With everyone's favorite Honey, I Shrunk the Kids-inspired survival game receiving a massive final update before coming out of early access as Obsidian's first game since 2019's The Outer Worlds, fans are understandably hyped about Grounded. Though it has a cooperative mode, its single-player content is the meat of a game that's full of immensely creative ideas.
It's not the only creative survival game out there, though, nor is it the first game to shrink the player down and use a super-sized environment to great effect. There are tons of games that capture some of the gameplay or feel of Grounded that fans should definitely consider giving a try.
Subnautica (2014)
Grounded may have impressed with its single-player survival concept that used a unique environment to its advantage but it certainly isn't the first game to have done so. Subnautica might not shrink down its player character but it strands them in the middle of the ocean on an alien world to give them just as big a problem.
As with Grounded, there is an overarching quest but it often takes a backseat to simply exploring and using resources to build a better base and more fun stuff. For Grounded fans that enjoy the thrill of surprise insect attacks, the appearance of giant ocean monsters can be even scarier.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe (2020)
One of the things that fans have been most delighted by with Grounded has been how creatively they've used the environment, which manages to turn everyday objects into giant obstacles for the player. Likewise, one of the best parts of the Pikmin series is how it incorporates supersized versions of ordinary items into the gameplay.
When focused on Olimar, his army of Pikmin, and solving puzzles, it's easy to forget how small they are until an item like a tin can or a mushroom suddenly becomes key. Pikmin 3 Deluxe adds in a bunch of new mechanics, including two new Pikmin types, allowing even more creative solutions to puzzles.
The Outer Worlds (2019)
Many have noted how Obsidian has drawn on their experience with great sci-fi RPGs in crafting Grounded's single-player survival experience so it's no surprise it has plenty in common with the studio's most recent effort in that genre. The Outer Worlds also blends survival and action RPG elements effectively for a top-notch experience.
It similarly blends retro and futuristic elements too, something Obsidian has been particularly adept at over the years. While it's less lighthearted of an experience in some ways, that actually means some elements are even more effective compared to Grounded, including the use of audio recordings to shed light on the world and its inhabitants.
No Man's Sky (2016)
When it comes to survival games, very few can claim to have the sheer amount of content of No Man's Sky with even the possibilities offered by Grounded paling in comparison. That's because ever since its shaky launch, the game has been steadily producing huge updates and DLCs that have only improved the sci-fi adventure.
While the overarching goal of finding a way to return to normal size can slide into the background when playing Grounded as the player gets invested in improving their base and exploring the world, that's even more true with No Man's Sky where the player can even refuse the game's mysterious mission to reach the galaxy's center outright at the start of the game to pursue their own goals.
South Park: The Stick Of Truth (2014)
Though some fans of the outrageous animated sitcom might prefer The Fractured But Whole for its excellent open-world superhero-based fun, The Stick of Truth stands out because it showed how well Obsidian could embrace silliness and fun long before Grounded began its development.
The game is a more traditional RPG but with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone writing, it naturally almost immediately descends into hilarious and highly irreverent chaos. Though Grounded perhaps strikes a better balance between absurdity and great gameplay, The Stick of Truth's choice to lean all the way into the comedy will work for some fans.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022)
One of the underrated elements that help make Grounded a great experience is the different kinds of enemies that appear in the world for the player to discover and learn the weakness of before using it against them. Similarly, Pokémon Legends: Arceus provides the player with a large world full of wild Pokémon.
A lot of the fun in Arceus comes from simply exploring and interacting with the wild Pokémon that appear in the game, as well as capturing the best Pokémon. Players put off by the turn-based combat of most mainline Pokémon games will also be pleasantly surprised by the action RPG combat of Arceus and, like Grounded, its style of gameplay is very addictive.
The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap (2004)
While the simple joy of seeing the world through the eyes of someone far smaller is one that never gets old, it's also not exactly a new idea in video games with The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap using a shrinking mechanic to great effect on the GBA. In the game, Link gains the ability to make himself small smaller and interact with the small mouse-like Minish people.
Because it's a Zelda title, it's not just for show either, becoming key to a ton of puzzles and allowing the player to explore areas they wouldn't be able to otherwise. Just as with Grounded, the colorful visuals only make activities like climbing in the rafters of houses and dodging giant raindrops more fun and are a big part of the reason it's one of the best GBA games of all time.
Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
Grounded is one of Obsidian's best titles of recent years but fans of the game will find it's well worth going back to play a title that's widely considered one of the best of all time. While its post-apocalyptic desert setting doesn't seem to have much in common with the bright world of Grounded, they both represent a challenging setting to survive and thrive in.
The enemies and NPCs the player meets while exploring the Mojave Desert might not be particularly cute but they're just as fun to get to grips with, especially as it's possible to gain companions and get to know them as the game progresses. The game has aged somewhat in the years since it was released but it still forms a more heavyweight RPG experience that fans of Grounded are likely to gel well with.
Starsand (2021)
Gamers have been inundated with compelling survival titles in recent years and that naturally means some great ones end up slipping under the radar. However, players who enjoy taking on enemies and crafting a life for themselves in Grounded shouldn't pass up the opportunity to do the same in the mystic world of the more obscure title Starsand.
Starsand's huge open world, a scorching desert where the player is stranded alone, might be more conventional than that of Grounded, but that doesn't mean it isn't full of intrigue and mystery in its own right. The monuments and artifacts that the player discovers help unwrap the game's mysteries while the combat and crafting that make up the game's core mechanics are also extremely well-executed.
Katamari Damacy REROLL (2018)
As wild as Grounded can be at times, it doesn't reach anywhere near the silliness of Katamari Damacy REROLL, the HD remaster of the original Katamari title that introduced the world to the King of All Cosmos and his tiny son. The goal of the game is no less than rebuilding the stars, constellations, and Moon by rolling increasingly larger objects together into a ball.
Just like Grounded, the game is full of humor but it's a whole lot more surreal. Not only is there the fun of maneuvering normal-sized objects from the perspective of a very small character but, as the ball gets bigger, there's immense fun to be had in easily picking up much larger objects including buildings and mountains too.