This older version of Universe Sandbox looks a little plain, but there's still plenty of educational space exploration to be had here. It's hugely improved in every area - graphics, physics, climate simulation and more - and can be yours for $24.99. Or, if you're really enthusiastic about the idea, you might prefer Universal Sandbox 2. But Universal Sandbox Premium ($9.95) removes that restriction, and allows you to create simulations as well as open them. Universe Sandbox 2 (USA) PC Download (v27.0.
They can form new solar systems, create galaxies, and watch the universe unfold. (That's an hour of manipulating the simulations - you can browse them in a basic way forever.). Space Engineers Space Engineers is a sandbox game about engineering, construction, exploration and survival in. You only get one hour of playing around like this in the free version, unfortunately, so use it wisely. Maybe explode something, and watch how the orbits change. Its harder to mod things, but it simulates the whole universe on a tremendous scale - you can get a real appreciation for the vastness of the cosmos this way. The program has a lengthy list of other simulations to explore, from relatively local (Saturn and its rings, various planets and their moons), to very distant (distant stars or entire galaxies) and historic (Pioneer, Voyager, Ulysses and other spacecraft as they fly past planets).īest of all, you can play around with any of this just to see what happens. Youre probably after Universe Sandbox, but if you want pretty vistas you might also consider checking out Space Engine. That's good, but you're not restricted to the Solar System. It's easy to zoom in and out, or click and drag to move your viewpoint in 3D space. Open the "Solar System" simulation, for instance, and you'll see an animated view of our solar system showing all the planets, the moons and their actual orbits.Ĭlicking near an interesting celestial body displays details like its velocity, mass, diameter, density and more. The program works well as an educational tool. Universe Sandbox Legacy is a physics-based space simulator with some unusual fun extras. Walk and fly around your simulations, then grab and hurl planets out of the Solar System with a flick of the wrist.