make their spaceship-building dreams come true in the fantastic tech-heavy building games.

• Building and sim games set in space offer a fun and challenging experience, allowing players to explore other universes and build futuristic spaceships.
• These games cater to both experienced gamers and beginners, offering a range of options for all skill levels.
• From intricate engineering challenges to epic space battles, these games provide a variety of gameplay experiences, ensuring there's something for every type of player.

Building and sim games are much more fun and challenging when players have to build something that's out of this world. Thanks to some of the most complex and fun video games set in space gamers can not only explore other universes but build all kinds of futuristic sci-fi and fantasy spaceships.

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While these spaceship-building games tend to be more complex and complicated it doesn't mean that beginners or casual gamers shouldn't try them. Players can go on epic adventures while playing with some of the best sci-fi games in which they can not only pilot but build gorgeous and super fast spaceships to explore other planets, stars, and complete solar systems. Some of these fascinating games can even help players learn and improve their real-world knowledge regarding psychics, engineering, and of course space exploration and astronomy.

Updated August 28, 2023, by Via Erhard: Spacship-building games have captured the imaginations of gaming fans all around the globe, thanks to intense simulators, adrenaline-pumping sci-fi epics, and even grand space adventure games. Players can craft intricate engineering marvels in a sandbox universe, engage in space battles, and explore some of the gaming worlds' most beautiful and complex realms. While some of these games are famously challenging, there are plenty of beginner-friendly options that offer a fun experience to casual players and newbies as well. No matter if a player is looking for story-rich experiences or simply wants to tinker with zero-gravity physics, these games offer something to every type of person.

19 Stationeers

Stationeers is the ultimate cosmic crafting challenge that's a great choice for players who love indie strategy games and galactic adventures. This stunning early-access space-building game is set in the vast void of space. During their adventures, players get to manage their very own space stations.

Users will get to utilize their strategic, management, and engineering skills as they grapple with atmospheric, electrical, and agricultural quandaries and more. Stationeers lets players explore a challenging but complex world filled with intricate systems and where players must master the art of science-based survival. Players will have to create the perfect space base to ensure survival and that their livestock don't just float away, while also exploring exotic planets or asteroid belts to gather resources.

18 Space Engineers

Space Engineers is a fun sandbox space builder that lets players use their creativity while exploring a fascinating setting. They get to build intricate space vessels, as well as space stations, and planetary outposts for both civilian and military ventures.

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However, Space Engineers isn't just about construction, since players will have to pilot ships and scavenge planets for resources to ensure their survival while enjoying the game's volumetric-based physics engine that gives every object tangible volume, weight, and interactive properties. It's also one of the most realistic space-building games since it draws inspiration from current NASA tech, but takes a 60-year leap into the future. Players can also try a variety of game modes as well as a wide variety of customization options and can build behemoths and explore uncharted galaxies.

17 Starbase

Starbase is an early-access MMORPG with cool optimization options and epic battles. Players don't simply get to explore a fascinating galaxy but also build, trade, and engage in challenging battles during their adventures.

Players will get to craft spaceships down to the tiniest bolt or even pioneer their very own massive space station. Starbase 's universe isn't just vast; it's volatile with its voxel-vertex blend, that lets players shatter, construct, and strategize. The battles aren't mere firefights either since players will have to rely on their strategic skills if they want to overcome the challenges.

16 Astrox Imperium

Astrox Imperium is an early-access space sim with a retro vibe in which players have to min, trade, and fight against pirates. Gamers can also explore a wide selection of maps, enjoy delightful drone dynamics, as well as engage in riveting real-time combat.

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Single players can embark on an epic journey throughout endless galaxies and learn how to master various crafts, navigate economies, go on fun missions, and get to know more than seventy beautiful spaceships and drones. Astrox Imperium is also a story-heavy game, so players will get to know an intricate story that immerses them even deeper into the game's unique world.

15 The Last Starship

The Last Starship is one of the most exciting early-access options that's a perfect choice for players who love grand strategy games . While players can choose from pre-packaged builds, they can also decide to build a ship before starting their galactic adventure. They will have to get everything before their trip, including new engines, sensors, and life support.

Players will have to do everything from laying down the ship's pipework to managing all ship-wide systems, all to ensure they build a functioning spaceship that will keep their crew alive. Once done, players will also be able to explore a fun universe and complete missions while enjoying a colorful retro art style.

14 Starcom: Unknown Space

Starcom: Unknown Space is another retro-inspired action RPG space-building game that lets players step into the shoes of a fleet commander and go on an epic adventure while exploring and defending the galaxy. Players will get to build their very own starships as well as explore an epic space story filled with mysteries.

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During their adventures, players will not only have to build and manage their starships but also manage all other resources, research technology, and use their strategic skills when commanding their fleet in battles. Thanks to the detailed story players can feel fully immersed in this unique sci-fi gaming world.

13 Sunshine Heavy Industries

Sunshine Heavy Industries is a fun and colorful puzzle game with cute pixel graphics. This relaxing title transports players into a charming sci-fi world where they have to build spaceships from over a hundred different parts, solve tricky design puzzles, as well as learn unique subsystems to be able to build more complex vessels.

Players will also get to meet a wide range of quirky characters who will be their clients and have to learn how to manage their expectations while juggling budgets and ship performance. Sunshine Heavy Industries also has 50+ story levels and is a good choice for players of all levels.

12 Space Scavenger

Space Scavenger is a vibrant roguelike that takes its players on a fun adventure during which they'll have to fight fun battles and craft their ships. In this sci-fi shooter, players can build and command their own spaceships as well as explore planets.

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Players will have to battle enemies and learn how to customize and upgrade their ships by improving their fighting capabilities and their layout if they want to stay alive. Space Scavenger is an entertaining spaceship-building game that'll be challenging for players of all levels.

11 Spaceship Simulator

Spaceship Simulator is a fun space sim game that's a perfect choice for those who love educational simulation games and want to learn more about the Apollo Program while enjoying high-quality models and a full-scale Solar System.

It's one of the most realistic spaceship-building games that help players learn about planets, moons, distant celestial bodies, and orbit missions. Thanks to this fun new spaceship game players can not only learn about spaceship building but also about space transportation systems and space launch systems while also running and controlling the Apollo spacecraft.

10 Cosmoteer: Starship Architect & Commander

Cosmoteer: Starship Architect & Commander is one of the most exciting and addictive early-access spaceship sim games that lets its players build creative and colorful starships. Players can not only build unique starships but then join epic space battles and explore a dangerous and vibrant galaxy.

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Cosmoteer is a great choice for beginners and more experienced gamers alike since it's an easy-to-learn game and players can go on their adventures with their friends too and help each other during their journey. Gamers will also have to use their strategic and management skills since they'll be also responsible for managing their crew and commanding their fleet.

9 Spacelines From The Far Out

Spacelines from the Far Out is a great choice for those who love cozy games with charming designs and are looking for fun roguelike games . Thanks to this 60s-inspired lovely family-friendly sim game about airlines in space players of all ages can build spaceships.

Players can go on a hilarious adventure solo or with others in multiplayer mode and learn how to run a space-age alien airline. Gamers will be able to explore some of the most colorful and weird spaceships including unlockable spaceships while trying to create the perfect space ride and dealing with and managing their spaceship's systems as well as their needy but cute alien customers.

8 Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor

Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor lets its players become space commanders and build powerful space drones out of hundreds of different parts. Players can explore a colorful open world while battling against other players in this fun survival space sim game.

