Games Like Merchant of the Skies

The sky city builder awaits. Create your own flying kingdom and lead it on a quest across an expansive world. Explore the varied landscape, build up a floating metropolis, aid struggling people below, uncover lost secrets and, ultimately, bring back the Airborne Kingdom legend.

Why similar: Base Building 19.5%, Steampunk 19% ★, Building 12%, Economy 11.7%, Sandbox 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: It perfectly captures the feeling of managing a flying city while exploring a vast, beautiful world.

Welcome to Suthseg! As the newly commissioned airship captain, forge a mercantile empire across the archipelago, until the great powers of Europa turn their attention toward it. Build up a fleet, chart trade routes, establish industries, and explore the frontier at your airship's helm!

Why similar: Steampunk 37.6% ★, Sandbox 27.8%, Management 21.8%, Strategy 7.7%, Simulation 5.1%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses heavily on airship logistics, trading, and navigation in a sky-themed sandbox.

Cosmonautica is a fresh take on space trading in a procedurally generated universe, paired with quirky humor for your intergalactic enjoyment.

Why similar: Trading 30.8%, Experimental 15.9%, Economy 15%, Management 10.9%, Sandbox 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a similar lighthearted approach to space trading and ship management with a focus on crew and cargo.

Become the captain of an airship and explore the world of the skies, gather resources and build powerful weapons, uncover ancient secrets and fight beneath your ship's sails.

Why similar: Steampunk 32.1% ★, Base Building 25.5%, Sandbox 17.4%, Procedural Generation 10.7%, Pixel Graphics 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: This title features open-world sky exploration and base-building elements set in a vibrant, pixel-art world.

Put your entrepreneurial skills to the test in the first title in the ROI series as you create & optimise intricate production lines. As an early 20th-Century industrialist, grow your empire & adapt to an ever-changing business landscape with unexpected events that could lead to boom…or bust.

Why similar: Trading 21.1%, Economy 19.7%, Management 16.8%, Base Building 12.5%, Resource Management 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: If you enjoyed the economic and production chain aspects of the seed game, this provides a more complex industrial management experience.

SteamWorld Build is a casual city-building and dungeon-management cross-over set in the SteamWorld Universe, where you build and manage a town on a dying planet. You'll need to balance resources, construction, and exploration to its depths to ensure your town's survival and eventual escape.

Why similar: Steampunk 17.1% ★, Economy 16.2%, Base Building 12.4%, Management 11.2%, Building 9%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a cozy, relaxing city-building experience with a focus on resource management and underground exploration.

Spiritfarer® is a cozy management game about dying. As ferrymaster to the deceased, build a boat to explore the world, care for your spirit friends, and release them into the afterlife. The Spiritfarer Farewell Edition includes the heartwarming base game and three major content updates.

Why similar: Management 35.2%, Building 29.1%, Relaxing 16.1%, Exploration 14.9%, Simulation 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: While more narrative-focused, it shares the cozy, relaxing ship management and exploration loop found in Merchant of the Skies.

DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, singleplayer adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole.

Why similar: Management 34.8%, Exploration 14.6%, Relaxing 14.5%, Pixel Graphics 14.3%, Casual 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: It combines relaxing exploration with addictive management mechanics that mirror the satisfying progression of a trading company.

You are the captain of a starship venturing through a massive open universe. Customize your crew and take command at the helm of your very own ship as you explore a galaxy torn apart by internal strife, alien threats, and political intrigue.

Why similar: Trading 35.6%, Economy 15.3%, Management 14.6%, Sandbox 12.5%, Procedural Generation 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: This deep simulation provides a complex trading and ship management experience that rewards exploration and economic strategy.

Build a network of cities that produce and trade resources, upgrade your castle, and protect the cities from cheeky bandits. Tinker with the economy at your own pace, and watch the charming wooden world grow into a lively and thriving kingdom.

Why similar: Trading 25.7%, Economy 16.3%, Base Building 13.6%, Management 11%, Building 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: A relaxing city-builder that emphasizes the creation of trade routes and economic growth.

As the Queen's latest governor, build a colonial empire in Her name. Claim islands, collect their natural resources, build production chains, and turn a derelict outpost into a rebellious, bustling metropolis at the heart of a New World commercial empire!

