1
Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar.
AutomationPuzzleCooking
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$7.99 ~19.1 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 92.5% of 201
The Squirrel's verdictBoth are automation puzzle games about chaining processes into finished outputs, but Snacktorio drops Autonauts' robot-programming layer for direct factory-building in discrete levels rather than one open world. It suits players who want Autonauts' logistics-puzzle satisfaction with clearer goals, faster pacing, and a finished, actively-rated release instead of an ongoing sandbox.
Not for you if you came to Autonauts for the freedom of an open, unscripted world rather than level-by-level objectives, or you want robot programming instead of direct factory construction.
2
Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar.
AutomationBase-BuildingCrafting
$4.99 ~31 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 90.4% of 250
The Squirrel's verdictAssembly Planter's defining mechanic is a Shrinker tool that lets you build recursive miniaturized factories, forcing space-optimization puzzles that Autonauts never demands. Automation here runs through conveyors and custom machines across a structured 20-level campaign rather than a programming system or open sandbox. At $4.99 with a Very Positive rating, it suits players who want a short, cheap, concept-driven automation game.
Not for you if UI friction is a dealbreaker for you — multiple reviewers describe fighting the inventory controls as reason enough to quit.
3
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this. Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
CraftingIncrementalResource Management
$6.99 ~13.5 hr median no co-op complexity: light 86.8% of 1k
The Squirrel's verdictLike Autonauts, Forage Wizard moves you from manual resource gathering into automating those same tasks. Automation caps early, though, and late-game items require heavy manual clicking that many reviewers call a grind, unlike Autonauts' programmable-bot depth carrying through the whole run. It's $6.99, Very Positive rated, with median playtime near 13.5 hours.
Not for you if you want automation depth to scale into the late game rather than fall back into manual clicking grind
4
Procedural GenerationAutomationBase-Building
$29.99 ~51.3 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 83.6% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictOddsparks keeps Autonauts' core idea: assign creatures to gather, craft, and move goods instead of building conveyor belts by hand. It adds exploration, light combat, and co-op play on top of the automation loop. Reviews describe the automation itself as shallower than Factorio-style games, with paid DLC arriving after the 1.0 release.
Not for you if you want Factorio-level automation depth or dislike paid DLC arriving after the 1.0 release.
5
Base-BuildingAutomationResource Management
$19.99 ~40.6 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 80.9% of 3k
The Squirrel's verdictAstro Colony trades Autonauts' bot-programming for direct conveyor-and-wiring automation: you build the factory yourself rather than teaching robots to do it. Same loop of gathering, processing, and scaling production, but the puzzle is physical layout, not scripting behavior. Fits players who wanted Autonauts' automation without the programming abstraction.
Not for you if you came to Autonauts for the robot-teaching mechanic itself, since Astro Colony has you build conveyors and wiring directly instead.
6
Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
AutomationProgrammingBase-Building
$29.99 ~58.4 hr median co-op complexity: heavy 79.9% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictDesynced shares Autonauts' core loop: you program units to perform tasks rather than hand-place conveyors like Factorio. It adds the warfare and RTS layer that Autonauts split off into a separate game, plus co-op play. Behavior scripting runs deeper, but reviewers report it's inconsistently documented, and built-in unit functions often make scripting optional rather than necessary.
Not for you if you need a clear, well-documented tutorial and want pure automation without RTS combat or heavy micromanagement mixed in.
7
SurvivalAutomationOpen World Survival Craft
$19.99 ~18.3 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 79.9% of 601
The Squirrel's verdictAtrio shares Autonauts' automation-puzzle core but swaps robot-programming for direct base-building with a survival layer: you place structures and manage production lines rather than teaching bots step-by-step routines. Combat and dodging enemies factor in, which Autonauts never had. Fits players who want automation tied to a story and survival stakes rather than pure logic puzzles.
Not for you if you want the programming-depth puzzle-solving of teaching bots routines rather than direct building, or need a bug-free production line.
8
AutomationSpaceBase-Building
$19.99 ~34.6 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 76.9% of 458
The Squirrel's verdictFinal Upgrade replaces Autonauts' robot-programming approach with conveyor-and-machine factory building, and gives you a fixed endpoint to work toward instead of an open sandbox. It launched out of Early Access in 2022 with a Mostly Positive rating. Median playtime runs to 34.6 hours. Suits players who want logistics-puzzle satisfaction with a clear finish line rather than open-ended bot scripting.
Not for you if you want robot-programming as the core mechanic, or need a clear tutorial and clean UI to get started.