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Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor has an adventures-filled and physics-based universe in which players will have to use their drones to destruct planets and defeat their enemies if they want to stay alive. It's a great game for experienced gamers and beginners as well since Nimbatus also has a sandbox mode where players have complete freedom and can explore and build without worrying about anything else.

7 Ostranauts

Ostranauts is one of the most immersive early access spaceship-building games in which players can become one of the coolest astronauts in games . In this realistic space sim, players can build their own spaceships from the ground up and learn how to fly them under the laws of Newtonian flight.

Gamers will have to choose their own character and their unique traits that'll influence what they're capable of doing in the game. Once the spaceship is built players will also have to manage all aspects and hire their crew, put food on the table, and fight off enemies while also exploring this fun spaceship builder's open world.

6 Empyrion - Galactic Survival

Empyrion - Galactic Survival is one of the most popular and greatest survival games in which players can explore a beautiful open world. It's one of the most fun sci-fi games in which players can build stunning spaceships and explore gorgeous planets and meet all kinds of alien life forms including robots and biological creatures.

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Gamers will not only get a chance to build their own spaceships but during their adventures, they'll also have to craft, hunt, farm, and collect resources to improve their ship and even to build safe places for themselves on hostile planets. Players can go on their epic adventures alone or team up with friends and family members to build and warp between planets together.

Avorion is one of the most creative space sims in which players can fight epic battles and explore and thrilling but dangerous open world. This co-op sandbox space game lets its players use their creativity and build a powerful battle spaceship with all kinds of deadly weapons including lasers and chain guns.

However, this action space RPG offers much more than battles since players will also have to manage their own fleet, and learn how to trade while making their way through a dark universe to get to the central regions of a galaxy that was torn apart by a cataclysmic catastrophe. It's a more complex and challenging game but one that's worth the effort.

4 Terra Invicta

Terra Invicta is an early access space strategy game in which players will get a chance to design their own spaceships and show off their tactical combat skills as they try to save humanity from a hostile alien race. Players will start their dangerous and challenging adventure on Earth but will eventually have to learn how to colonize the Solar System.

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This military space sim is perfect for gamers who love great strategy games for their difficulty and complexity. Players will have to choose and control one of humanity's factions and make their vision for the future come to life. Gamers will have to battle, expand, and constantly plan and work together with intelligence agencies, scientists, politicians, and corporations while battling not only hostile entities but Earth's other factions too.

3 Kerbal Space Program

Kerbal Space Program is one of the most fun space flight sims that'll actually teach its players about real-world science. This cute and challenging space sim lets its players build spaceships and take charge of an entire space program to help the cute Kerbal alien race explore the Kerbol solar system and all its exciting planets.

Thanks to this educational open-world sci-fi game players get to build and fly spaceships and rockets that are based on realistic aerodynamic and orbital physics. However, players will also have other things to do since they'll have to hire and train their crew, create communications systems, and even develop new technologies.

2 Starship EVO

Starship EVO is perfect for gamers who love classic sci-fi games and vibrant graphics. This fascinating early access space sim game lets its players create unique starships while exploring a beautifully designed and colorful open world. Players will have to use their creativity to build powerful spaceships to explore and win their epic space battles.

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Gamers will also have to show off their strategic skills as they go on bounty missions and use their own custom weapons, hovercrafts, and starships. As players explore other planets and stars they can also harvest fuel, collect, craft, and even mine asteroids during their adventures.

1 Space Haven

Space Haven is another thrilling and gorgeous early access colony space sim game with retro pixel graphics. This complex and challenging game takes its players on an unforgettable space voyage during which they'll have to build spaceships, customize their characters, mine, and go to war while exploring the game's thrilling open world.

Players will also have to use their tactical and trading skills to be able to build their spaceships tile by tile and create livable conditions for their crew. It's one of the most creativity-boosting spaceship builders since players will be able to use their creativity when creating every piece of their functional spaceships.

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Universe Sandbox

Explore the Solar System to your heart’s content.

Solar System Sandbox

Hint: Add objects by using the Search bar in the simulation. There are approx. 1 Million objects available

*This Interactive 3D Simulation is built on data provided by NASA JPL HORIZONS database for solar system objects and International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center. Distances and speeds are estimates based on this data. Photo Credit and other: NASA, ESO/S. Brunier, NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI, NASA/JPL-Caltech, JAXA, University of Tokyo & collaborators, UH/IA, Solar System Scope/INOVE CC BY 4.0, Wikipedia/Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, icons8.com, Péter Eke , NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/Roman Tkachenko, Wikimedia Commons, Hayabusa 2 Arrival illustration by Akihiro Ikeshita (permission granted), oNline Web Fonts , Font Awesome , Galaxy vector created by stories – www.freepik.com

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The Space Tour blasts off!

Get ready to go galactic with the Space Tour, the latest limited-time event in the Mario Kart Tour game! See if you can unlock all the in-game rewards.

Mario Kart Tour is for everyone, newcomers and karting veterans alike. We hope you have a stellar time racing and collecting Grand Stars!

Tour overview

Event and login bonus duration: From Nov. 16 at 10 p.m. PT until Nov. 30 at 9:59 p.m. PT

Space Pipe 1: Mario (Satellaview) in the spotlight

Available from Nov. 16 at 10 p.m. PT until Nov. 30 at 9:59 p.m. PT

Mario blasts off with a far-out suit pulled from Nintendo history! You can also find additional drivers, karts, and gliders shuffled in.

Driver: Mario (Satellaview)

Kart: Lunar Cruiser

Glider: Meteor Balloons

The favored courses for this driver will include the second course of every cup for the duration of the Space Tour. See if you can set new point records!

Space Pipe 2: A trio of Rosalina in the spotlight

Available from Nov. 23 at 10 p.m. PT until Nov. 30 at 9:59 p.m. PT

The galactic princess takes center stage in this pipe! You can also find additional drivers, karts, and gliders shuffled in.

Driver: Fire Rosalina, Rosalina (Halloween), Rosalina (Aurora)

Kart: Comet Tail, Rose Taxi, Kamek's Zoom Broom

Glider: Luma Parafoil, Planet Glider, Rose Parasol

The favored courses for these will include the third course of every cup for the duration of the Space Tour. See if you can launch yourself into new point records!

Blue Gliders Pipe

Available from Nov. 20 at 10 p.m. PT until Nov. 25 at 10 p.m. PT

Cruise in style with a selection of blue-hued High-End gliders, including Galaxy Glider, Polka-Dot Manta Glider, Blizzard Balloons, and more. You can also find additional drivers, karts, and gliders shuffled in, too.

The included Tour gifts for all players this time are:

Drivers : Baby Daisy

Kart: Red Kiddie Kart

Glider: Paper Glider

If you have a Mario Kart Tour Gold Pass subscription and earn enough Grand Stars, you can also receive the following as Tour gifts:

Drivers : Rosalina, Baby Rosalina

Kart: Gold Pipe Frame, Blue Royale

Glider: Droplet Glider

About Mario Kart Tour

In the free-to-start Mario Kart Tour game, players can put the pedal to the metal in courses inspired by real-world locations as well as Mario Kart series favorites. Put powerful items to use as you tear up the track and go for a high score in endless racing fun. Collect and upgrade a variety of drivers, karts, and gliders to find the combo that will lead you to victory!

City courses, special in-game event courses inspired by real-world locations, will be available during specific time periods and take place every two weeks.

For more information about the _Mario Kart Tou_r game, visit the official site: https://mariokarttour.com/en-US

Free to start; optional in-game purchases available. Persistent internet, compatible smartphone, and Nintendo Account required. Data charges may apply. Mario Kart Tour Gold Pass subscription sold separately. Terms apply. See game for details.