Why similar: Trading 26.5%, Economy 15.3%, Base Building 14.6%, Building 11.5%, Management 11.2%

Why You'll Like It: This colony-sim features exploration and trade routes between islands, capturing the logistical feel of the seed game.

Potion Tycoon is a management simulator with a witchy twist! Build and develop your very own magic shop. Manage resources, set up production lines, mix potions and sell them smartly to stay ahead of the competition. Welcome to the potion business!

Why similar: Management 17.7%, Trading 17.6%, Economy 17.5%, Building 13.4%, Sandbox 13.4%

Why You'll Like It: It provides a satisfying management loop focused on production, economy, and shop-keeping.

Diluvian Winds is a relaxing management game set in a small hamlet at the foot of a lighthouse. Welcome weary travelers and work together to expand your hamlet on land, under the sea, or among the clouds.

Why similar: Base Building 18%, Economy 15.2%, Building 11.9%, Sandbox 11.9%, Management 11.8%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy colony-sim that emphasizes resource management and building against the elements.

You are a merchant in northern Europe in the late Middle Ages when the Hanseatic League was flourishing. Your goal is to rise to the most successful and influential member of the Hanse, ultimately being elected Elderman, leader of the trading league.

Why similar: Trading 50%, Economy 19.4%, Resource Management 10.5%, Strategy 9.8%, Management 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: A classic trading simulation that focuses on building a merchant empire through supply and demand management.

Live your medieval trader life! Buy low, sell high and explore the world! Buy ships, build businesses, find or train captains. Deal with pirates, manipulate mayors and challenge traders. React to hundreds of events that shape your very own procedurally-generated world!

Why similar: Trading 35%, Economy 17.9%, Management 12.4%, Building 11.8%, Resource Management 6.5%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on the core trading and capitalism mechanics that drive the management gameplay of the seed title.

Set sail and join the colonial powers of Spain, England, France and the Netherlands in their fight for supremacy of the Caribbean in the 17th century.

Why similar: Trading 42.2%, Economy 20.8%, Management 13%, Strategy 8.1%, Building 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: This game excels at the maritime trading and logistics management that serves as the core of the Merchant of the Skies experience.

Build intricate supply chains to meet your feline customers' needs. Discover underground and air transport layers, a vast research tree, procedural worlds, machine learning, and endless automation in this relaxing, enemyless game.

Why similar: Base Building 18%, Economy 15.3%, Management 12.6%, Building 11.8%, Sandbox 10.6%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on the automation and management of production lines in a cute, accessible package.

Moonlighter is an Action RPG with rogue-lite elements that demonstrates two sides of the coin – revealing everyday routines of Will, an adventurous shopkeeper that secretly dreams of becoming a hero.

Why similar: Management 34.2%, Procedural Generation 23.7%, Pixel Graphics 13.9%, Exploration 13.7%, Simulation 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: It perfectly balances dungeon exploration with the management of a shop, mirroring the buy-low-sell-high loop.

Become a medieval merchant and master the arts of bartering, haggling, and investing, Explore 20 markets, barter with 200 characters, and trade in over 1,800 items in a dynamic bartering and haggling system that will challenge and reward.

Why similar: Trading 41.1%, Economy 21.1%, Management 15%, Exploration 6.1%, Relaxing 5.2%

Why You'll Like It: This game directly builds upon the trading and management themes with a turn-based strategy twist.

Become a crew member of an Interdimensional Express Train! Discover a new world full of mysterious creatures, enemies and places. Upgrade and customize your train, gather new materials and build better weapons. Play solo or online сo-op with up to 4 people.

Why similar: Base Building 39.3%, Building 21.5%, Sandbox 20.2%, Exploration 11.9%, Simulation 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: It features a unique base-building mechanic on a moving vehicle, similar to the mobile base concept of your airship.

Embark on a space voyage with your ragtag crew of civilians in search of a new home. Build spaceships tile by tile, create optimal gas conditions, manage the needs and moods of their crew, encounter other space-faring groups, and explore the universe in this spaceship colony simulation.

Why similar: Base Building 23.4%, Management 16.4%, Sandbox 14.4%, Building 14.1%, Resource Management 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: It offers detailed ship management and base-building mechanics in a challenging space environment.

