Terraforming Mars similar games & best alternatives

Terraforming Mars - Trailer
Terraforming Mars - terraforming-mars_1.avif
Terraforming Mars - terraforming-mars_2.avif
Terraforming Mars - terraforming-mars_3.avif
Terraforming Mars - terraforming-mars_4.avif
Terraforming Mars - terraforming-mars_5.avif
Terraforming Mars - terraforming-mars_6.avif

Terraforming Mars

Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac • 2018

Should you play it?

The taming of the Red Planet has begun! Corporations are competing to transform Mars into a habitable planet by spending vast resources and using innovative technology to raise temperature, create a breathable atmosphere, and make oceans of water.

What works

  • Faithful adaptation of popular board game
  • Streamlined gameplay and bookkeeping
  • High replayability with strategic depth
  • Active online multiplayer community
  • Regular updates and expansions planned

Things to keep in mind

  • Bugs and ui quirks reported
  • Lack of drafting mode at launch
  • Rudimentary matchmaking and ranking
  • Ai opponents often weak or predictable
  • Long waiting times due to afk players

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Ark Nova

  • D&D Lords of Waterdeep

  • NITE Team 4 - Military Hacking Division

  • Race for the Galaxy

  • Scythe: Digital Edition

  • Solar Settlers

More leadership-focused

Games that feels like Terraforming Mars but with more leadership over others

  • Esports Manager 2026

  • Esports Godfather: The Legend Begins

  • Esports Godfather

  • Distant Worlds: Universe

  • Chaos Galaxy 2

  • Interstellar Space: Genesis

More violent

Games that feels like Terraforming Mars but with more combat and destruction

  • Interplanetary: Enhanced Edition

  • Imperium Galactica II

  • Alina of the Arena

  • Star Ruler

  • Space Empires V

  • Legends of Callasia

Less fellowship-oriented

Games that feels like Terraforming Mars but with less of a community feel

  • Terraformers

  • Tower Tactics: Liberation

  • Slipways

  • NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics

  • Prismata

  • Turnbound

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to compare these games

Compare nearby games

Each card is a nearby game on the similarity map, compared with Terraforming Mars. Swipe sideways to move between games. Titles already listed in What to play next are left out.

  • Cover and title: open that game’s page.
  • What works / keep in mind: the same highlights as the desktop comparison panel.
  • Bars: the main motivational differences versus this game.
How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Swipe to compare nearby games with Terraforming Mars. These titles are not in What to play next.

Terraforming Mars: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Story, Fantasy. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story, Fellowship. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Violence.

Last update: 21/08/2026