Games Like Idle Research

Magic Research is a text-based incremental game about Magic. You are the headmaster of a newly-created institution of Magic. Will you be able to lead your school to win the prestigious Tournament of Magic?

Why similar: Idler 24.5%, Automation 20.2%, Text-Based 12%, Resource Management 11.2%, Minimalist 7%

Why You'll Like It: Features a similar research-based progression loop and satisfying resource management in a fantasy setting.

Welcome to Magic Research 2, an incremental RPG from the creator of Magic Research. Learn countless spells, face powerful foes, and command a team of Wizards who can cast spells for you as you journey to find or create the Philosopher's Stone.

Why similar: Idler 22.8%, Automation 21.1%, Incremental 15.1%, Text-Based 11.9%, Management 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: Expands on the original's research and automation mechanics with even more depth and complexity.

Industry Idle is an idle game that combines factory building, resource management and market trading. Design & build your base, expand & scale up your productions, improve & optimize your economy. Plus all the incremental game goodies: offline earnings, prestige to unlock more powerful upgrades.

Why similar: Automation 20.9%, Idler 20.5%, Incremental 15.9%, Resource Management 12.2%, Management 7%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses heavily on the automation and logistics management aspects found in Idle Research.

Earn antimatter through dimensions! Gain Infinite antimatter to collapse the universe!

Why similar: Idler 62.7%, Strategy 14.3%, Resource Management 10.6%, Automation 10.6%, Indie 1.8%

Why You'll Like It: Widely considered the gold standard of the incremental genre, it offers deep progression and satisfying prestige mechanics.

Orb of Creation is an active incremental-puzzle game in which you recreate the world with nothing but magic and ingenuity. Conjure resources, buy upgrades, and become an all-powerful wizard!

Why similar: Incremental 47.8%, Idler 20.1%, Resource Management 13.2%, Strategy 6.5%, Minimalist 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: Offers an incredibly deep crafting and resource management system that rewards strategic planning.

NGU Idle is a Free To Play Idle game that's full of weird humor, tons of upgrades and hundreds of hours of content! Try out NGU Idle today and experience the joy of Numbers Going Up!

Why similar: Idler 44.8%, Incremental 42%, Simulation 6.3%, Adventure 4%, Indie 2.8%

Why You'll Like It: A classic of the genre that features deep progression, comedy, and a highly addictive loop.

An entire town builder experience packed into a living spreadsheet. Build housing, assign workers, then craft and sell a huge variety of items to level up your town and expand your civilization across the world!

Why similar: Idler 20.3%, Incremental 17.9%, Automation 17.4%, Resource Management 11.3%, Minimalist 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on minimalist automation and resource management that feels very similar to the core loop of Idle Research.

Synergism is a free-to-play Idle game about... well, Synergy! Explore that concept through hundreds of upgrades, many reset layers and probably thousands of hours of content that allows both idle and active play.

Why similar: Idler 60.4%, Strategy 19.1%, Resource Management 12.9%, 2D 6%, Indie 1.6%

Why You'll Like It: Provides a highly complex and rewarding automation experience for players who enjoy deep, layered systems.

The Perfect Tower II is a mix between an incremental and a tower defense game. Build a town, manage resources and explore a variety of mini-games and tons of upgrades. Fully automate your game and watch numbers going up!

Why similar: Idler 23.1%, Automation 22.5%, Incremental 17.8%, Resource Management 13.5%, Strategy 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: Combines deep automation with tower defense elements, offering a massive amount of content and strategy.

Blow leaves, upgrade your gear, and automate your progress as you explore the Leaf Universe. A satisfying incremental idle game where every leaf blown brings you closer to the next big upgrade. Simple, relaxing, and endlessly rewarding. Let the leaves fall, and your progress rise!

Why similar: Idler 36.8%, Incremental 34.5%, Crafting 14.9%, Relaxing 5.9%, 2D 3.1%

Why You'll Like It: Features a similarly satisfying progression loop where simple tasks evolve into massive, automated systems.