Explore Mars: A Mars Rover Game

How to play.

Always wanted to cruise around on the surface of another planet? Well, you’re in luck! In Explore Mars, you will be driving a rover on Mars and collecting information about Martian rocks.

First, you will choose a rock to investigate. Then, you’ll send a sequence of commands telling the rover how to get to that rock. Don’t forget to include the command to analyze the rock! This information will then be sent back to scientists on Earth.

You will earn points every time you successfully analyze a new Martian rock. If you want a high score, plan carefully. Some rocks are worth many more points than others!

The Voice of the Game

Charlene Pfeifer, NASA/JPL Systems Engineer

The encouraging voice guiding you in this game is from Charlene Pfeifer, an engineer who works on the real Mars 2020 mission. Learn more about Charlene and her work in this profile !

About the Perseverance Rover

This artist's concept depicts NASA's Perseverance rover on the surface of Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Perseverance is a rover that NASA landed on Mars in February 2021. The rover will cruise around investigating rocks in a region called Jezero Crater. A very long time ago, Jezero Crater contained a lake that was filled with liquid water — and possibly even living organisms.

An image of the western rim of Jezero Crater captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The Perseverance rover will land in Jezero Crater. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU

By studying the rocks in this crater today, scientists can learn what the environment on Mars was like billions of years ago. Certain kinds of rock in the crater could even hold evidence of past microbial life on Mars!

About Mars Helicopter

When you’re playing the game, you might notice a little helicopter joining you on your journey. The real Perseverance rover will have a helicopter friend, too! NASA’s solar-powered Mars Helicopter will be the first aircraft to fly on another planet.

The Mars helicopter is an experiment for NASA’s scientists and engineers. It will be a test to see if small aircraft can be used to do science on future Mars missions.

This artist's concept shows the Mars Helicopter, which will travel with NASA's Perseverance rover. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Related Resources for Educators

Mission to Mars Student Challenge

Make a Moon or Mars Rover Game

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The Best Virtual Reality Games Set In Space

VR is gradually progressing, and some of the experiences so far are fantastic - here are a few that will take you to the stars.

Everyone has a fantasy of visiting space. However, it goes without saying that many of our wildest science-fiction scenarios will only be possible in the far future. Luckily, video games allow you to travel through space, visit unique planets, and pilot spaceships.

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There are lots of space-themed video games , but only a handful of virtual reality games that take place in space; however, the VR games that have a space setting are some of the most unique titles in the entire genre. Here are the best virtual reality games set in space.

Updated on January 30, 2023 by Michael Caruso: There are so many games based in or themed around the universe and everything mysterious within it. From alien planets to spaceship dogfighting, there's something for everyone when it comes to space games. The universe comes to life in a whole new way in virtual reality, a medium where you can experience things more vividly than ever before. Here are a few more games set in space that you can play inside of your virtual reality headset.

20 TItans Of Space Plus

Titans Of Space fulfills all of your otherworldly childhood dreams by allowing you to take a realistic tour of the solar system. You can cruise around the known planets in glorious virtual reality to experience the whole system up close, which is something that wouldn't be possible without the power of VR.

In addition to touring the solar system and other celestial bodies, you can also take a stroll in space via a VR space walk. Zero gravity is a rare mechanic in virtual reality, so Titans Of Space is sure to stratch that itch. You can play Titans Of Space on PCVR Headsets and the Oculus Quest.

19 House Of The Dying Sun

House Of The Dying Sun is one of the more complex VR games you'll find that's set in space. It's a space shooter first and foremost, offering unique gameplay that requires strategy. You can experience the combat of space up close and personal in the cockpit or give orders to the other vessels under your command.

With the diversity of gameplay and 14 different campaign scenarios, House Of The Dying Sun is worth a try for any space enthusiast. Additionally, you can purchase ship upgrades, so there's also a clear line of progression throughout your gameplay. You can play House Of The Dying Sun on PCVR Headsets.

18 Space Ops VR: Reloaded

There's a lack of engaging VR shooters set in space, so Space Ops VR: Reloaded is a refreshing breath of air for virtual reality enthusiasts everywhere. You'll jump straight into a space recruit training program, where the best of the best soldiers are trained to fight against alien enemies.

If you like to play solo, then that's an option, but you can also compete against your friends, or rather fellow recruits. You can jump into your training on PCVR Headsets.

17 Interkosmos 2000

If you've always wanted to explore and pilot a space capsule, then Interkosmos 2000 is just what you're looking for. In this game, you'll get to have the pleasure of guiding a capsule from lift off, all within the realm of virtual reality.

Controlling the systems within your space capsule is a fun experience. However, it's also a lot of hard work and involves lots of problem solving, which you'll get to experience full force in Interkosmos's story mode. You'll even get to fly around asteroids to avoid near destruction, which is an exhilarating feeling. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then you can experience Interkosmos 2000 on PCVR Headsets and the Oculus Quest.

16 Failspace VR

Failspace VR revolves around quite a unique concept, allowing you to take control of your own spaceship and solve the mundane problems that come along with it. Command your crew to help solve each scenario as they come up, such as putting out a dangerous fire aboard your space fairing home.

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​​​​​​You can play completely alone or invite up to three of your most reliable friends to come sail through space with you. Additionally, you can complete cargo missions, practically making you a trucker of the cosmos. With such a surprisingly fun concept, you'll never get bored of Failspace, which you can enjoy on PCVR Headsets.

15 Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: VR Mission

Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: VR Mission is a free game on the PSVR. The mission is short compared to other VR games, but it's a worthwhile experience if you like Star Wars .

You'll get to search for a ship that needs aid in the middle of space while riding in an X-Wing. There are lots of great VR games that exist in the Star Wars universe, but not many are free like this one. If you've always wanted to immerse yourself in a Star Wars movie, then Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: VR Mission is a must-play.

14 Trover Saves The Universe

Trover Saves The Universe is one of the most unique games you can play on any VR platform. It's set in a separate universe full of creatures that are a little too strange for real life. Written by the co-creator of Rick And Morty, Trover Saves The Universe has similar humor, and it's certain to remind you of the hit adult cartoon.

Even if you aren't a fan of Rick And Morty, Trover Saves The Universe stands strong on its own merits by allowing you to explore a colorful universe with an exciting art style and a fantastic script. Trover Saves The Universe is available in virtual reality on the PSVR, PCVR Headsets, and the Oculus Quest. Exploring a new universe has never been this much fun.

13 Discovering Space 2

If you're fascinated by our Solar System, then Discovering Space 2 is the game for you. Although many space games focus on unique adventures and feature fantasy plots, Discovering Space 2 throws that all out the window for a once-in-a-lifetime tour of the planets surrounding Earth.

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You can meet aliens and participate in starship battles in so many games, but sometimes it's nice to kick back and travel the solar system inside your headset. Discovering Space 2 is the perfect VR experience for players that prefer comfort to action. You can explore the universe in Discovering Space 2 on PCVR Headsets.

12 Space Explore VR

Space Explore VR is similar to Discovering Space 2 in that you aren't fighting any aliens, but you will get to see space outside Earth in a relaxing way. You can explore a space station and partake in a virtual space-walk in Space Explore VR.

​​​​​​You can play Space Explore VR on the PSVR and PCVR Headsets, so it's a great game available across multiple platforms. If you don't want to travel too far away from Earth but still want to see what space has to offer, then you should consider playing Space Explore VR.

11 Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy's Edge

Another Star Wars adventure in virtual reality, Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy's Edge, is an Oculus Quest game with a lot to offer Star Wars fans. You'll get to meet beloved characters such as R2-D2 up-close and interact with the Star Wars universe in ways you've only dreamed of.