Sailing simulator featuring realistic sailing physics and a vast open world to explore. Embark on cargo delivery missions, customize your boat, try fishing and cooking. A relaxing day sail, or an epic ocean voyage? Your sailing adventure starts here!

Why similar: Trading 54.6%, Resource Management 13.6%, Exploration 12.2%, Relaxing 12.1%, Simulation 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: This game provides a highly immersive and relaxing sailing experience focused on long-distance trading and navigation.

Recettear is the story of an item shop, the girl who lives in it, and the fairy who turned her life upside down. Recette Lemongrass finds herself in charge of an item shop built into her house, in order to pay back a loan her father took and then skipped out on - and Tear, her newfound fairy "companion", won't take no for an answer!

Why similar: Management 46.4%, Cute 25%, Simulation 14%, Strategy 7.2%, Singleplayer 4.7%

Why You'll Like It: A foundational shop-management game that emphasizes the economic side of running a business in a fantasy setting.

Build your way to success! Trade your way to the top! Explore your way to infamy! Do it all your way!

Why similar: Base Building 27.5%, Management 17.8%, Building 17.5%, Resource Management 11.3%, Strategy 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: A space station management game that focuses on building and maintaining a functional base in a hostile environment.

What if you had it in your power to rid the world of disease, to improve the lives of millions, to ease suffering and cure the sick… and earn a tidy profit? As the head of your own Pharmaceutical Conglomerate you have this power resting in your hands. Will you use it for good?

Why similar: Management 22.9%, Economy 17.5%, Base Building 15%, Sandbox 9.2%, Building 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: This management sim focuses on the economic and production side of business, appealing to those who enjoy optimizing supply chains.

A neon-noir story in a rain-drenched cyberpunk metropolis. It’s your first night on the job working for the Cloudpunk delivery service. Two rules: Don’t miss a delivery and don’t ask what’s in the package.

Why similar: Exploration 87.3%, Singleplayer 12.7%

Why You'll Like It: This game captures the atmospheric feeling of flying through a vertical city while performing delivery-based tasks.

Turn your building from a small shopping center into a huge city mall! To avoid going bankrupt, you’ll need to build new stores and restaurants, set smart prices, and keep up with trends. 15+ stores, dozens of machines & services, and hundreds of brands waiting for you!

Why similar: Trading 28%, Economy 18.3%, Management 15%, Building 10%, Sandbox 9.3%

You will become the shopkeeper of grocery shop in Squirrel Town to run your own shop, replenish your stock, sell, make a profit, kill monsters, manufacture outfits, engage in agriculture, angle, cook delicious food, feed monsters and save Monster Forest controlled by the evil crystal.

Why similar: Trading 29.6%, Economy 16.1%, Base Building 14%, Management 11%, Building 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: A cozy, charming shop-management game that emphasizes crafting and trading in a relaxed environment.

Run your own magic business! In Alchemist Shop Simulator you can trade magical wares, brew potions and take on special orders, meet many quirky clients, grow your ingredients in your garden, restock your shelves and manage prices. Keep expanding your business as you gain experience and wealth!

Why similar: Trading 38.1%, Economy 22.2%, Management 16.6%, Resource Management 8%, Relaxing 5.2%

Keep your stores afloat against unique threats like royal laws, wars and crazy fantasy events. Discover new items, craft, sell them, and create your Merchant Empire in the kingdom! - All in a hybrid 2D-3D style.

Why similar: Trading 51.4%, Management 22%, Resource Management 10.4%, Pixel Graphics 7.9%, Simulation 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a simulation of running a shop in a fantasy world, focusing on the day-to-day management of goods and customers.

Experience entrepreneurship in a floating cloud cafe. Manage your flying cafe, customize construction, train staff, handle random events, and uncover the secrets of the commercial empire, growing from a small shop to the sky's brightest star.

Why similar: Base Building 24.1%, Building 16.7%, Management 15.5%, Sandbox 9.5%, Resource Management 9.3%

The Forbidden Islands are Calling, Unlock their Secrets. Shipwrecked on an island, explore, adapt and navigate the land and perilous seas to stay alive.

Why similar: Exploration 80.5%, Singleplayer 19.5%

Why You'll Like It: It focuses on exploration and survival while sailing, providing a similar sense of freedom in a vast world.