CompactO is an addicting idle game where you create colorful squares on a plane. Dominate the 3D Realm and infuse your planes into complex shapes to buy tons of upgrades!

Why similar: Idler 29.5%, Incremental 23.7%, Management 11.3%, Text-Based 9%, Strategy 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: Features a clean, minimalist interface and satisfying incremental progression that mirrors the feel of Idle Research.

Idle Skilling is the ultimate Idle Game with years of content! Meant to be played for 5-10 minutes a day, you gradually unlock new skills like mining, fishing, pet breeding, crusading, potion-making, lab-research, construction, and more! With new updates coming, you'll never run out of stuff to do!

Why similar: Idler 31.1%, Incremental 25.7%, Resource Management 14.9%, Crafting 8.4%, Simulation 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: Offers a blend of active and idle gameplay with a massive variety of skills to manage and automate.

A text-based incremental idle game with a ridiculous amount of unique content. Automate old stuff as you unlock new stuff to keep things interesting for hours and hours, no spam clicking necessary! Trimps is everything you love about your favorite games, distilled to their purest form.

Why similar: Idler 32.1%, Automation 26.6%, Text-Based 15.7%, Management 10.7%, Strategy 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: A classic text-based incremental game that offers immense depth and strategic resource management.

Lead your heroes in their neverending adventures! A minimalistic Idle game where combat is fully automated. It's up to you to make the most of that automation to reach extremely high numbers!

Why similar: Idler 29.9%, Automation 27.6%, Text-Based 14.4%, Minimalist 10.9%, Management 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: A deep, text-based incremental game that excels in automation and long-term progression.

Idle Cave Miner is an idle game about crafting items, mining gems, and building your team of miners. Prestige, craft, and travel to other mines to increase your strength to dig deeper, and find what lurks below.

Why similar: Idler 28.5%, Incremental 24.9%, Resource Management 12.4%, Management 12%, Crafting 11.8%

Why You'll Like It: A solid incremental game that emphasizes mining and resource management with a clean, approachable style.

Explore the depths of the earth and uncover hidden treasures in this addictive idle mining game. Unlock the power of your drill with hundreds of upgrades, discover mysterious relics, and unearth priceless gems. Can you master the mines and reveal their deepest secrets? Dive in and dig deep!

Why similar: Idler 28.8%, Incremental 26%, Resource Management 10.2%, Crafting 9.1%, Simulation 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: A classic mining-focused incremental game that offers long-term progression and satisfying upgrades.

Idling to Rule the Gods is a free to play Idle-Game with a lot of content and some Minigames. Depending on your play-style, you can play it fast or slow. Either way it can be fun for hundreds of hours!

Why similar: Incremental 28.4%, Idler 24.4%, Text-Based 15.2%, Management 12.1%, Simulation 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: A staple of the genre that offers extensive content and complex systems for dedicated players.

The epic story of evolution, technology, humanity, and dinosaurs is yours to tap.

Why similar: Incremental 57.1%, Idler 31.4%, Simulation 10.8%, Strategy 0.7%

Why You'll Like It: Shares a scientific, educational theme while providing a very satisfying incremental progression experience.

Conquer PickCrafter, the hit indie idle game! Break blocks, forge equipment, and collect powerful Pickaxes. Prestige to legendary tiers with the new Ascension Skill Tree. Discover biomes and battle epic bosses. Make meaningful choices and invent complex builds in this addictive endless adventure!

Why similar: Idler 25.1%, Incremental 22.5%, Resource Management 14.5%, Crafting 11.2%, Management 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: A popular mining-themed incremental game that excels in collectathon mechanics and satisfying clicker gameplay.

Craft and automate an industrial empire from scratch! Experience a strategic game teeming with challenges as you manage resources, overcome hurdles, and optimize production chains. Are you ready to conquer the challenges of Incremental Factory? Your journey starts here... The Factory Must Grow!

Why similar: Automation 23.6%, Idler 23.3%, Resource Management 13.4%, Crafting 10.3%, Simulation 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: A dedicated automation game that focuses on building efficient production lines and managing complex resources.

