6 Best Free Games Like Minecraft

Published Aug 2, 2026, 12:30 AM EDT Tom Wilson is a Gaming Features Writer at Screen Rant. Over the past five years, Tom has worked as the Editor-in-Chief at The Game Crater, as a Staff Writer for GamingIntel, a List Writer at TheGamer, and, of course, as a Senior Writer at ScreenRant. Tom has experience writing reviews, guides, news, and features, and has been responsible for teams of writers, training them and editing their work. Tom graduated with a Masters in Multimedia Journalism, and has since gone on to build up his portfolio of games journalism work. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Minecraft is an absolutely incredible game that delivers a huge amount of value for its relatively low price tag. It is a one-of-a-kind experience that we're extraordinarily lucky to have access to, and I feel one would be hard-pressed to find someone who would say otherwise. However, Minecraft, at the end of the day, does cost money, and that can prove a little tricky for those who don't have the funds to buy it or are looking to game on a budget. In that instance, there are still plenty of great games just like Minecraft (in some cases exactly like it) that are completely free-to-play. These aren't free-to-start titles or f2p games with a secret catch. Each and every one of these Minecraft-esque games won't charge you a cent to enjoy every aspect of them, which is perfect for those who don't fancy breaking out their wallet any time soon but still want an experience akin to one of the very best survival crafting games ever made. 6 Luanti Luanti is an open-source voxel game engine, which is a complicated way of saying its Minecraft for free. The fact that the game used to be called Minetest is a further indication of this. It has its own client, which can be downloaded from the official website, and from there players can either go it alone or play with friends, just like Minecraft. Also, just like Minecraft, its voxel-based, features a number of player-created modes as well as the ability to play survival or creative, a whole world of blocks to break and, of course, mine, and so much more. Luanti even looks like Minecraft, which helps sell the fantasy that it is basically just a free version of the game. For those who want a game that perfectly replicates the Minecraft experience, albeit with a few tweaks, a couple of quality of life features thrown in for good measure, and a whole host of community and creator-made modes and texture packs, Luanti may just be the very best option, especially for those who want a solo or co-operative experience. 5 King Arthur's Gold Okay, so King Arthur's Gold is more of a Terraria-like than a Minecraft-like. However, considering Terraria is ostensibly 2D Minecraft, I feel like it absolutely counts. It's also free, so that helps too. Available via Steam, King Arthur's Gold is a multiplayer title that combines base building with base destruction, as two teams fight against one another in an attempt to dismantle their respective bases. Much like Terraria (and Minecraft), players explore a 2D plane in search for resources to mine that they can then use to build up their base. There are three available classes - Archer, Knight, and Builder - which all play a role in ensuring the survival of your base. While the community for King Arthur's Gold has died down a little bit, it does feature a single-player mode that lets players go up against an AI-controlled team. While it's a little different to traditional Minecraft, for those looking for a blocky base building and mining game, this is the perfect choice. 4 Terasology Like Luanti, Terasology is an open-source voxel game engine that plays, looks, and feels like Minecraft. Its module design allows creators to make different modes, including the expected and the unexpected, so everything one would want from a free Minecraft alternative. Terasology started in 2011 as an experiment and has since blossomed into a much bigger project that can be downloaded from its official website. The biggest difference between Terasology and Luanti is its stunning visuals. While Luanti looks phenomenal, it looks a lot like traditional Minecraft. Terasology, on the other hand, has enhanced visuals. It still sports the same voxel, blocky aesthetic, but with better lighting, shadows, and water effects, leading to a more visually pleasing and modern-feeling experience. Terasology is a great Minecraft-like that is perfect for those who don't gel with Luanti, or want something else to go with it. 3 ClassiCube For those who literally want Minecraft for free, I have the perfect option. ClassiCube is quite literally Minecraft, albeit stripped back to its very original form. Either available in your browser, or with a few extra features in the dedicated download available via its official website, ClassiCube restores Minecraft to its 2009 0.30 version, allowing players to experience what it was like to play the legendary game when it first came out. Of course, this means you won't have access to all of Minecraft's new features, but that's partly the point. There's something special about playing Minecraft Classic with its paired back visuals, simpler gameplay mechanics, and bigger focus on creativity. Sure, it lacks a lot of core features that make Minecraft amazing today, but, for absolutely no cost, that feels like a worthwhile trade. The other benefit of ClassiCube is that it'll run on practically every system as its spec requirements are extremely low. As aforementioned, it can also be played in your browser, which makes it even more accessible than Minecraft itself. 2 Veloren Veloren is multiplayer Minecraft with a bevy of RPG and combat-focused systems and, naturally, completely free. With boss battles, numerous different biomes, mounts, a whole host of weapons to craft and unlock, procedurally generated open-world, dungeons, mine, cave systems, and so much more, Veloren is basically Minecraft and Hytale rolled into one without the expensive price tag. Available via its official website, Veloren is a simple download that's easy to jump into, which is great for those who want a simple free Minecraft-esque experience. An RPG version of Minecraft has been long-desired by the community, and while games like Hytale and Cube World (which directly inspired Veloren) have offered that, they, understandably cost a lot to buy and aren't necessarily as feature rich as Veloren is today. With its focus on community-made content (it is built on an open-source engine), Veloren is the perfect pick for those who want a blocky Minecraft-esque experience with a bigger focus on combat and Zelda-like dungeons. 1 Dwarf Fortress Classic I can understand why one would feel immediately overwhelmed by Dwarf Fortress Classic upon first glance and back away. However, considering it is widely regarded as a major influence on Minecraft, and considered one of the best games ever made, it is definitely worth playing. It is a richly detailed colony sim, one that makes its successors and copycats look small in comparison, that puts players in the role of an overseer as they help a group of dwarves build a colony and survive the harsh persistent world that awaits them. Dwarf Fortress Classic is the free and original version of the game that can be downloaded from its developer's official website. An updated game, Dwarf Fortress, is available on Steam for $29.99. However, apart from a visual overhaul, they are ostensibly the same experience. So, if you can deal with the game's old-school visuals, Dwarf Fortress Classic is the perfect game for Minecraft fans looking for something a little more complex. Systems Released November 18, 2011 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Mojang Publisher(s) Mojang Engine LWJGL, PROPRIETARY ENGINE Franchise Minecraft Platform(s) 3DS, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360 Genre(s) Sandbox, Survival