If you like Star Wars and the lore surrounding it, then Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy's Edge is one of the best experiences you can have in a VR Headset. Additionally, it's a fantastic game if you love going on adventures in space, so even people who aren't Star Wars fans can enjoy it.

10 Shuttle Commander

Shuttle Commander is a realistic video game that allows you to control a space shuttle in virtual reality. Real physics exist in Shuttle Commander, so you truly feel as if you're in control while trying to land it in various spots.

Shuttle Commander recreates the Hubble Space Telescope missions, which is an experience unlike anything else you can find in your virtual reality library. Shuttle Commander is available on PSVR, many PCVR Headsets , and the Oculus Quest.

9 No Man's Sky

One of the most expansive space exploration games to ever exist, No Man's Sky has a Universe full of billions of planets to discover, so no two experiences are the same. You can build bases on planets and find new alien species.

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No Man's Sky has a virtual reality mode; however, VR isn't a requirement, which means that you can also play with your friends that don't use the VR settings. You can experience No Man's Sky in virtual reality on the PSVR and PCVR Headsets.

8 Apollo 11 VR

Apollo 11 VR is more of an experience than a game; however, it's an experience that you shouldn't miss out on. In Apollo 11 VR, you can experience the events of Apollo 11 in virtual reality, which makes it the closest you can currently get to reliving the historic event for yourself.

Historical moments are one of the best uses for VR, whether they take place in space or on Earth. If you have an interest in space travel, then Apollo 11 VR is available on the PSVR, PCVR Headsets, and the Oculus Quest.

7 Echo Arena

There are a lot of sports games available for VR headsets; however, Echo Arena is a frisbee game that expands upon the original sport by adding space into the mix. In Echo Arena, you compete in a zero-gravity environment, and you can use the floating objects inside the arena to move around the map.

Echo Arena is an amazing VR experience because it expands upon an already popular sport by adding a unique mechanic. Echo Arena is available on PC Oculus Headsets and the Oculus Quest.

6 Star Trek: Bridge Crew

Many VR games have an origin in a long-standing franchise, such as Star Wars. Star Trek: Bridge Crew is the Star Trek version of this concept. If you're a fan of Star Trek, then you don't want to miss out on this experience.

Set in the U.S.S. Aegis, you can immerse yourself into the Star Trek Universe and complete missions while exploring space in virtual reality. You can play Star Trek: Bridge Crew on PSVR, PCVR Headsets, and the Oculus Quest.

5 Elite Dangerous

Elite Dangerous is a complex space exploration game, similar to No Man's Sky. You can fly a spaceship around the Galaxy, completing various tasks to earn money. Elite Dangerous is a multiplayer game, so you'll meet other adventurers throughout the Galaxy while you explore space.

You can also customize your spaceship, which adds even more freedom to the experience. Elite Dangerous is available on PCVR Headsets, and it's one of the best space exploration games with VR support.

4 Lone Echo

Similar to Echo Arena in functionality, Lone Echo features a unique movement system where you can grab objects and surfaces to push yourself through space. This system is very realistic, and it gives you the impression of floating in a zero-gravity environment.

Lone Echo features a main story with exploration elements, as well as puzzles you have to solve to progress through the game. Many of the other VR games set in space don't have a particularly interesting story; however, the plot in Lone Echo is one of its strong points. Lone Echo is available on PC Oculus Headsets.

3 Space Pirate Trainer

Space Pirate Trainer is one of the earliest popular VR games, but it's still one of the most fun virtual reality experiences to this day. You can fight waves of robots in Space Pirate Trainer, using a variety of weapons ranging from guns to a sword. There are many other games with similar mechanics, but Space Pirate Trainer is unique because it's in space.

Space Pirate Trainer may not be the most expansive VR game, but it's one of the earliest space VR games, and it's still an enjoyable experience. You can play Space Pirate Trainer on the PSVR, PCVR Headsets, and the Oculus Quest .

2 End Space

Command a spaceship in End Space, and blast your enemies with missiles to defeat them and finish your mission. End Space is another space combat game. However, the twist is that it's in virtual reality, so you feel as though you really are the pilot flying a spaceship among the stars.

You can unlock new weapons as you progress through the main story, so there's a lot of content to play through in End Space, and the combat doesn't disappoint. End Space is available on the PSVR, PCVR Headsets, and the Oculus Quest.

1 Star Wars Squadrons

If you enjoy Star Wars games , then you will probably fall in love with Star Wars Squadrons , especially if you play it in virtual reality. Star Wars Squadrons is a game that focuses on space combat, and you can control four separate types of Starfighters to defeat enemies in the Star Wars Universe.

Star Wars Squadrons is a first-person experience, which is perfect if you like realism. Even if you aren't a Star Wars fan, you'll still enjoy Star Wars Squadrons because of its incredibly fun gameplay. You can play Star Wars Squadrons on the PSVR and PCVR Headsets.

NEXT: The Best Educational VR Games

• 3D Printing
• Images and Textures
• Visualizations
• Contributors
• 3D in the News
• science.nasa.gov
• NASA Solar System Treks
• NASA Mars Trek
• NASA Vesta Trek
• NASA’s Eyes
• National Institutes of Health 3D Print
• Article: "Printing Space: Using 3D Printing"
• 3D Printing in space
• 3D Models Put Students in Touch with Planets
• JPL Infographics - SLS:BIG
• Lunar Models
• Mars Models

Welcome to the International Space Station (ISS), Astronaut. In Station Spacewalk Game you'll experience the thrill of conducting NASA repair work on the International Space Station. After negotiating your way through the airlock, you, the astronaut, will be tasked with jobs critical to help power up the space station so it can continue to operate. First take your time to explore the station, but then it's time to get to work. You'll have to move quickly and carefully, with a limited quantity of oxygen you must complete your Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) and get back into the airlock before your air supply runs out.

This video game features simulations of actual EVAs conducted by NASA astronauts on missions to provide power to the space station. The graphics used in this game are based on real NASA missions and incorporate 3D graphics used by the Agency.

Mission Objectives

• Explore the ISS. Before you get started with your EVAs, feel free to explore the ISS. Enjoy your self-guided tour.
• Install the S6 Truss. You are tasked with installing the fourth starboard Integrated Truss Segment (S6). Trusses are essential to the continuation of the International Space Station because they form the backbone of the station.
• Unfurl the S6 Solar Arrays. The space station's main source of energy comes from three of the four large photovoltaic arrays currently on the station, sometimes referred to as the Solar Array Wings (SAW). Can you assemble the fourth set of solar arrays to the station?
• Ride the Robotic Arm. There's a tear in the solar array! Can you ride the robotic arm then use the clamps to fix the tear?
• Retrieve Your Tools. You have used a lot of tools to do your repair work. Now many of them are scattered in space. How many of them can you retrieve before heading back to the airlock?
• Conduct SPHERES experiments. SPHERES are tiny satellites being tested by NASA on the ISS. Someday they'll help astronauts study space and possibly even assist with in-orbit construction projects. But first they must learn to fly in formation. Can you help the SPHERES navigate their way through the hoops in NASA's experiment?
• Restore Space-to-Ground Communications. The ISS has lost voice and data contact with mission control. Take a space walk to bring communications back on line by powering an auxiliary antenna.

Play the Game!

You can play the game in the browser, or download it for the Windows and Mac platforms.

To play the game in your browser, follow the link below or click on the button at the top of the page. If you're trying Station Spacewalk Game for the first time, you'll see a link to download and install the necessary plug-in for your browser. Be patient, it may take a minute or two. Once the plug-in is installed, you're ready for your trip to the International Space Station!