Island Market Simulator – In this strategy and economy simulation game set in an island town, build your trade empire by starting with a small market. Produce your goods through farming, livestock, and supply chain management, and expand your business with seasonal dynamics and festivals!

Why similar: Trading 33.3%, Economy 18.6%, Management 14.2%, Building 11.8%, Sandbox 11.2%

Out of cash, out of luck, out on the fringe. Juno Markev has a killer to tail, a debt to pay, and more trouble headed her way. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw takes place in a greasy, blue-collar world of outlaws, truckers, cops and thieves.

Why similar: Simulation 94.3%, Singleplayer 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: It features a strong focus on space trading, ship customization, and exploration in a gritty, immersive setting.

Build your sky city while exploring a vast landscape in this Open World RPG City Builder. Combining the methodical construction and management of a city builder; the unique lift, balance, and propulsion needed for a flying city; and the compelling characters, dangers, and adventures of an RPG!

Why similar: Base Building 17.7%, Sandbox 15.7%, Management 13.6%, Resource Management 11.9%, Building 11.8%

Customize your airship and explore the world above the clouds in this sim RPG

Why similar: Simulation 23.6%, Casual 23%, Exploration 20.3%, Cute 12.8%, Pixel Graphics 10.7%

Blockchain Tycoon is the cryptocurrency simulation game where you build and manage your own mining operation. Create your own coin, mine it, invest in other coins, upgrade and overclock GPUs or you can just HODL.

Why similar: Trading 24.3%, Economy 15.7%, Base Building 11.4%, Management 11.4%, Sandbox 8.3%

Run your own figure shop! Produce figures with 3D printers, stock your shelves, set prices, and offer the best shopping experience to your customers. Manage your storage, expand and design your store. Try to complete collection sets, follow market trends, and grow your business!

Why similar: Trading 35.8%, Economy 21.2%, Management 11.5%, Sandbox 9.2%, Resource Management 8.1%

Run your own Pharmacy! Sell medicines, advise customers, validate prescriptions, and fulfill them. Start small and expand your business - make it big in the medicine world!

Why similar: Trading 33.1%, Economy 20.8%, Management 16.7%, Building 8.2%, Simulation 6.6%

Design your own skyscraper with more than 100 Floors. Rent offices, apartments or shops and build a financially lucrative skyscraper. Build cinemas, bars or a theater to satisfy your visitors and create an effective transport system with elevators and stairs.

Why similar: Trading 19%, Economy 15.5%, Management 12.8%, Building 11.3%, Sandbox 10.6%

Project Highrise is a skyscraper construction and management sim...

Why similar: Management 30.2%, Building 23%, Economy 12.1%, Sandbox 10.2%, Strategy 8.8%

Build & Manage Your Airport. An International Hub or a Regional Masterpiece -- it's up to you. Buy more land to scale out, or escalators to scale up with MULTIPLE FLOORS. You're in full control in this modern business management tycoon!

Why similar: Base Building 19.1%, Economy 18.7%, Management 14.5%, Building 12.6%, Sandbox 11.9%

Mine, farm, manufacture components and build a wide range of machines in an infinite basement. Forget primitive tasks thanks to automation! And sell your products to your customers! Build a parking, a gas station...

Why similar: Trading 33.1%, Sandbox 17.6%, Management 14.8%, Building 14.1%, Exploration 9.2%

Run your own toy store! Arrange shelves, set prices, process payments, and manage staff. Expand and design your shop, handle online orders, deliver with a scooter, trade rare toys, and ensure security. Create a magical shopping experience in Toy Shop Simulator!

Why similar: Trading 33.5%, Economy 21%, Management 15.5%, Building 10.3%, Resource Management 6.5%

Winkeltje: The Little Shop is all about building, decorating, and running your own old-world fantasy shop. Buy low, sell high - from nails and apples to swords and alchemic love potions. Impress your customers, craft items, and be the master of your very own shop.

Why similar: Trading 32.5%, Economy 18.2%, Management 15.1%, Sandbox 11.2%, Building 11%

With the help of your railway, build houses, farms, warehouses, and more to create your village. Trade what your people make for other resources and gold to grow your village into a prospering town, and grow the railway into a powerhouse.

Why similar: Trading 27.6%, Economy 16.7%, Building 13.7%, Management 12.1%, Sandbox 8.2%

Medieval StartUp is a unique mix of tavern management, crafting, and exploration set in a rich medieval world. Manage your tavern, craft unique items, recruit staff, and explore a mysterious marsh full of hidden secrets and rare resources.

