Undertale, a 2D role-playing game that was created by the indie developer Toby Fox, took the gaming world by storm when it was released in 2015. The pixel style of the game is really quite charming, the unique worlds are fun to explore, and the music is toe-tapping.
It really is a one-of-a-kind game, which makes it hard to categorize Undertale into a particular genre. That said, however, if you’re a fan of Undertale and you’re looking for titles that are similar ,we managed to put together a list of great alternatives.
The 15 games featured on this list are similar to Undertale in regard to their design and/or theme, though their gameplay may be different; however, each one is just as unique as Undertale.
Undertale Game Features
 Release Date: | September 15, 2015 |
 Developer: | Toby Fox |
 Publisher: | Toby Fox |
 Platforms: | OS X Windows Linux PlayStation 4 PlayStation Vita Nintendo Switch Xbox One |
 Genre: | Role-playing |
 Setting: | Underground, Fantasy World |
 Game Modes: | Single-player |
1. OneShot
An exciting puzzle adventure game that takes you across a world that’s pretty much a barren wasteland, OneShot is another excellent game that is similar to Undertale. It was developed by Future Cat LLC, published by Degica, and released in 2016, this game is full of fun and excitement.
You’ll play the game as charming cat named Nico, who is trapped in a sunless world. Because the setting is dark, you have to keep a lightbulb with you everywhere you go to light your way. Restoring the sun is the objective of the game, and in order to do so, you’ll need to place the bulb that you’re carrying on top of a tower.
To place the lightbulb in the tower and restore the light, you need to solve a variety of puzzles, and it’s these puzzles that serve as the OneShot’s main gameplay. However, the game is “aware” that you’re playing, so the gameplay does feature a meta-narrative, which adds another layer to the challenge. The reason why this happens is because Niko and you, the player, are two different entities.
As such, OneShot establishes a relationship between the player, the main character, and the game itself. It’s also important to note that a lot of the puzzles you’ll encounter require interaction with the operating system you’re playing the game on, such as finding clues within the files of the game.
As such, OneShot isn’t the standard adventure game; however, you will still need to interact with different items in order to solve the puzzles, craft new items, and travel to certain locations.
Similar to Undertale, OneShot is a story-drive indie RPG and it has been a mega-success. The game is super clever, very engaging, lots of fun, and features tons of excellent OST.
2. Pony Island
Despite the title, Pony Island isn’t about ponies; rather, it’s a puzzle-style game that’s full of suspense, masquerading as a video game that’s based on ponies. The bait-and-switch concept will remind you of the tricky flowers that tried to fool you when you first started out on your journey into Undertale.
Pony Island takes place in limbo, where you have to interact with a broken down arcade game was designed by the devil. It’s a very self-aware game, which definitely makes the weird concept easier to digest. The game also features the same pixel-style artwork that Undertale is famous for, so you should feel right at home.
Both games share many of the same elements, such as comedy, psychological horror, and 4th wall breaks. Because of these shared elements and the 2D pixel-style artwork, Pony Island is a great alternative for Undertale.
3. Rakuen
An indie game that received tons of critical acclaim when it was first released, Rauken was developed by the same sound designer who worked on titles like Plants vs Zombies, Super Meat Boy, and Chrono Trigger.
The game is based on a boy who is hospitalized who, along with his mother, travels to a deep fantasy world where he can explore the trauma he has experience and assist other patients with finding the closure that they seek.
Similar to Undertale, you can expect to have lots of fun while you’re exploring through the unique world in Rakuen. You’re a stranger in the worlds that are featured in both games, and the interactions you have with the world and the beings that inhabit it will make your adventure and experience all the more memorable.
As you play, you’ll explore the fantasy world as a pixelated character, just like you did in Undertale. It’s important to note, however, that Rauken doesn’t offer nearly as much action as Undertale; rather, the story is the main focus of the game.
4. Hollow Knight
One of the best Metroidvania games available on Steam, Switch, and pretty much all other platforms, Hollow Knight is an awesome alternative to Undertale. In this game, you’ll travel through and explore a variety of locations, and as you do, you’ll collect new items and take out your advisories.
The strongest elements in Hollow Knight include the cool exploration, as well as the great soundtrack. That said, however, the gameplay is, as you’d expect, great, too. A lot of the fun that you’ll have in Hollow Tale is the same as the fun you had in Undertale: exploring the interesting world.
There are so many things to do in Hollow Knight, so it will be sure to keep you entertained while calling to mind Undertale.
5. Earthbound
While Undertale is the most popular video game from Toby Fox, it wasn’t the first game he made. He actually started out using RPG Maker 2000 several years ago to create Earthbound ROMs, mods, and hacks.
Earthbound is actually kind of hard to describe because it’s a once-in a-lifetime RPG. In actuality, it’s the second title in the series dubbed “Mother”, so in Japan, it’s actually known as “Mother 2: Giygas Strikes Back”.
The combat-style gameplay blends old-school RPGs with modern athletic garments; for instance, the main character uses as baseball hat as his weapon. In addition to that, Earthbound also features tons of humor, sarcasm, wittiness, and strangeness.
