10 Best Games With Ship Building Mechanics

One significant milestone for humanity has been the ability to explore places we cannot physically reach, and then create means to navigate through those areas.

From the expansive skies above, the mysterious depths below our oceans, the vastness of outer space, even the hidden realms beneath the earth’s surface – human ingenuity has led us to construct marvelous machinery, enabling us to venture into uncharted territories.

In video games, the excitement of tinkering with mechanics never loses its charm, manifesting itself in numerous ways across different titles, and some games are exclusively centered on this particular career.

For the purpose of this ranking, we’ll focus on vessels suitable for both ocean and cosmic voyages. The evaluation criteria encompass the degree of personalization, richness of features, and overall enjoyment derived from designing and commanding these spacecraft.

10.
No Man’s Sky

Another New Feature In The Redemption Of The Century

Since its rocky debut, No Man’s Sky has made significant strides in its development. Instead of slowing down, Hello Games kept pushing forward, enhancing and expanding the game. In 2024, they introduced ship building as part of an update that also included Orbital mechanics.

In No Man’s Sky, unlike other games on this list, it doesn’t offer a comprehensive ship editor. Rather, you must decommission three of your ships, dismantling either the cockpit, engine, or wings from each one, to construct an entirely new starship.

As a space enthusiast, I can take these components and mix them with a portable reactor core, which I could later sell at a vendor’s stall. Then, depending on my preferences, I could assemble them into a versatile Fighter, a spacious Hauler, or an adventurous Explorer Starship.

9.
Minecraft

Block By Block

In the game Minecraft, you can create virtually anything that comes to mind, provided it can be designed using blocks. This rule applies even to vessels like impressive pirate ships and massive battle machinery, which players bring to life in all their blocky splendor.

It seems that most of these require advanced skills in Redstone to operate. However, if you’re seeking a simpler vessel, there’s good news! You can still manage it with just five identical wooden planks.

I’m crafting a seaworthy vessel that accommodates up to two adventurers, whether they’re human players, computer-controlled opponents, or even an elusive goat (should you manage to snag that hidden achievement!).

8.
Starfield

Build Ships To Explore And ‘Retrieve’ Artifacts

In the newest cinematic universe from Bethesda, titled Starfield, you’ll embark on an interstellar adventure with a team of cosmic explorers, tasked with scouring the Milky Way for valuable relics and treasures.

As a space enthusiast, I can personally vouch for the exciting opportunity to upgrade my fleet by purchasing new starships and customizing them according to my unique specifications. When I pay a visit to the skilled Technician, an array of options becomes available to me, enabling me to add new cockpits, weaponry, gravitational drives, and various other enhancements.

Apart from customizing weapon power settings and various visual elements, you also have the ability to own more than one vessel. This allows you to construct diverse ships ranging from pirate ships to exploratory vessels, ensuring that you always have the perfect ship for each scenario at your disposal.

7.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Give Link An Ultrahand

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, it’s no surprise that Link is assigned the mission of safeguarding the entire world. To aid him in this grand endeavor, he has several useful abilities such as soaring through the skies with a paraglider, gliding on his shield, and voyaging across bodies of water in a boat.

As a die-hard fan, I’d say in Breath of the Wild, I had to hunt for a boat and essentially generate my own wind to sail. Conversely, in Tears of The Kingdom, Link is blessed with the power to craft his very own ship using the Ultrahand ability.

As a gamer, I’m no longer relying on a Korok Leaf for my speed boost. Now, I’ve crafted myself a makeshift jet-powered log raft, allowing me to glide effortlessly across the water, just like an agile hover boat!

6.
Ark: Survival Ascended

Build A Raft To Protect Yourself

In the game “Ark: Survival Evolved,” you start on a map teeming with dinosaurs where your objective is to conquer them, protect yourself from them, and overall, stay alive in this challenging environment.

For assistance, you could construct stations, some even on water using a raft as the foundation. This raft can be upgraded from its initial form as a wooden platform with a sail into a fully-fledged pirate ship. This transformation enables you to accommodate tamed dinosaurs, provide sleeping quarters, storage chests, and additional facilities.