~ Play the Game ~

To download a stand-alone version of the software, click the appropriate download link at the right. On Windows, simply unzip the download and double click on the resulting installer to install the game. On OS X, double click the downloaded zip file to unarchive it, then double click the resulting application to play the game.

Alternatively, there is a text description of the game.

Would you like to create your own video game? Visit http://nasa3d.arc.nasa.gov to download free 3D models from NASA.

Welcome to ViewSpace

Hero interactive.

Explore the Universe with Interactives and Videos

About ViewSpace

What is viewspace.

ViewSpace is a free, web-based collection of digital interactives and videos highlighting the latest developments in astronomy and Earth science.

ViewSpace gives you the opportunity to explore our planet, solar system, galaxy, and universe. Provided free with the support of NASA, ViewSpace is developed by a team of scientists, educators, and communication specialists who collaborate to ensure that content is accurate, up-to-date, engaging, relevant, and accessible to a wide audience.

Interactives

ViewSpace interactives allow you to explore objects and materials from different perspectives, discovering how we can combine information to better understand the universe.

Different forms of light: Explore visible and invisible wavelengths of light that help us understand features like the dusty brim of the Sombrero Galaxy roughly 30 million light-years away.

Hidden objects: Unveil invisible light to reveal hidden objects like the stars forming inside Mystic Mountain, a pillar of gas and dust 7,500 light-years from Earth.

ViewSpace videos tell the stories of the planets, stars, galaxies, and universe, giving viewers the opportunity to experience space and Earth as seen with satellites and telescopes.

Astronomy: Explore the sky with stories told through spectacular imagery from space telescopes.

Earth science: Gain new perspectives on our home planet based on data gathered by Earth-orbiting satellites.

ViewSpace is produced by the Office of Public Outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute , in partnership with the NASA's Universe of Learning project and NASA's Earth Observing System, Hubble Space Telescope Project, and James Webb Space Telescope Project.

ViewSpace has been exhibited in museums, planetariums, and science centers across the country since 2000.

What Will You Explore?

The Latest Discoveries in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Recent Natural Events and Satellite Views of Earth

In-depth Stories of How Science and the Universe Work

Stunning Imagery and Accessible Explanations

Sample Images from ViewSpace

What objects and materials make up the universe, and how do we study the invisible as well as the visible?

Data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory are used to create a map of dark matter (blue) in galaxy cluster MACS J0717.5+3745.

What are galaxies; how do they vary; and how do they form, interact, and change over time?

The Penguin and the Egg (Arp 142) is a pair of galaxies that are being distorted by their mutual gravitational attraction.

How do the Sun, planets, moons, comets, and asteroids interact as a system?

Saturn’s moon Titan casts a shadow as it passes between the planet and the Sun.

How do telescopes help us better understand the objects and materials that light up the sky?

With telescopes, we can see details of the Milky Way, including glowing clouds of dust and gas like the Lobster Nebula.

How fast is the universe expanding and what does this tell us about its past and future?

Over time, space expands, stretching the wavelenghts of light and causing the distant galaxies seen in the Ultra Deep Field image from the Hubble Space Telescope to look redder than the closer galaxies.

How do we detect and study planets orbiting other stars?

Changes in the brightness of starlight, measured by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, indicates the presence of a planet orbiting the star.

What happens to stars at the end of their lives, and how do stellar explosions affect the space around them?

Visible, infrared, and X-ray light from supernova remnant Cassiopeia A reveal remains of an exploded star.

How can we use interactions between light and matter to probe the deep universe?

The enormous mass of galaxy cluster Abell 370 bends the space around it, magnifying and distorting the light from more distant galaxies into arc-like streaks.

How are astronomers combining data from space and ground-based telescopes, particle detectors, and gravitational wave detectors to understand cosmic objects, processes, and events?

An artist’s illustration depicts the detection of neutrino particles and gamma rays emitted by a supermassive black hole at the center of a distant galaxy.

How and where do stars form, and how do they shape their surroundings?

Pillars of gas and dust in the Eagle Nebula are sculpted and illuminated by stellar winds and high-energy radiation of bright stars.

How can we use satellites to map, study, and monitor Earth’s land surface, oceans, and atmosphere?

An image captured by the Landsat 8 satellite in May 2018 shows active lava flows from Kilauea volcano in Hawaii.

What evidence supports our theories of how the universe formed and how it has evolved over time?

A map of the sky from the Planck Space Telescope highlights variations in the cosmic microwave background radiation—energy left over from the big bang some 13.8 billion years ago.

What tools and methods do scientists use to study Earth and space?

NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite (SMAP) helps scientists monitor droughts, predict floods, and improve farm productivity.

Is Earth unique? Are we alone?

Observations from space telescopes have revealed thousands of exoplanets of different of sizes, compositions, temperatures, and atmospheres, including seven rocky Earth-sized planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system, 40 light-years from Earth (artist’s illustration).

Where Is ViewSpace?

ViewSpace videos are on exhibit at museums, science centers, and planetariums across the country.

ViewSpace interactives are available online.

Use the map to find a ViewSpace video location near you.

Location Spotlight

Worcester, Massachusetts

Westcave Preserve

Round Mountain, Texas

Lowell Observatory

Flagstaff, Arizona

Maryland Science Center

Baltimore, Maryland

Edelman Planetarium at Rowan University

Glassboro, New Jersey

Clark Planetarium

Salt Lake City, Utah

Becoming a ViewSpace Venue

ViewSpace provides informal learning sites with engaging, accurate, relevant, and up-to-date astronomy and Earth science content. Access to ViewSpace is free, requiring only registration, a computer or Smart TV, and persistent internet access. ViewSpace content is self-updating and videos can be set to play automatically, requiring minimal staff effort to maintain.

Join hundreds of others in featuring ViewSpace as part of your exhibits.

Who Produces and Supports ViewSpace?

ViewSpace is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, and is provided free of charge through financial support and subject matter expertise from the NASA’s Universe of Learning project, NASA’s Earth Observing System Project Science Office, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Project, and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Project.

Funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA’s Universe of Learning is an integrated astrophysics STEM learning and literacy project developed through a partnership between the Space Telescope Science Institute, Caltech/IPAC, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and Sonoma State University.

NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) is a coordinated series of satellites designed to observe Earth’s land, atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere. As part of the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, the EOS Project Science Office (EOSPSO) is committed to sharing information with both researchers and the general public.

The Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope are two of NASA’s flagship missions designed to explore and advance our understanding of the universe. The missions’ communications programs are dedicated to sharing scientific advances and making the world’s astronomical information accessible to all.

Best VR space games

Strap in and prepare to launch yourself into the best VR space games in the galaxy.

As the years advance, virtual reality technology is evolving at a rapid pace and paving the way for the best VR space games. From the humble beginnings with home consoles such as the Virtual Boy, with it’s red line graphics failing to fulfil consumer expectations, developers have now created experiences with unparalleled immersion. There are games so flawless in execution, players have often forgotten that they are in-game, as they trip over their beloved pets and straight into their TVs.

Fear of destruction aside, the complete immersion that the best VR headsets such as the Oculus Quest 2 can now offer, particularly when powered by a powerful gaming PC, lends itself perfectly to exploring the unexplorable. If you need to upgrade your rig, check out our guide on how to build a PC for VR .

Console lovers are also benefiting from the backwards compatibility of the current PSVR with a plethora of the best PSVR space games available on the hardware (and we're expecting a PSVR 2 in the not too distant future). While the likes of Jeff Bezos finds the stars within reach, for the majority of us VR is the closest we will ever get to the great beyond. 