These are all vital elements that will come in handy when you aren’t in combat, as the numerous puzzles throughout the game feature similar characteristics.
You’ll play the game as a character named Ness, a warrior who is destined to defeat Giygas, a cosmic entity that invaded Earth on the back of a meteorite that landed near Ness’ house.
Earthbound was first released in 1994 for Super Nintendo, and in 2013, it was available for Nintendo Wii. Right now, you can play it on Nintendo DS, or you can find it on ROM sites.
6. Deltarune
Deltarune was made by the same person who created Undertale, Toby Fox, and there are two chapters, which are free to play. While it isn’t the sequel to Undertale, Deltarune’s vibe is very similar. Though the plot takes place in a very distinct world, there are minimal connections between the two games.
You’ll play as Susie and Kross, classmates who are on the Dark World, a hidden location on planet Earth. Here, the classmates find their destiny, which is restoring balance in the world. Your advisories are creatures from other worlds, known as Darkness, and there are violent as well as non-violent ways that you can beat them.
As you’d expect from a game that’s similar to Undertale, Deltarune features tons of charm and humor, as well as beautiful, catchy music.
7. Stardew Valley
Next on our list of games that are similar to Undertale is Stardew Valley. This pixel-style farming simulator game, you inherited a plot of farmland from the character’s grandfather, and during your journey, you’ll need to build up the small ranch, turning it into a productive and remarkable farm.
One of the Stardew Valley’s main attractions is the stream of content that seems to be never-ending. You’ll need to spend a great deal of time working on your farm, as well as exploring the world of Stardew Valley. One of the best parts of Undertale was finding and connecting with new and interesting characters, including Flowey, Sans, and Asriel.
Each of these characters had his or her own unique personality and are definitely fan-favorites. Stardew Valley recreates this element from Undertale, as there are more than 30 unique characters that you’ll be able to interact with on your journey.
Each character is completely unique and has his or her own dialogue, schedule, cutscences, and even birthdays. As you meet and speak with the characters more, they’ll open up and ask you to help them navigate more in-depth issues or they’ll confide their secrets in you.
8. Friday Night Funkin’
At first glance, Friday Night Funkin appears like it would be the furthest thing from Undertale, as the former is a rhythm game that was inspired by titles like Parappa the Rapper and Dance Dance Revolution, while the latter is an expansive narrative-driven role-playing game. That said, however, there are some distinct similarities that the two games share.
Friday Night Funkin’ has a mod that features numerous characters from Undertale, including some of the most beloved characters, like Sans, Flowey, and Asriel.
You’ll be able to play against these characters in a rhythm-style game. Moreover, one of the highlights of the playthroughts in Undertale is the soundtrack, and that’s definitely something that Friday Night Funkin’ does well, too, so you’ll more than likely find yourself jamming out.
If you were a fan of Understale’s music and you want to play against some of the most beloved characters from the game, then Friday Night Funkin is definitely a game that you’re going to want to check out.
9. Cave Story
The creators of Cave Story took the pixel graphics that are synonymous with Undertale to develop an entertaining and engaging action-adventure game that fans will be sure to love.
Cave Story will take you on a wide-reaching journey that extends through multiple locations and along the way, you’ll have to jump, run, fly, and shoot your way past groups of adversaries.
Running and gunning isn’t all this game is about, though, as there are tons of trinkets, treasures, and weapons to collect along the way.
What makes Cave Story different from Undertale is that it’s more of an action game, while Undertale is a distinct RPG. While yes, there are a few action elements in Undertale, but they’re limited. In Cave Story, the action is constant and starts the moment you load the game until the time you complete it.
If you enjoyed Undertale’s story and design but you’re looking for something that’s a bit more action-packed and fast-paced, then you’re definitely going to want to check out Cave Story.
10. LISA: The Painful
Initially, LISA: The Painful appears to be a charming RPG with pixelated artwork; however, as the game unfolds, you soon realize that things aren’t always the way that they seem. Underneath the surface of this game, you’ll find yourself immersed in a post-apocalyptic world that’s brimming with questionable morality and disgust, to be frank.
Your mission throughout the game is to survive, and along the way, you’ll need to make some difficult decisions. You will encounter other players and if you choose, you can help them; however, doing so will be detrimental to your own survival.
For instance, if you decide to help others, you could end up losing limbs or scars could appear across your face. The longer you play the game, the more obvious this element of physical destruction will become.
That said, in order to achieve your goal – which is to survive – you’ll probably want to concentrate more on yourself and bypass others around you; hence why morality is questionable in this game.
Similar to Undertale, the decisions you’ll need to make in LISA: The Painful will permanently alter the world that surrounds you.
Party members could die permanently, towns can chance drastically, and several endings could arise, which are dependent on how you play the game. It appears as if the charming pixel-style gameplay works well with depressing narratives.
11. Doki Doki Literature Club
Without a doubt, one of the most unnerving parts that you experienced during Undertale’s blind play through is the initial deception you encountered at the hands of Flowey. This turns the seemingly traditional and whimsical RPG setting of the game upside-down and into something that’s unexpectedly a whole lot darker than you probably thought at first.
