Top 20 Environmental Video Games That Make You Care About the Planet…

Spilled! (2025)

Ever wanted to save the environment and feel cool doing it? In Spilled!, you’re the proud captain of a solar-powered cleanup boat, gliding through oil-slicked waters and vacuuming up ecological disasters like a marine Roomba with a conscience. It’s an oddly calming loop – collect oil, recycle waste, upgrade your ship, repeat – but it’s also sneakily educational. The game doesn’t yell “climate change!” at you; instead, it gently reminds you that ecosystems need love (and maintenance). You’ll find yourself zoning out in the best way, watching as dark waters turn crystal clear with each pass. And let’s be honest – who doesn’t want to feel like a hero while casually vibing to chill music and cleaning sludge? It's oddly relaxing, unexpectedly satisfying, and unmistakably eco-conscious. | © Lente

Clean the Sea! (2024)

Grab your captain’s hat and set sail, because in Clean the Sea! your job is to de-trash the ocean, one plastic bottle at a time. It’s part simulator, part feel-good therapy session for your inner environmentalist. Navigate colorful waters, dodge obstacles, and fish out junk like some kind of floating janitor of justice. The best part? Every piece of garbage you clean reveals more beauty – schools of fish return, coral glows, and the ocean literally comes back to life under your ship’s path. It’s like if Subnautica had a peaceful cousin who drinks herbal tea and gives TED Talks about microplastics. And while it may look simple on the surface, there's a surprisingly satisfying rhythm to restoring the sea. This is the rare game where progress smells like saltwater and redemption. | © Backpack Games

Loddlenaut (2023)

In Loddlenaut, you’re not just cleaning up an alien ocean planet – you’re making friends while you do it. You arrive on GUP-14 to find a polluted mess left behind by some very irresponsible corporations (classic). Armed with a bubble gun, scrubber, and an extremely wholesome attitude, you float through colorful biomes cleaning goop, recycling trash, and slowly bringing the world back to life. But here’s the twist: you also befriend the local creatures, cute little axolotl-like beings called Loddles, who thrive as you clean. They grow. They evolve. They love you. It’s adorable, it’s satisfying, and – let’s be honest – it makes you feel weirdly responsible for imaginary sea pets. The more you play, the more you realize: this is a game about stewardship, not domination. And it's adorable. | © Moon Lagoon

Terra Nil (2023)

Most games are all about building empires. Terra Nil flips the script – you build ecosystems. It’s a reverse city-builder where your only goal is to restore nature, then erase any trace you were ever there. Purify soil, plant lush forests, bring back wildlife, and then pack up and vanish like a green-thumbed ninja. The aesthetic is soothing, the strategy is clever, and the message is loud without being preachy: the best thing we can do for the planet might be knowing when to step back. Watching a desert turn into a thriving wetland is genuinely awe-inspiring. And when you leave a region completely restored, it doesn’t feel like finishing a level – it feels like you’ve done something right. Like the planet sighs in relief. | © Free Lives

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees (2022)

In Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, you don’t play as a soldier or a survivor – you play as a gibbon. A fast, flexible, swinging-through-the-jungle gibbon, moving with breathtaking grace. The game’s gorgeous, hand-drawn world tells a wordless story about deforestation, displacement, and survival – but don’t worry, it’s not a total downer. The joy of movement, the sense of speed, and the beauty of the landscapes make it uplifting even when the message gets heavy. You’ll swing from vine to vine, leap through tree canopies, and every now and then… you’ll notice the trees are thinning. The music shifts. The tone sobers. And you realize this isn’t just a game about swinging – it’s about what we’re swinging through, and how much of it might disappear. | © Broken Rules

Endling: Extinction is Forever (2022)

If you’ve ever wanted your heart gently shattered by a video game, Endling: Extinction is Forever is here to deliver. You play as the last mother fox on a dying Earth, guiding your pups through a bleak yet beautiful world ravaged by humanity’s worst habits. It’s not just a survival game – it’s a love letter to resilience and a gut-punch about environmental collapse. The hand-drawn art is stunning, but it’s the haunting atmosphere and quiet desperation that stick with you. Every choice feels weighty, every pup precious, and every night’s journey both thrilling and terrifying. It’s one of those rare games that’s as emotionally powerful as it is environmentally conscious. Just… keep tissues nearby. | © Herobeat Studios