So, for those looking to expand their horizons beyond the horizon, from shooters to platformers, puzzles, rhythm, and racing, we have collected together the ten best VR space games for you to enjoy. And if you're looking to pick up a new VR headset, check out our VR headset deals hub for the best offers.

1. No Man’s Sky

• Release date: August 8, 2016
• Developer: Hello Games

While you may be questioning the inclusion of some of the games in this list which is ostentatiously supposed to contain only space-themed experiences, No Man’s Sky is so unashamed in its complete consistency to the genre that all other eccentricities can be overlooked and accepted. In this survival game you explore planets, encounter new life forms, and collect materials to repair, rebuild, and discover the path back home, or roam the outer wilds endlessly. It is all up to you. Simply, No Man’s Sky is the game you imagine when picturing interplanetary travel, which puts it high up on our best VR space games list.

While players were outraged at No Man’s Sky’s initial outing and all the features promised and silently left out, Hello Games has more than made up for their release day foibles by consistently and competently updating their galactic adventure. They achieved their original promises of multi-player, unique world-building, and character designs, and extended their reach far beyond, dramatically expanding the universe and all you observe within it.

• Release date: October 10, 2016
• Developer: Drool

When it comes to rail-based, neon-paletted, violence rhythm games in VR, people often let their minds drift to Beat Saber. While smashing through blocks with lightsabers is undoubtedly a fun time, Thumper preceded its release, and questionably defined the genre. Focused more on the journey than specifically on the songs, failing the rhythm elements does not give you a game over, instead you relive the moment in a never-ending cycle. 

Everything about Thumper is designed to draw you in, and immerse you in an endless landscape of color and sound. Blending the line between traditional platformer and rhythm with its end of stage boss fights, the immersion of VR transports you to another place entirely. It may not be the best known VR experience, but it could be argued to be one of the most hypnotic as hours turn into seconds when trapped in this world. A world where you’re a beetle… and you kill aliens with perfect timing.

• Buy Thumper via Steam

3. Doom VFR

• Release date: December 1, 2017
• Developer: id Software

It is not easy to port huge AAA releases into VR. When releasing any game for virtual reality, let alone one of the best VR space games, you must take into account the motion sickness of the player. Ensuring they are not moving about endlessly in game, swinging their view wildly, and giving the sensation that there is no ground below them.

Doom was initially developed with fast-paced action in mind, getting up close and personal with demons, tearing them limb from limb to get your health back, before moving on to do it all again. While this style of gameplay is completely incompatible with VR, the all new Doom VFR just works. Giving you spots in which you can battle, it plants you firmly on Martian soil while giving you the gut-ripping action you so readily want. Not only is this one of the best VR space games, it’s simply one of the best games out there. Rip and tear.

4. WipEout Omega Collection

• Release date: June 6, 2017
• Developer: XDev, Clever Beans, Creative Vault Studios

WipEout has been the go-to series for space-themed racers since its humble beginnings on PlayStation 1 back in 1995. While Nintendo’s F-Zero series entered development purgatory after 2004, WipEout held strong, now with more than ten titles to the franchise’s name. While currently exclusive to PlayStation VR , the WipEout Omega Collection contains two remastered versions of Wipeout titles and their DLC; 2008’s WipEout HD was initially released for PlayStation 3, and WipEout 2048 was formerly confined to the PlayStation Vita and widely considered one of the best games in the gravity-defying series. 

VR gives the titles a whole new feel as you are enveloped by the futuristic landscape and captivated by the techno beats soundtrack. WipEout Omega Collection blends the vanilla and kart-racing genres as you use weapons to take out the competition, in what can be deceptively difficult high-stakes races. Also, your ship can fly and that is pretty cool.

5. Astro Bot Rescue Mission

• Release date: October 2, 2018
• Developer: Japan Studio (Team ASOBI)

As predictably as day follows night, and the sun sets in the west, so does Astro Bot Rescue Mission inevitably find its way onto every single list outlining the best VR space games. There is a reason for that though. It's honestly just that good. 

When thinking of gaming genres that lend themselves to the virtual reality space, third-person platformers are certainly not the first which come to mind. However, Astro Bot Rescue Mission works by not putting you in the position of the titular celestial robot, but instead as its omnipresent, omnipotent, human companion, ever watching over its adorable antics. 

Astro Bot knows when you are looking at him. He looks at you and cheers you on. It takes you through underwater worlds and lush jungles, and the whole time acts as though it is beyond ecstatic to have you by its side. The bond you make with your mechanical mate cannot be underestimated in an experience which is, simply put, pure, immersive joy.

6. Rez Infinite

• Release date: October 13, 2016
• Developer: Enhance Games, Resonair, Monstars

At its core, Rez Infinite was released in 2001. However, like how Space Channel 5, another astral rhythm game developed by United Game Artists in that same era, has translated beautifully into the world of virtual reality, so has our darling shoot-em-up Rez. The two games entered wholly different arenas in gaming history. Space Channel 5 with its campy, light-hearted style, and Rez Infinite in its perfectly crafted, single line simplicity. They fill completely separate yet related holes. 

While Tetris Effect, another VR upgrade on an old school puzzle game, receives all the love in the history books, it is Rez Infinite which earns its place on this list of best VR space games for skillfully combining rhythm, space shooter, puzzle, and action genres beautifully as you fly through the endless void taking down the bosses at the end of each level. When it comes to accepting your new life as a stickman shooting lasers and flying through tunnels, there is no comparable experience.

• Buy Rez Infinite via Steam or PlayStation Store

• Release date: February 14, 2020
• Developer: Media Molecule

In many ways it feels like cheating to include a game on this list of best VR space games which can be anything and everything all at once. However, Dreams is such a cultural phenomenon and an important part of gaming antiquity that it would be unfair to deny it its place in this legend. Dreams is not a game in the strictest sense, but an open creative space where players are given the tools with which to develop any creative asset they can dream of. Hence the name.

Aside from the UI, which feels as if it were developed on a separate astral plane, Dreams earns itself the title of space game as it pulls on the collective hive mind of its entire player base to create ever increasingly complex and impressive gaming experiences, much like something straight out of science fiction. If you are not the creative type, you too can become part of the collective consciousness by simply playing and giving others feedback on their designs. One of the most unique distractions in gaming’s long-drawn library.

8. Half-Life Alyx

• Release date: March 23, 2020
• Developer: Valve

If you thought Astro Bot Rescue Mission was a predictable choice, then readers you are welcome to Half-Life Alyx. On a list which also included Dreams and Thumper though, please rest assured that it would not have been included if it was not completely vital. While Half-Life Alyx was not the Half-Life game players wanted from Valve after the 2007 cliff-hanger ending to the series, it offered something new and unique to the franchise simply through the medium it chose. 

As a game developed specifically with virtual reality at its core, every part of Half-Life Alyx was designed with optimizing the experience for the format. This has led to accolades from almost every gaming media outlet for the title which combines survival horror with puzzles and impressive story-telling with well-paced combat. If Astro Bot Rescue Mission forces you to buy a PlayStation VR set, then Half-Life Alyx is the game which forces you to purchase a PC compatible headset and all the components which go with it.

• Buy Half Life: Alyx via Steam.

• Release date: May 2, 2017
• Developer: KO_OP

After deep consideration, and a dark look into the abyss, it is GNOG which makes the final ten over the more popular co-op, cuboid-based experience Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. While the latter offers intense gameplay perfectly suited to VR, where one person is immersed in the world with the explosive cube and the other reads from a real life manual, GNOG has better overall immersion, if only due to not requiring a second player shouting instructions to you from outside the headset.