Why similar: Trading 29%, Economy 16.1%, Management 12.8%, Base Building 12.4%, Sandbox 10.2%

Open your own shop in the heart of a Medieval Fantasy realm! Stock your shelves with everything from potions and swords to mysterious crystals and legendary artifacts. Set your prices, earn your customers' trust and become the richest merchant in the town!

Why similar: Trading 38.7%, Economy 22.8%, Management 18.8%, Relaxing 8.9%, Simulation 5.2%

Star Merchant is a galactic trading sim where you become a space entrepreneur. Buy and sell items, fight pirates, upgrade your ship and try to meet your goal without going broke!

Why similar: Strategy 34.4%, Management 21.2%, Simulation 16.5%, Casual 14.9%, Resource Management 13%

Bulwark blends casual and creative building elements with touches of strategy and exploration. It's an experimental mix of genres that can be enjoyed casually or as an epic conquest featuring naval units, air units, and fortresses.

Why similar: Experimental 20.9%, Steampunk 20.8% ★, Base Building 15.8%, Building 10.6%, Sandbox 10.5%

The store is your kingdom! Expand your humble boutique into a thriving business: hire the right staff, decorate your displays, and lure in customers. Even your wildest ideas can turn a profit. Why not start a business that sells only white T-shirts and ketchup? PCs and beans? Your rule, your rules!

Why similar: Trading 29.4%, Economy 16.8%, Management 13%, Sandbox 11.5%, Building 11.5%

Be a Pixel Shopkeeper! Collect items using inventory management puzzle mechanics. Sell your wares, decorate your shop, craft new products, and expand! Train to beat tougher dungeons, unlock new classes and decor, and furnish your shop smartly to maximize profits!

Why similar: Management 26.5%, Economy 21.8%, Resource Management 14.1%, Pixel Graphics 8.3%, Sandbox 7%

CloudDwellers is a 2D simulation and city-building game set in a world of scattered floating islands. Guide your settlers to harness technology, optimize production, and transform fragmented skies into a thriving, beautifully crafted aerial haven.

Why similar: Base Building 25.5%, Management 19.8%, Building 18.5%, Resource Management 8.7%, Strategy 6.6%

Build a prosperous settlement in a unique simulation of a feudal economy - each family runs their shop, owns their goods, and trades with other villagers in a free market. You will manage the land, build houses, organise events, set taxes, and balance supply and demand while engaging in diplomacy!

Why similar: Management 19.5%, Economy 18.9%, Building 15.2%, Sandbox 14.2%, Resource Management 8.3%

Sail, scavenge, and rescue survivors in a vibrant floating city-builder. Captain your drifters across the endless garbage sea to uncover soaked ruins, rusting factories, and stories from the old world.

Why similar: Base Building 20.9%, Economy 15.7%, Sandbox 13.4%, Building 11.2%, Procedural Generation 10.1%

From the out-there imagination behind the Shoppe Keep series comes a brand-new fantasy business adventure set in the clouds. Craftlands Workshoppe is hiring! But can you run your store, master three noble crafts and solve the former owner’s mysterious disappearance?

Why similar: Trading 48.1%, Management 19.3%, Building 15.2%, Resource Management 7.8%, Cute 6.1%

An ecosystem City Builder in a unique world. Build your settlement, manage your workers and optimize your resources. Analyzing your environment, spreading new plants, and harvesting them are key to prosperity.

Why similar: Trading 23%, Economy 15.8%, Base Building 13.8%, Management 10.3%, Building 9.7%

Breathe easy and thrive in this cozy colony sim. Build a haven for castaways, manage resources, live your best life on the ocean. Lead your humble settlement into a high-tech society.

Why similar: Base Building 21.6%, Management 16.1%, Sandbox 14.9%, Building 14.6%, Resource Management 9.7%

Turn your building from a small shopping center into a huge city mall! Start working with Prologue now. To avoid going bankrupt, you'll need to build new stores, set good prices and keep up with trends. A limited number of stores & services for Prologue are waiting for you.

Why similar: Trading 29.7%, Economy 18.3%, Management 14.3%, Building 9.5%, Sandbox 9%