No Place Like Home (2022)

In a future where humanity abandons Earth for Mars (because of course we do), No Place Like Home asks the bold question: what if someone stayed behind to clean up the mess? You play as Ellen, a farm-loving recycler who turns piles of trash into lush gardens, cozy homes, and adorable animal sanctuaries. It's like Stardew Valley, if Stardew was buried under mountains of soda cans and rusted robots. You vacuum up garbage, rebuild ecosystems, plant crops, and basically become the MVP of Earth’s redemption arc. It’s satisfying, wholesome, and sneakily empowering – like the world can be saved, if we just get to work (and own a very powerful vacuum). Also, chickens. Lots of chickens. | © Chicken Launcher

The Wandering Village (2022)

Ever wanted to build a city on the back of a giant walking creature? The Wandering Village delivers that oddly specific dream. In this game, your village rests atop Onbu, a colossal gentle beast wandering through a toxic wasteland. It’s part city-builder, part survival sim, and part “don’t let your giant lizard-friend die” game. Managing crops and villagers is fun, but balancing Onbu’s health and relationship with your people adds a surprising emotional layer. You’ll be feeding it, healing it, even choosing whether to trust its instincts. It’s weird, wonderful, and weirdly touching – a game where your foundation literally moves beneath your feet. | © Stray Fawn Studio

The Planet Crafter (2022)

If Subnautica and Factorio had a baby on Mars, it might look something like The Planet Crafter. You’re dropped onto a barren alien world with one mission: terraform it into something livable. You start with a tiny oxygen pod and a dream, slowly building out tech, unlocking tools, and watching the world go from dusty rock to lush oasis. It’s a satisfying grind – gather resources, build structures, unlock oxygen and water – and suddenly, BOOM: rain! Grass! Butterflies! The game taps into the primal joy of watching a dead world come alive under your care. It’s science fiction meets environmental science… and it’s oddly relaxing. | © Miju Games

Beyond Blue (2020)

Think of Beyond Blue as the Blue Planet documentary, but you’re the one diving with the whales. This underwater adventure puts you in the fins (well, wetsuit) of a marine biologist exploring Earth’s oceans while monitoring marine life, collecting data, and yes – dodging some environmental guilt. Inspired by real oceanic research and narrated like an educational special, the game is calm, beautiful, and surprisingly moving. You don’t shoot anything. You don’t mine for resources. You just learn. And sometimes, learning can be the most powerful action of all. It’s one of the few games that says, “Hey, want to love the ocean more?” and actually makes good on that promise. | © E-Line Media

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure (2020)

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is the warm hug of environmental games. You play as Alba, a spirited young girl on vacation who quickly realizes her island paradise needs a little TLC (and a lot less pollution). Armed with a smartphone and a “can-do” attitude, you snap photos of wildlife, clean up litter, and rally your community to protect a local nature reserve. It’s wholesome, heart-melting, and subtly activist in the most charming way. You’re not saving the world with explosions – you’re doing it with kindness, curiosity, and teamwork. And let's be real, who hasn’t dreamed of being a mini David Attenborough with a camera roll full of birds? | © Ustwo Games

Planet Zoo (2019)

If building a zoo sounds like child’s play, Planet Zoo is here to prove otherwise. This game turns wildlife conservation into a high-stakes juggling act of ethics, design, and... discharge management (faecal matters are important, after all). You’re in charge of creating enclosures, breeding endangered species, and keeping both animals and visitors happy – which, spoiler alert, is harder than it sounds. What makes Planet Zoo special is its obsession with realism and animal welfare. This isn’t just about caging critters for cash; it’s about education, rehabilitation, and environmental storytelling through gameplay. It’s like Zoo Tycoon graduated, went to vet school, and got very into eco-conscious living. | © Frontier Developments

Oxygen Not Included (2019)

Welcome to space, where your oxygen is low, your food is questionable, and your bathroom situation is... complicated. In Oxygen Not Included, you're managing a group of clueless colonists trying to survive underground on a distant planet. It’s a deep simulation game where every breath matters, and sustainability isn’t optional – it’s life or death. You’ll learn more about water purification, power grids, and heat management than you ever expected to from a game with fart jokes and cartoon characters. It’s punishingly complex but wildly satisfying, especially once you realize that yes, you can survive off algae... for now. | © Klei Entertainment