In the initial phases of play, this feature proves quite beneficial because dinosaurs are unable to assault you when you’re sailing across open waters. Additionally, you have the option to enhance your Raft into a Motorboat, which facilitates faster movement, accommodates larger ships, and boosts overall health.

5.
Kingdom Hearts 1

Colourful Ships To Defeat The Darkness

In the game Kingdom Hearts 1, you take on the role of Sora, a valiant young character, tasked with preventing various Disney realms from succumbing to darkness.

As a passionate explorer, I navigate my Gummi Ships across the cosmos, battling formidable foes along the way. My trusty companions, Chip and Dale, are always by my side, guiding me in crafting the perfect vessel for my intergalactic journeys. Whether it’s selecting a pre-designed ship or designing one from scratch with my own creativity, their assistance ensures I conquer the universe in style!

Once you’ve gathered various Gummi Blocks and weaponry from different realms, you’re free to venture into the workshop and construct your ideal vessel. However, do keep in mind that the ship must adhere to the Gummi capacity restriction you currently possess.

Shall we concentrate more on defense or offense? Prefer high-speed automatic attacks or precise targeted ones? Lastly, let’s think of an exciting name for our project!

4.
HighFleet

Immersive But Unintuitive

Platform PC
Publisher MicroProse
Genre Action-Adventure, Strategy
Release Date July 2021

Among the games listed, HighFleet might be the one less commonly recognized, yet it’s no less capable of captivating those who invest time in understanding its mechanics.

In your role as the leader of the Sayadi Task Force, you’ve been dispatched with the mission to reestablish authority over the Kingdom of Gerat. To accomplish this, it’s crucial that you design different types of vessels suitable for various circumstances, and subsequently, guide them effectively during combat.

The ship designer functions as a detailed, two-dimensional blueprint tool, providing an extremely precise and complex method for designing ships. It allows you to position individual components in a space-saving manner, enabling the construction of intricately designed and complex vessels.

It’s difficult to explain on paper, so take a look at this video to see what can be made.

3.
Space Engineers

Engineer A Spaceship And Crash It To See What Happens

As a Space Engineer, I navigate through the cosmos, constructing magnificent starships all on my own or collaborating with up to 32 friends in the game Space Engineers.

In Survival setting, it’s about gathering materials and controlling resources like energy, whereas in Creative setting, you’re unbounded, able to construct anything your creativity (and computer’s capabilities) dream up.

In simpler terms, the game employs a voxel system, which means that when you collide with objects like ships, the impact and resulting destruction will appear realistic based on factors such as your weight, power, and the type of material involved.

Additionally, it’s possible to touch down on other planets for resource extraction, just remember to consider the atmospheric conditions and engine compatibility to avoid potential stranding situations.

2.
Besiege: The Splintered Sea

Create Ships To Sink Other Ships

Platform PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox
Publisher Spiderling Studios
Genre Sandbox
Release Date Februrary 2020

In the game “Besiege,” particularly its expansion known as “The Splintered Sea,” you have the opportunity to design numerous types of ships and maritime battle equipment by progressing through a 15-level campaign.

Just like the original version, it’s crucial to consider real-world physics, particularly focusing on fluid dynamics for this specific instance.

As an enthusiast, I can tell you about the thrill of crafting diverse vessels using an array of blocks – floats, rudders, paddles, and more! With these tools at my disposal, I’ve built everything from a fearsome pirate ship to stealthy submarines. Now, it’s time to put them to the test as we take on the formidable Admiral Drasckar!

If that’s sparked your interest in physics-driven machine demolition even further, remember you can construct bizarre machines in the game Besiege!

1.
Raft

Guess What You Can Make?

In the game Raft, you craft a floating vessel, as one survivor navigating a post-apocalyptic world submerged in water, your journey aims to discover any remaining traces of human civilization.

Initially setting sail on a simple 2×2 raft, you can gradually enhance it by attaching floating debris and various resources as they pass by, eventually transforming your humble raft into a seaworthy vessel that feels like home.

Ensure there’s ample space for the engines powering your raft, and also accommodations for the livestock you’ll be raising for sustenance.

Oh, and watch out for sharks, as they can easily break your raft if you haven’t set up protection.

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2025-05-26 18:40