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Doodle Empires similar games & best alternatives

Doodle Empires

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Linux • 2025

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Quick resume

Doodle Empires is an alternate history sandbox game all about drawing your own nations with your own histories and stories in a variety of maps. Watch your world take shape and evolve over time, and decide which nations will rise and which nations will fall.

Global score

92/100

Genres

Indie, Simulator, Strategy, Early Access

Similar games

    Pros

    • High creative freedom and map customization
    • Addictive and relaxing gameplay
    • Good replayability and niche appeal
    • Emergent storytelling and worldbuilding
    • Fair price for scope

    Cons

    • Frequent bugs and lag issues
    • Lack of tutorial and ui polish
    • Repetitive rng card draws
    • No multiplayer or social features
    • Slow saving and occasional crashes

    Motivations

    • Autonomy

      Game with the same Autonomy vibe

      4

      "Players have high control over actions, including custom scenarios, nations, and strategies, allowing personal freedom in gameplay."

      Capsule for Age of History II Age of History II

      "Players have high control over map creation, nation building, and event likelihoods, allowing personal freedom in shaping the world."

    • Competence

      Game with the same Competence vibe

      2

      "Gameplay involves puzzle-like card combinations and resource management with some skill in planning, but overall not highly challenging."

      Capsule for The Horror at Highrook The Horror at Highrook

      "The game involves some skill in managing cards and map painting, but many tasks are simple and repetitive with limited technical challenge."

    • Competition

      Game with the same Competition vibe

      -4

      "Focus is on single-player narrative experience without ranked modes or direct player comparison."

      Capsule for El Paso, Elsewhere El Paso, Elsewhere

      "Focus is on personal creative play and storytelling without ranked modes or direct player comparison."

    • Continuation

      Game with the same Continuation vibe

      4

      "Many players report long playtimes and high replayability, often playing for dozens or hundreds of hours."

      Capsule for Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition

      "Many players report long play sessions and high replayability, often playing for hours or returning repeatedly."

    • Cooperation

      Game with the same Cooperation vibe

      -5

      "The game is a single-player simulation/sandbox with no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay."

      Capsule for Behind Glass: Aquarium Simulator Behind Glass: Aquarium Simulator

      "The game is a single-player sandbox with no multiplayer or cooperative gameplay elements."

    • Creativity

      Game with the same Creativity vibe

      5

      "Core gameplay revolves around creative building, designing galleries, and curating art collections."

      Capsule for Occupy White Walls Occupy White Walls

      "Core gameplay centers on creating and customizing maps, nations, and stories with extensive creative freedom."

    • Domination

      Game with the same Domination vibe

      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control over other players; interactions are single-player focused and equal."

      Capsule for Merchant Merchant

      "No evidence of exerting control over other players; interactions are sandbox and personal."

    • Escapism

      Game with the same Escapism vibe

      4

      "Players use the game to escape reality, immerse in imaginative worlds, and relieve stress."

      Capsule for Garry's Mod Garry's Mod

      "Players use the game to relax, escape reality, and immerse themselves in imaginative worldbuilding."

    • Expectation

      Game with the same Expectation vibe

      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of personal interest and intrinsic motivation rather than obligation."

      Capsule for House Party House Party

      "Players engage voluntarily out of personal interest and intrinsic motivation rather than obligation."

    • Experimenting

      Game with the same Experimenting vibe

      4

      "Players explore various scenarios, tweak settings, and create custom maps, showing active experimentation."

      Capsule for Aimbeast Aimbeast

      "Players experiment with different map settings, event probabilities, and scenarios to explore new outcomes."

    • Exploration

      Game with the same Exploration vibe

      3

      "Exploration is more abstract through discovering new strategies and scenarios rather than physical map exploration."

      Capsule for Spirit Island Spirit Island

      "Exploration is more conceptual through discovering new map configurations and nation interactions rather than physical navigation."

    • Expression

      Game with the same Expression vibe

      5

      "Strong emphasis on self-expression through art creation, decorating studio, and customizing paintings."

      Capsule for SuchArt: Creative Space SuchArt: Creative Space

      "Strong emphasis on self-expression through map painting, nation design, and lore creation."

    • Fantasy

      Game with the same Fantasy vibe

      3

      "Game features imaginative roles and fictional factions, creating a fantasy setting beyond realistic scenarios."