Doki Doki Literature Club does the very same thing. This Undertale alternative seems to be a typical dating simulator when you first start playing; however, you soon discover that things are a whole lot darker than you thought and the game turns into a psychological thriller.
Like Undertale, Doki Doki Literature Club has a lot of fourth-wall breaks. In Undertale, the dialogue between several characters will change, depending on the actions you take, like hard resetting. The same thing happens in Doki Doki Literature Club.
More specifically, you’ll defeat the final boss in this game by opening up the files and deleting their folder. Both games incorporate the tropes that you’ll find in other games in this genre and do an excellent job subverting them.
12. Always Sometimes Monsters
Developed and published by Vagabond Dog and released in 2014, Always Sometimes Monsters is based on a personal journey in which you’ll attempt to win back the lost love of your life.
The story is centered on a physical cross-country journey, as well as psychological advancement that you’ll experience as you overcome an existential crisis.
It’s for this reason that Always Sometimes Monsters presents players with hard decisions; decisions that are capable of defining the story and the experience.
An RPG game, the decisions you make will advance you toward different branches. In other words, the choices that you’ll make will have a direct impact on you, on your loved one, and everyone else in the game. That said, the game isn’t about combat; in fact, there isn’t any combat in the game.
Rather, the entire story is driven by dialogue. As you move through the game, you’ll face challenging situations that will force you to decide between making decisions that are morally good, personally good, or that are for the good of the collective.
Thrilling, engaging, and heart-felt; Always Sometimes Monsters is a great option if you’re looking for a game that’s similar to Undertale.
13. Persona 5
Developed by P-Studio and published by JP Atlus, the initial version of Persona 5 was released in 2016, and the royal version was released in 2020. Soon after the initial release, the game established itself as one of the most iconic JRPG in the history of the genre. While it might seem like it doesn’t have a lot in common with Undertale, it actually does.
The existence of true justice is the theme of this game. While you’re engaging in combat, you catch and defect different Persona. However, since you believe in fair judgement, you have the option to negotiate and save your enemies.
It’s because you have the option to choose how you will approach combat combined with the game’s overall story-art that Persona 5 is similar to Undertale.
The game is set in modern-day Tokyo, within a metaverse that was created from the darkest desires of humanity. This world delivers a JRPG combat, exploration, choices, social sims, and dungeon crawling that you’ll be familiar with.
You’re sure to find that the spare mechanics in Persona 5 are worthy of the RPG game in which you don’t need to destroy anyone saying.
While both versions are good, we suggest the royal version, as it features tons of upgrades that you will be sure to enjoy. These updates include improved graphics, better set designs, updated gameplay, and even updates to character creations. Furthermore, the royal version of Persona 5 has lots of new characters and additional story-bits.
14. Alicemare
Another awesome game that’s similar to Undertale is Alicemare. It’s an adventure sci-game that incorporates hints of survival, horror, and puzzle-solving. You’ll play the game as a young boy, named Allen, who just lost his memory. After he lost his parents, Allen has no other choice but to move into a foster home.
Allen’s adventure begins when he learns of a rumor and starts to investigate it. His investigation directs him into an unusual dream. In order to get back home, Allen will need to examine and explore maps, solve a variety of puzzles, and run away from evil characters that are super demonic in nature.
There isn’t any combat, and instead, the game depends on exploration, thoughtful world building, and chase scenes. The setting opens up into a horror adventure RPG with a gameplay that’s explorative in nature, much like Undertale.
Because of this, Alicemare will feel familiar, yet unique at the same time. The additional touches of horror establish an environment that is brimming with deep characters that are surreal in nature.
Alicemare is a thrilling game. It features a fun soundtrack, interesting characters, and a storyline that has a sci-fi twist. Additionally, the game features lots of jump scares that will be sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
15. Omori
Rounding out our list of 15 games that are similar to Undertale is Omori. This game is focused on Sunny, a “hikikomori” (a Japanese term that is used to describe a person who doesn’t’ like leaving the house, typically because they suffer from social anxiety).
You’ll take control of Sunny and the dream-world persona that he has created, called Omori, and you’ll need to explore both planes so that you can combat the main character’s fears and his innermost secrets.
Omori is a surreal psychological horror game and it’s largely inspired by the Mother franchise of games; specifically Earthbound and Mother 3.
That said, if you’ve played either of these games, you can probably already see how Omori is similar to Undertale, which was also inspired by the Mother franchise.
Omoria features a rich, lively, and charming hand-drawn artwork that has been combined with pixel art. Similar to Undertale, the characters of the overworld are illustrated as pixels; however, it differs from Undertale, as the key scenes, battles with adversaries, and the details are all extremely detailed.
Both games involve creating unique, memorable characters, and like Earthbound, there are lots of quirks and funny moments.
Moreover, if you liked the branching in Undertale, you’ll like Omori, as it also uses this same type of choice-based mechanics, and your decisions will impact the outcome. If you’re a fan of Undertale, you’ll be sure to enjoy playing Omori.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are panty of games that are similar to Undertale, and in our opinion, the 15 games that are featured on our list are the best of the best. While Undertale is certainly a unique game in its own right, there are many games that were inspired by it or that incorporate many elements that are similar to it.
