best ecology games switch

Want to play a game about managing the environment around you? Check out some of these fine examples of ecology games on Switch.

The impact humans create on the environment can be simulated in games to help illustrate the effects of climate change. You can also learn about new environments entirely through adventure and scientific study. Check out some of these ecology games on Switch to learn about new environments and face challenges along the way.

Happy Birthdays

Happy Birthdays is a game about editing a biome to support multiple stages of evolution all the way through history. Starting with simple creatures born in the primordial seas all the way to the appearance of small mammals and humanoid like creatures. The game doesn’t bear the ‘Sim’ moniker, but it is very similar to Maxis’ old game, SimLife.

Making simple changes like altering the temperature a few degrees or raising the altitude of tiles to create more land can result in dramatic changes to the types of life your world can support. Part of the challenge is finding the conditions necessary to evolve all forms of life in the game.

Abzu

Explore the vast ocean and the millions of species teeming with life in Abzu, a game with no dialog and no narrative, but a rich world. The name of the game itself is from the Sumerian words ‘ab’ (water) and ‘zu’ (to know). The developers translate the name as Ocean of Wisdom. The fluid diving controls make this underwater paradise a pleasure to explore. It also makes for a relaxing game if you’re looking for something chill to wind down with at night.

In Other Waters

Assist a xenobiologist exploring an alien ocean as an AI designed to discover how a planet’s ecology evolved in this unique offering of ecology games on Switch. New upgrades to your system can help classify a whole new ecosystem of flora and fauna. Plan dives and choose whether to study creatures, investigate secrets or discover new areas, then study those collected samples in the lab. Chat with the xenobiologist Ellery and read her journals to understand more about the world you’ve discovered In Other Waters.

Subnautica

Subnautica is another ocean exploration game that features a vast ocean of life to discover. There’s more of a survival game aspect to this one, but both the base game and the Below Zero DLC are worth experiencing if you’re looking for games with unique ecology to explore. It’s also one of the most scary survival games you can play as the depths of the ocean are no place to fool around.

Cloud Gardens

The world has already ended in Cloud Gardens, a puzzle game about using the power of nature to reclaim urban decay. Plant seeds, repurpose structures, and use discarded objects to create a path that nature can reclaim. Each level presents a new challenge to completely hide the remains of the decay of modern society.

Seeds of Resilience

Help a village of people survive natural disasters and an ever-changing environment in Seeds of Resilience. Part of survival is understanding nature’s patterns and how your changes to the environment impact the weather. Build a medieval civilization while nature hammers you relentlessly with challenges. The game is turn-based, so players plan their actions and then end the turn to start a new day. Overfishing in one spot or chopping all the trees down will severely impact how nature responds.

Alba: Wildlife Adventure

Need a relaxing game with a beautiful environment to experience? Alba: A Wildlife Adventure might be just what you want to experience. The game is a chill, collectathon featuring handcrafted environments modeled on the experience of visiting a Mediterranean island. There are dozens of town people to help and lots of animals to discover all over the island. Can you photograph them all?


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