GNOG is a puzzle game which creates a name for itself within the VR space by using the tactile nature of the three-dimensional surroundings to create a unique experience. Playing with what is visible within your field of view, GNOG combines a quirky art style with a calming soundtrack and unique puzzles to craft an experience as new as it is ethereal. Not the longest game on the list by far, it is perhaps the most differentiated.

• Buy GNOG via Steam or PlayStation Store

10. Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - MARS

• Release date: August 24, 2018
• Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan

As we reach the end of this list of the best VR space games, you would be forgiven for thinking that virtual reality is the defibrillator of long dead franchises, shocking them back to life and suddenly reminding us of how much we truly missed them. You would also be forgiven for believing that a third-person, mech-based, hack and slash from 2003 developed by a company known for smothering its most beloved franchises in their sleep does not particularly lend itself to the platform. In that assumption, though, you would be wrong.

When creating the MARS (stylized M∀RS) remaster for Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner they recreated it from the ground up with VR in mind. A change to the first person perspective now places you inside the mech and wholly immerses you in life on other planets. Controls are intentionally alien, giving players the experience of being sat in a cockpit, and you must be hyper aware of your surroundings without the benefit of an outside perspective. VR is the format this game was designed to be played on, and even those who adored the original experience will find something new and enjoyable in it.

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The 10 Best Space Combat Games

Posted: March 5, 2024 | Last updated: March 5, 2024

Video games and dogfighting go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Games worldwide love nothing more than strapping themselves into virtual cockpits and then battling it out in space.

Whether you’re looking for over-the-top dogfighting, realistic simulations, true-to-scale galaxies, RPG elements, or a mix of all of the above, check out these ten epic space combat games.

10. Freelancer

Freelancer is a space trading and combat flight simulation game released in 2000. Players take on the role of spacecraft pilots, exploring the space stations and planets of 48 star systems. Although easy to learn, it’s hard to master. There’s a big mod community that helps improve the game’s replay value.

9. Star Wars: Squadrons

If you’ve ever wanted to immerse yourself in the world of Star Wars dogfights, then 2020’s Star Wars: Squadrons is your game. Weapons, thrusters, and shields are in your hands. It offers the best dogfight combat experience of any in the Star Wars series. The game can even be played in VR.

8. Elite Dangerous

If you want to immerse yourself in a realistic open-world representation of the Milky Way galaxy, 2015’s Elite Dangerous delivers. Actions affect the narrative. There’s lots to do in this game, and replay value as the gameplay is open-ended. It’s also the first in the series to offer near massively multiplayer capabilities.

7. Freespace 2

There’s a tight-knit modding community around 1999’s Freespace 2 which speaks to how much this game is beloved. The gameplay is combat-heavy and delivers an arcade-style shooter feel. Overall, it’s an excellent space combat simulation, including that of the ship’s various systems. Players also command a wingman that adds depth to strategic play.

6. Infinity: Battlescape

Infinity: Battlescape is a massively multiplayer large-scale space battle simulator. It features a seamless, true-to-scale star system that provides a visual spectacle like no other. Even played alone, this game is incredibly fun and entertaining. You’ll battle AI fighters that get replaced when other online players join the battle.

5. Rebel Galaxy

Rebel Galaxy from 2015 stands out among other sci-fi sandbox RPGs due to its space-Western, swashbuckling atmosphere. Although clearly inspired by Firefly and Freelancer , it nonetheless brings originality with its unique combat system. While players control the ship on a 2D plane, combat occurs in 3D environments. The combat rewards strategy over reflexes.

House of the Dying Sun is an action-packed space battle simulator from 2016 with a space opera storyline. The gameplay is focused on combat with 14 campaign scenarios. It has its own unique feel with a combo of first-person space combat and tactical fleet-command mode. It’s also compatible with VR.

4. House of the Dying Sun

3. EVERSPACE 2

Gorgeous graphics are just a part of the detailed world of EVERSPACE 2 from 2023. This action RPG delivers fast-paced combat, playing like a looter-shooter set in space. Players will be immersed in its open-world, puzzles, as well as mining and crafting mechanics. There’s a full narrative campaign, but combat is where it shines.

Read More: The Most Powerful Nintendo Characters, Ranked Least to Most Dangerous

2. NEBULOUS: Fleet Command

Released in 2022, NEBULOUS: Fleet Command is a slow-burner influenced by science-fiction TV shows like The Expanse . Get ready for some serious gameplay, as its tactical simulation is deep and carries a steep learning curve. However, for patient players, its advanced movement controls, realistic radar, and more deliver a rewarding large-scale experience.

Read More: 10 DOS Games That Defined the Era

1. Cobalt Core

Cobalt Core is a sci-fi rogue-like deck-building game released in 2023. Players manage a deck of cards representing their crew-members’ actions. Maneuver your ship to avoid enemy cannon fire as you line up the perfect shot. It’s all about tactical gameplay where every decision counts. The 2D, pixel art style makes it stand out brilliantly in the genre.

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Space Tour (2023)

The Space Tour was the eighty-seventh tour of Mario Kart Tour , which began on January 11, 2023 and ended on January 24, 2023. It was rerun from January 10, 2024 to January 23, 2024 as the game's hundred-and-thirteenth tour.

It featured the introduction and classic course debut of Rainbow Road from Mario Kart Wii and brought back every Rainbow Road introduced in the game so far, including RMX Rainbow Road 1 and RMX Rainbow Road 2 . It also introduced other space-themed items, including variants of Toad and Toadette in astronaut suits based on the Toads that appear in the background of Rainbow Road and 3DS Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe . It was the first tour to include a white background at the end of its trailer, [1] [2] as all prior tours starting from the 2020 Yoshi Tour utilized a black background for their trailers. The trailer for this tour's 2024 re-run did not release on the usual time due to the 2024 Noto earthquake that occurred a few days prior, making it the first tour since the April–May 2021 Sydney Tour to feature a trailer during this tour rather than before or at the start of it.

During the first half of the tour, players could receive the newly introduced Toadette (Astronaut) and Pink Toad (Pit Crew) as rewards for placing high in the ranked cup, while the second half of the tour featured the new Gold Lunar Cruiser as a ranked reward.

The Coin Rush course for this tour was SNES Rainbow Road , which was previously used in the beta test , the Tokyo Tour , and the 2021 Ninja Tour . The menu's background featured Earth and various celestial bodies from Wii Rainbow Road as the landmark for this tour.

Despite Wii Rainbow Road being the signature course of the tour and its music being used in the trailer for the initial run of the tour, [1] [2] the trailer for the 2024 rerun of the Space Tour featured the music for 3DS Rainbow Road instead. [3] [4]

• 1.1 Daily Spotlight
• 3 Today's Challenge
• 5.1.1 Mii Racing Suits
• 5.3 Gliders
• 5.4 Balloon designs
• 5.5 Courses
• 6 Paid banners
• 7 Challenges
• 8 Gold Pipe
• 9.1 Banner items
• 9.2 Other items
• 10 Token Shop
• 11 Tier Shop
• 13 Names in other languages
• 14 References

Spotlight Shop [ edit ]

Daily spotlight [ edit ].

The Daily Spotlight contains a mixture of items themed around the tour, items that have ranked tracks as favorites, and gold items. The rates listed are specific for that type of item; drivers, karts, and gliders are selected separately. Items marked with an asterisk (*) do not appear in the Daily Spotlight during the week they are available as Spotlight Shop banner items.

Cups [ edit ]

Today's challenge [ edit ].