A condensed incremental experience, where you build a colony to collect and merge bigger and bigger fruits. Combine game-changing technologies and special upgrades to find the best synergies and take your cash flow to another dimension.

Why similar: Incremental 23.1%, Automation 22.3%, Idler 20.8%, Management 8.6%, Resource Management 7%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on managing a colony through automation and strategic resource allocation.

Craft a complex production line, earn idle cash and become an industrial tycoon!

Why similar: Idler 25.1%, Incremental 24.2%, Automation 23.6%, Management 10.5%, Strategy 6.6%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses specifically on the crafting and resource production chains that are central to Idle Research.

Strategic idle game. Develop the kingdom, then abdicate and get gold! For gold, you can buy new tiles and expand the territory.

Why similar: Idler 46%, Incremental 42.3%, Strategy 9.4%, Indie 2.4%

Why You'll Like It: Combines strategy and incremental mechanics to create a unique experience focused on expansion and management.

An idle game about making cookies! Originally released in 2013 on the web, and actively developed since then. This is the official version for Steam.

Why similar: Incremental 38.6%, Idler 30.6%, Resource Management 9.1%, Management 8.9%, Strategy 3.8%

Why You'll Like It: The quintessential incremental game that defined the genre's core loop of exponential growth.

SPACEPLAN is an experimental piece of interaction based partly on a total misunderstanding of Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time.

Why similar: Incremental 72.6%, Idler 17.7%, Adventure 5.3%, Indie 4.4%

Why You'll Like It: A minimalist, science-themed incremental game that focuses on satisfying progression and a unique narrative.

Revolution Idle is a free idle incremental game with offline progress, prestige layers, and endless automation. Start simple, reach infinity and go further.

Why similar: Incremental 21.1%, Idler 20.2%, Automation 18.8%, Resource Management 10.1%, Management 8.6%

Relax and catch fish in beautiful environments while your crew works for you, even offline. Hire crewmates, collect pets, sail ever-bigger boats, and uncover layer after layer of progression. Simple to start, surprisingly deep.

Why similar: Idler 29.2%, Incremental 23.6%, Resource Management 12.4%, Management 12%, Cartoony 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: A relaxing yet deeply incremental experience that focuses on upgrading gear and automating the fishing process.

Grow your realm, build alliances, and explore one of the deepest idle RPGs ever!

Why similar: Incremental 54.8%, Idler 22.7%, Strategy 8.6%, Resource Management 8.4%, Simulation 2.6%

Why You'll Like It: Offers deep strategic choices and complex faction-based progression that appeals to fans of deep systems.

Incredicer is a short, incremental dice game where you roll dice, earn money, upgrade and buy helper hands to automate and increase your income.

Why similar: Incremental 26.6%, Idler 22.1%, Automation 16.3%, Resource Management 11.5%, Strategy 5.2%

Idle Atomic is an Incremental Idle RPG in a post-apocalyptic world. Level up skills, refine your salvaged materials and hunt mutant creatures to survive!

Why similar: Idler 38.6%, Incremental 19.5%, Crafting 14.1%, Resource Management 13%, Simulation 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: Features a unique crafting and simulation focus with a distinct post-apocalyptic aesthetic.

Vacuum Warrior is a Free to Play incremental idle game. Listen to the crisp crackle of dust and debris entering your vacuum as you vacuum ridiculous amounts of dust. Upgrade your vacuums, idle gains, and robot vacuums, earn achievements, and explore numerous locations in the Vacuum Warrior universe!

Why similar: Idler 25.2%, Incremental 22.1%, Automation 21.2%, Minimalist 6.9%, Simulation 6%

Train a commoner to become the greatest archer in this short incremental game! Increase your stats, gather wealth from quests, buy upgrades, and infuse your arrows with magic.

Why similar: Incremental 34.8%, Idler 32.2%, Resource Management 16.4%, Management 5.2%, Simulation 4.3%

This is a beautiful "Idle", "Incremental" game based on spirals and mathematics. Your goal is to make the spiral grow farther and farther from the origin. The game is very simple, but it is very deep and can be enjoyed for a long time!