Plasticity (2019)

Short, sweet, and straight to the (environmental) point, Plasticity is a side-scrolling adventure set in a dystopian future drowning in plastic waste. You play as a young girl navigating this trash-filled world, making choices that directly affect the planet’s recovery. It’s only about 30 minutes long, but the emotional impact lingers. The game isn’t shy about its message, and that’s the point – pollution sucks, and we should do something about it. With hand-drawn visuals and powerful environmental metaphors, it’s more like an interactive PSA with a beating heart. And honestly? We need more games like this. | © Plasticity Games (USC Games)

Equilinox (2018)

In Equilinox, you’re basically playing god – but a very chill, eco-conscious god. You terraform landscapes, introduce species, manage genetics, and watch your tiny world blossom into a thriving ecosystem. There’s no combat, no deadlines, no stress – just you, some sheep, and the soothing task of evolution. You’ll start with grass and slowly unlock complex food chains, watching as everything interacts, mutates, and adapts. It’s part biology sim, part sandbox, and entirely relaxing. If you’ve ever dreamed of being a benevolent force of nature with a keen interest in photosynthesis, this is your time to shine. | © ThinMatrix

ECO (2018)

ECO is what happens when Minecraft meets a climate change thesis. It drops you into a shared online world with one mission: prevent a meteor from destroying the planet – without destroying it yourself in the process. Every player’s actions affect the ecosystem, from chopping trees to burning fuel, and suddenly you’re arguing in global chat about carbon taxes and renewable energy like it’s a digital U.N. summit. What makes ECO special isn’t just its survival mechanics, but how it simulates real-world environmental systems and societal consequences. Want to open a coal plant? Sure! But you’ll need to convince others – and deal with the smog. It’s fun, educational, and weirdly makes you care about forest management in a way school never could. | © Strange Loop Games

Niche (2016)

Ever wanted to breed fox-lizard hybrids with perfect immunity genes? Well, Niche has you covered. This quirky genetics survival game puts you in charge of a tribe of adorable creatures whose future depends on natural selection – and your ability to think like Darwin with a spreadsheet. You’ll manage traits like fertility, disease resistance, and strength while exploring colorful hexagonal biomes and dodging predators. It’s a little like playing matchmaker in nature’s dating sim, only instead of roses, you're selecting for recessive traits. Niche makes evolution fun, and somehow turns population genetics into a cozy strategy game. Science teachers, take notes. | © Stray Fawn Studio

Lumino City (2014)

Lumino City is less of a game and more of a love letter to handmade craftsmanship. Built entirely from real paper, cardboard, and miniature lights, this puzzle adventure drops you into a living diorama with an environmental twist. You play as Lumi, a young girl on a quest to fix her city and find her kidnapped grandfather – while solving puzzles based on wind power, hydro systems, and sustainable energy. It’s a whimsical exploration of green technology through tactile play, wrapped in a stunning visual package. Bonus points: it feels like you’re walking through a pop-up book made by eco-friendly wizards. | © State of Play Games

Reus (2013)

In Reus, you play as four elemental giants shaping the world from scratch – literally. You raise mountains, summon oceans, plant forests, and then sit back and watch humanity either flourish… or ruin everything (shocker). It’s a god game with a twist: the more you give, the greedier your humans get. There’s a not-so-subtle message here about balance and sustainability, and it plays out in surprisingly poetic ways. You’ll find yourself rooting for harmony, pulling back resources to teach a lesson, or straight-up flattening a greedy village. It’s oddly satisfying and lowkey therapeutic for anyone who's yelled “WE DON’T DESERVE THIS PLANET” at the news. | © Abbey Games

Fate of the World (2011)

Fate of the World doesn’t sugarcoat things. It throws you into the deep end as the head of a fictional global organization tasked with saving the Earth – through policy. Yes, it’s a strategy game about managing climate change, population growth, oil dependency, and political unrest… all while trying to not completely tank civilization. It’s basically a global climate simulator wrapped in a high-stakes puzzle. And spoiler alert: it's not easy. One wrong move, and you're facing floods, famines, or diplomatic collapse. But that’s what makes it brilliant – it doesn’t pull punches, and it dares to ask, “Could you do better?” (Answer: maybe… with a lot of solar panels.) | © Red Redemption