Players' most recently used kart and glider are chosen, and favorite and favored ones have extra priority. Opponents are arranged randomly. On day 1 of this tour, players finish a race in 3DS Cheep Cheep Lagoon in the Mii Cup using the Purple Mii Racing Suit for a free pipe launch. Starting from day 2, players have to finish a race in the earliest incomplete course that is not in any of the ranked cups using the driver shown on the course's thumbnail every day to obtain the corresponding reward in the table below. Once all of the courses are completed, the courses are selected at random.

The badge for this tour's Today's Challenge is reused from the 2021 Space Tour .

Rewards [ edit ]

Gold cells indicate rewards that are exclusive to Gold Pass members.

2023 [ edit ]

2024 [ edit ], new content [ edit ], drivers [ edit ].

Pink Toad (Pit Crew)

Toad (Astronaut)

Toadette (Astronaut)

Mii Racing Suits [ edit ]

Purple Mii Racing Suit

Karts [ edit ]

Rainbow Taxi

Blooper Shuttle

Gold Lunar Cruiser

Gliders [ edit ]

Gold Meteors

Rainbow Fare Flier

Balloon designs [ edit ]

Super Star Balloon

Courses [ edit ]

Wii Rainbow Road (N, R, T, R/T)

Paid banners [ edit ]

Challenges [ edit ], gold pipe [ edit ].

The Gold Pipe, including the All-Clear Pipe, randomly shoots out one of the following regular High-End items. The appearance rate can be viewed via the "Pipe content" link on the Gold Pass purchase screen.

Mii Racing Suit Shop [ edit ]

Banner items [ edit ], other items [ edit ], token shop [ edit ].

The limited-time event where event tokens appear began on January 10, 2023 and ended on January 24, 2023; and it also ran from January 9, 2024 and will end on January 23, 2024 for the rerun. Event tokens could be earned by collecting them on courses.

Tier Shop [ edit ]

The shop features a variety of set and randomized items available for purchase. The item slots in the shop are unlocked based on the highest tier of players.

Gallery [ edit ]

Landscape version of the loading screen

Names in other languages [ edit ]

References [ edit ].

• ^ a b Nintendo Mobile (January 10, 2023). Mario Kart Tour Space Tour Trailer . YouTube . Retrieved January 26, 2024.
• ^ a b Nintendo Mobile (January 10, 2023). マリオカート ツアー　スペースツアー トレーラー . YouTube . Retrieved January 26, 2024.
• ^ Nintendo Mobile (January 12, 2024). Mario Kart Tour - Space Tour Trailer . YouTube . Retrieved January 26, 2024.
• ^ Nintendo Mobile (January 12, 2024). マリオカート ツアー　スペースツアー トレーラー . YouTube . Retrieved January 26, 2024.
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Callisto: Space Innovation Tour

Come aboard the orion spacecraft and discover the inner workings of new, special space technology that flew to the moon during nasa’s artemis i flight test..

Frequently Asked Questions

What will my class see on the tour, how long is the tour, is there a recording of the tour that i can use with my class instead, what grade levels can attend, what stem topics will be covered on the tour, can i share my screen to my remote learners, what student data is collected, how much does this cost, can individual students sign up by themselves, independent of a class, why can't i see the videos when i play the tour in kahoot , who can i contact for questions.

Sheryl Crow reveals her tour must-haves and essential albums, including this 'game changer'

Sheryl Crow had no intention to write another album after 2019's "Threads."

But the combination of a mind overloaded with concern for the future and a series of songs that seemed to tumble out of her led to "Evolution," her 12 th studio album, released in March.

On it, the newly minted Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee tackles her fears about artificial intelligence on the title track, blends expert snark with humor ("Anger sucks, but at least your brand's trending," she sings on "Broken Record") and covers Peter Gabriel's 1992 classic "Digging in the Dirt."

It's an organic progression for the woman who has sold more than 50 million albums since 1993's debut, "Tuesday Night Music Club," earned nine Grammy Awards and climbed the Billboard Hot 100 19 times with hits including "If It Makes You Happy," "All I Wanna Do" and "My Favorite Mistake."

In a conversation from her home studio in Nashville, Crow, 62, shares her essential albums and tells us why her upcoming tour dates will be more of a family affair than a boisterous party scene.

More: Sheryl Crow talks Stevie Nicks, Olivia Rodrigo and why AI in music 'terrified' her

Why Sheryl Crow prefers to write in a quiet space

In announcing her new album, Crow said the songs came from "sitting in the quiet and writing from a deep soul place."

As mother to sons Levi, 13, and Wyatt, 16, Crow says she often finds herself engaged in their active lives, so her writing sessions primarily take place when the boys are in school.

"I sit on the screened-in porch, and if it's cold I'll light a fire, and if not, I sit out with the sounds of birds and my guitar and a cup of tea. That's where I worked out most of what is on this record," she says. "It's sort of like downloading (your mind) now, and it's liberating. I hate being on the other side of when you age out of being popular, but it's liberating to sit down and write what is on your mind, and know there is probably a huge population of people who understand that."

Sheryl Crow is done partying on tour but anticipates 'adventure'

Crow will head to Europe this summer for a couple of weeks of shows before meeting up with Pink in August to open a slate of concerts on her Summer Carnival stadium tour.

Crow's sons will join her in Europe, even though "they're of the age where maybe going on tour bus isn't where they want to spend their summer," she says with a laugh. But she's hoping for an "adventure" with her family while keeping things low-key backstage and on the bus.

"I'm really easy. We have our general snacks and I like to drink a beer, maybe two if I'm feeling, 'Hey, let's get loose.' But that's the extent of that. If my kids are there, I'm happy."

Sheryl Crow names her 'game changer' album

Crow enjoyed an almost surreal experience at her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in November when she performed with upstarts ( Olivia Rodrigo ), legends (Willie Nelson, Elton John ) and friends ( Stevie Nicks , Peter Frampton) on the same night.

Music is a necessity in her life, and she taps George Harrison's triple album from 1970, the lauded "All Things Must Pass," as her "game changer."

"I just remember as a kid reading album notes, and for him to step out (from the band) … we Beatles fans didn't know what he was fully capable of, and that album blew my mind," Crow says. "I think it planted some seeds to seeking some higher vibration. I've come back to it through the years and picked up things like, 'Oh yeah, that's what he meant.'"

As a lifelong Beatles disciple, Crow also still gravitates toward "Let It Be," the band's final studio album, released in 1970.

"I was brought into the world with a certain amount of melancholy, and there is a lot of that in that record, the essence that it was all coming apart even though you didn’t know it," she says. "But you felt different personalities on the record and the songwriting was so beautiful."

More: Rock Hall induction of George Michael, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott airs Jan. 1: Best moments

Sheryl Crow explains the 'divinity' of Stevie Wonder

Crow still drifts toward Stevie Wonder, musically and personally, and admires his aura as well as his landmark 1972 album, "Talking Book."

"He was such an amazing writer when it came to documenting what was happening in the times and he made it hooky. We all sang every word," she says. "I'll look at him and think, 'There is so much divinity there.' All of the rest of us are trying to learn, and he just came in with it. In the history of musicians, there are a handful of people like that. It was part of the essential DNA."

Crow also maintains a soft spot for "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon," the 1971 James Taylor record that includes his only No. 1 hit, the Carole King-written "You've Got a Friend."

Crow recalls lying on the floor of her childhood home in front of the record player and absorbing Taylor's understated storytelling.

"It lifts me, it opens me. It's beautiful songwriting and singing," she says. "Music is a salve. I remember meeting Carlos Santana and him saying, 'You really change the molecules.' And that statement is the summation of what I think music is."