Why similar: Idler 30.3%, Incremental 27.3%, Automation 21.3%, Simulation 7.4%, Resource Management 4.6%

An idle incremental game where you decide to travel across the whole Universe. Embark on this journey in your little ship and get as far away as possible from Earth, gathering resources and upgrading your spaceship along the way.

Why similar: Idler 25.8%, Automation 23.1%, Incremental 22.7%, Resource Management 13.1%, Strategy 5%

Incremental game about smashing with unfolding gameplay and two prestige layers.

Why similar: Incremental 24.6%, Idler 24.2%, Automation 15.6%, Resource Management 11%, Management 9.9%

A sci-fi management game where you build and optimize your computer's system from the ground up. Connect and configure interconnected nodes to efficiently download, process, and upload files. Manage your setup, solve system challenges, and become the ultimate system architect

Why similar: Automation 28.8%, Idler 26.9%, Incremental 18.2%, Simulation 8.6%, Management 8.1%

Stunning sphere-themed idle/incremental game. Experience simplicity's beauty.

Why similar: Idler 32.4%, Incremental 27.4%, Minimalist 11.1%, Simulation 9.8%, Automation 7.9%

Gridkeeper is an incremental game about managing "Grids" and using their power to run MineBots, research tech, and grow your mining empire by getting better Grids.

Why similar: Idler 26.8%, Incremental 26.7%, Automation 16%, Strategy 11.3%, Resource Management 6.2%

Destroy endless waves of alien ships that have all but wiped out humanity in this long form, unfolding, sci-fi idle game. Customize your ship with different weapons and defenses to defeat specific enemy types and utilize a ton of different systems to increase your overall power.

Why similar: Idler 36.3%, Incremental 28.4%, Resource Management 12.9%, Automation 12.3%, Simulation 7.7%

A massive RuneScape-inspired idle RPG built for serious long-term progression. Master 24 skills, conquer bosses, collect over 500 souls, and bank offline time to accelerate the game whenever you choose.

Why similar: Idler 31%, Automation 19.6%, Incremental 17.7%, Resource Management 10.9%, Crafting 10.4%

Idle Commonwealth is an idle game that pays homage to the best of the idle genre. Start small, grow your commonwealth, maintain morale, establish governance, invent technologies, trade and conquer your neighbors.

Why similar: Idler 29.6%, Incremental 24.2%, Resource Management 15.3%, Management 7.6%, Strategy 6.1%

Tiny Biomes is a relaxing idle game where animals peacefully produce resources and you gather wood in a calm harvesting zone. Build small biomes, earn gold, and enjoy steady progression without pressure, timers, or stress. Play at your own pace and unwind.

Why similar: Idler 28.3%, Incremental 23.6%, Automation 14.5%, Minimalist 7.5%, Resource Management 7.3%

CivIdle is an idle/incremental game that allows you to lead your own civilization through thousands of years from ancient times to the modern era. Expand your territory, explore a vast tech tree, build various wonders, and trade with global players: empire must grow and numbers must go up!

Why similar: Idler 31.5%, Automation 29.6%, Resource Management 14.1%, Management 11.8%, Strategy 5.1%

Idle Plant Game, an idle and offline progress or clicker plant simulation!

Why similar: Incremental 27.4%, Idler 25.4%, Automation 16.8%, Resource Management 7.7%, Management 7.7%

Kill the Lich is a minimalist incremental game about time compression and resource flow. Route your primary resource—Momentum—downstream to unlock over 300 actions. Design granular automation, visualize exposed formulas, and trigger deep prestige layers to ultimately defeat the Lich!

Why similar: Idler 22.9%, Incremental 22.1%, Automation 22%, Text-Based 9.6%, Minimalist 5.5%

Nodebuster is a short, experimental incremental game about busting nodes and destroying reality.

Why similar: Incremental 37.1%, Idler 24.7%, Management 9.4%, Minimalist 6.7%, Strategy 6.5%

Future Fortune is an incremental/idle game featuring big numbers, a multi-layer prestige system, a milestone reward system, multiple upgrade shops, and much more!

