🎮 Learning games and sites · 🔭 Science, nature and the world
Universe Sandbox
By Giant Army. Visit Universe Sandbox
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
A physics-based space simulator sold on Steam. Players build solar systems, crash planets together, change Earth's tilt or distance from the Sun to see seasons and climate shift, age stars into supernovas, and ride along with real spacecraft. It uses real gravity and climate models and runs in more than 20 languages. It is an Early Access game still in development, and it also works in VR. Schools can buy education licenses.
Our take: A memorable way for older kids and teens to explore gravity and climate; younger children need a parent's Steam account and some guidance.
| Ages it suits | about 10 and up |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Sold through Steam, which requires account holders to be at least 13; Steam does not knowingly collect data from under-13s. The game's own site states no age rule. (terms) |
| Price | Paid. $29.99 on Steam (Oct 2026); the maker says the price may rise. Education licenses per seat, classroom or site by quote. |
| Works on | Windows, Mac |
| Account | A parent's account |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI. |
What's good
- Real physics you can play with at huge scale
- Shows climate and seasons, not just space
- One-time purchase, no ads
- Education licenses available
Watch for
- Needs a Steam account (13+), so a parent must own it for younger kids
- Early Access: features may change
- Needs a fairly capable computer
- Steam Workshop and forums are public communities
Data and privacy
Not stated by the maker; purchase and play go through a Steam account under Valve's privacy policy, which sets 13 as the minimum age. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent study found; the maker's own claims only (real Newtonian physics and climate models).
In the Big Index
- On the list 16 best science games and simulations for kids
- On the list 19 best learning games for tweens (10-13)
- On the list 13 games where the learning is hidden best
Alternatives to Universe Sandbox
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Algodoo
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A great creative sandbox for curious kids and science classes; parents should supervise use of the public sharing site and forum.
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BirdNET
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Where these facts come from
- https://universesandbox.com/
- https://universesandbox.com/buy/
- https://universesandbox.com/faq/
- https://universesandbox.com/education/
- https://store.steampowered.com/app/230290/
- https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/
- https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.