      Capsule for Town of Salem 2 Town of Salem 2

      "Players create fictional worlds and histories, blending imaginative scenarios with some realistic geography."

    • Fellowship

      Game with the same Fellowship vibe

      -4

      "Minimal social connection; primarily a solo experience with no strong community integration in gameplay."

      Capsule for SimCasino SimCasino

      "Minimal social connection; primarily a solo experience without community integration in gameplay."

    • Growth

      Game with the same Growth vibe

      2

      "Some learning of mechanics and skills occurs, but limited structured progression or personal development."

      Capsule for Just Cause™ 3: Multiplayer Mod Just Cause™ 3: Multiplayer Mod

      "Some learning involved in mastering mechanics and managing events, but limited structured personal development."

    • Health

      Game with the same Health vibe

      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."

      Capsule for THE ENIGMA MACHINE THE ENIGMA MACHINE

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle

      Game with the same Idle vibe

      -3

      "Requires active engagement and attention; not designed for background or idle play."

      Capsule for Amazing Frog? Amazing Frog?

      "Requires active engagement and attention; not designed for background or idle play."

    • Intimacy

      Game with the same Intimacy vibe

      -5

      "No social or emotional relationship building; interactions are limited to solo play."

      Capsule for Please, Don’t Touch Anything Please, Don’t Touch Anything

      "No social or emotional relationship building; interactions are limited to solo play."

    • Leadership

      Game with the same Leadership vibe

      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; player controls only their own actions."

      Capsule for Protolife Protolife

      "No leadership or group management roles; player controls only their own experience."

    • Progression

      Game with the same Progression vibe

      3

      "Progression through collecting map pieces and unlocking new areas drives gameplay forward."

      Capsule for Carto Carto

      "Progression occurs through expanding nations, unlocking cards, and evolving the map over turns."

    • Relaxation

      Game with the same Relaxation vibe

      4

      "Many players find the game relaxing and a good way to unwind despite some bugs and challenges."

      Capsule for My Little Blacksmith Shop My Little Blacksmith Shop

      "Many players find the game relaxing and a good way to unwind despite some frustration with bugs."

    • Sensation

      Game with the same Sensation vibe

      1

      "Visuals and audio are functional but simple; sensory stimulation is moderate and not a primary focus."

      Capsule for Siralim 3 Siralim 3

      "Visuals are simple and functional; sensory stimulation is moderate and not a primary focus."

    • Status

      Game with the same Status vibe

      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems present."

      Capsule for Crying Suns Crying Suns

      "No social recognition or status systems present."

    • Story

      Game with the same Story vibe

      4

      "Players create and experience rich narratives through historical replays, fictional leagues, and emergent gameplay stories."

      Capsule for Out of the Park Baseball 26 Out of the Park Baseball 26

      "Players create and immerse themselves in emergent narratives and histories through gameplay."

    • Strategy

      Game with the same Strategy vibe

      1

      "Minimal strategic gameplay during races due to RNG; some strategy involved in track building and community event planning."

      Capsule for Marbles on Stream Marbles on Stream

      "Some strategic decision-making in card management and nation expansion, but largely simple and RNG-driven."

    • Thrill

      Game with the same Thrill vibe

      0

      "Game offers moderate challenge and excitement but not focused on suspense or high-risk thrills."

      Capsule for SPORE™ SPORE™

      "Game provides low suspense or risk; experience is calm with occasional mild tension from RNG."

    • Value

      Game with the same Value vibe

      3

      "Many players feel the game offers good entertainment value for price, despite bugs."

      Capsule for Next Space Rebels Next Space Rebels

      "Generally considered worth the price by players who enjoy the niche gameplay despite bugs."

    • Violence

      Game with the same Violence vibe

      -3

      "Combat is abstract and used for movement rather than destruction or aggression."

      Capsule for Slash/Jump Slash/Jump

      "Combat is abstract and represented by map changes rather than direct violent action."

    • Survival

      Game with the same Survival vibe

      0

      "No significant survival mechanics; focus on emergency response rather than threat avoidance."

      Capsule for Flashing Lights - Police, Firefighting, Emergency Services (EMS) Simulator Flashing Lights - Police, Firefighting, Emergency Services (EMS) Simulator

      "No explicit survival mechanics; focus is on worldbuilding rather than threat avoidance."

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Survival, Violence, Fellowship, Expression. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Expression, Survival, Continuation.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Last update: 30/04/2026