Why similar: Idler 26.2%, Incremental 22.6%, Automation 20.5%, Simulation 7.1%, Strategy 6.7%

Milky Way Idle: A multiplayer idle RPG where automation replaces grinding. Level up skills, gather resources, craft powerful items, and battle monsters—all while AFK. Trade in the marketplace, join a guild, team up for party combat, and socialize in chat as you progress effortlessly.

Why similar: Idler 43.5%, Crafting 17.1%, Resource Management 16%, Text-Based 15.8%, Minimalist 6.6%

An incremental unfolding game about feeding fuel into a reactor. Combine elements to produce energy, unlock exotic technologies and explore a strange galaxy.

Why similar: Incremental 39.4%, Idler 27.4%, Management 11.3%, Strategy 9.2%, Simulation 6.4%

Cube based incremental game that is simple but very deep!

Why similar: Incremental 45.2%, Idler 42.2%, Simulation 10.3%, 2D 2.3%

An idle game about collecting cancer with quirky stickfigures!

Why similar: Idler 21.3%, Automation 19.7%, Incremental 19.1%, Resource Management 10.7%, Crafting 9.5%

A short incremental game about feeding a Black Hole matter by destroying Asteroids, Planets, and Stars.

Why similar: Incremental 40.6%, Idler 19.2%, Resource Management 7.6%, Minimalist 6.5%, Strategy 5.8%

A mixture of incremental/idle and roleplaying game set in fantasy world filled with monsters and things to explore, where battling is constant, almost everything can be upgraded, and with wide array of various prestige mechanics to always keep things interesting and moving forward!

Why similar: Idler 33.6%, Automation 32.1%, Management 14.2%, Cartoony 8.5%, Colorful 4.1%

Embark on an interstellar journey with Galaxy Idle Clicker! Conquer galaxies, upgrade your spaceship, and face off against a myriad of enemy ships. With engaging minigames, powerful upgrades, GIC delivers an unparalleled idle space adventure. Join the cosmic conquest today and dominate the universe!

Why similar: Idler 32.8%, Incremental 29.4%, Resource Management 17.8%, Management 7.2%, Simulation 5.7%

Recruit hard-working helpers and magical creatures that automatically collect gold and crystals. Unlock new levels, invest in stronger units, and work your way up to the powerful dragon boss at the top. A relaxing pixel-style idle clicker!

Why similar: Incremental 37%, Automation 32.2%, Idler 16.3%, Management 9.3%, 2D 2.7%

Train your stats, cast spells, feed your minion, defeat monsters and bosses, raise demons, craft gems, go fishing and so much more in Wizard and Minion Idle--WAMI. This free to play, solo developed, Idle/active hybrid game has flexible pacing for long-time play-ability.

Why similar: Idler 36.7%, Incremental 34.2%, Management 9.7%, Strategy 8.3%, Simulation 5.6%

Idle Deepcore is an incremental mining game where you dig ever deeper, smelt ore into ingots, upgrade your pickaxe and machines, and grow several mines in parallel to build a vast underground industry.

Why similar: Idler 28.1%, Incremental 24.2%, Automation 17.7%, Simulation 12%, Crafting 7.7%

(the) Gnorp Apologue is the journey of the gnorps as you guide them towards their goal of delightfully excessive wealth accumulation.

Why similar: Incremental 39.3%, Idler 26.6%, Management 9.1%, Resource Management 6.9%, Strategy 5.6%

Idle Pins is an Incremental game made by an Incremental addict for Incremental lovers. Over 250 Pins to collect and merge. Hundreds of upgrades, features and QoL. Enjoy one of the most rewarding 'grind' experience, now on Steam!

Why similar: Idler 30.1%, Incremental 27%, Resource Management 16.3%, Crafting 12.1%, Management 8.7%

Click and Conquer is a short, relaxing incremental game. Drop bombs through the fog of war, uncover hidden enemies, collect rewards, and spend currency to boost passive income, increase bombing power, and unlock new maps.

Why similar: Incremental 32.3%, Idler 25.3%, Resource Management 10.8%, Minimalist 9.4%, Simulation 7.3%