Games similar to Knytt Underground

[Rudey]

I'm looking for Steam games similar to Knytt Underground. What I like most about this game is the fact that it's an open world platformer with a focus on exploration and no/minimal combat.

The closest game I've found so far is Hiiro: https://store.steampowered.com/app/464960/Hiiro/

And Saira: https://store.steampowered.com/app/48900/Saira/

[BlaXpirit]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/214770/Guacamelee_Gold_Edition/
- has combat, but hey, I hate combat and I really liked this one

[BlaXpirit]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/310700
100% match

[BlaXpirit]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/504230
- is linear, not open-world

[BlaXpirit]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/242820
- is linear, not open-world

[BlaXpirit]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/224760
- might not be exactly the same kind of platformer or the same kind of open-world

[BlaXpirit]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/216290
- might not be exactly the same kind of platformer

[BlaXpirit]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/99700
100% match

[BlaXpirit]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/286100/You_Have_to_Win_the_Game/
100% match

[Rudey]

Thanks for kick-starting this topic, @BlaXpirit! I actually played all of these. FEZ is probably the closest in terms of being an open world platformer. The others are either linear (as you mentioned) or aren't really "open" world because parts are gated until you get an upgrade (a.k.a. metroidvania).

[Rudey]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/201420/Toki_Tori_2/

Heavy focus on puzzles but open world (and platformer-ish) nonetheless. No combat.

[MOLN]

I would recommend playing earlier Knytt games (they aren't on Steam): Knytt and Knytt Stories (The Machine and Strange Dream). And also: The Great Work (from the same dev).
Also you may look at Yume Nikki and its clones. They aren't platformers, but they are all non-linear and focus on exploration.
As for the games that are on Steam:
1. Pretty close. No combat, focused on exploration and puzzle solving.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/296870/Dreaming_Sarah/
2. Free and short.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/461560/MANDAGON/

[kilicool64]

Don't really have any further games to add, but I can comment on a few of the games mentioned.

If you haven't played it yet, the original Knytt should indeed be exactly what you're looking for. It's an extremely minimalist open world platformer with no combat and no progress blocks of any kind. Every screen is immediately accessible. The game's mechanics are much simpler than Knytt Underground's, so the game pretty much revolves entirely around exploration.

The other Nifflas games mentioned don't quite fit your description. Knytt Stories' official levels are all either metroidvanias or challenge-centric. The game has a ton of custom levels, though, some of which focus just on non-linear exploration. The Great Work is very similar to Knytt Underground in terms of presentation (they were developed simultaneously), but it also has a metroidvania structure.

Toki Tori 2 is an interesting case in that you could argue that it's either a metroidvania or an open world platformer depending on how you play it. The game doesn't actually give you new abilities as you play. Rather, it teaches you how to use hidden mechanics that were always there. If you're able to figure them out yourself, you can choose your own path through the game rather than being stuck on the default route.

[vexe00]

> What I like most about this game is the fact that it's an open world platformer with a focus on exploration and no/minimal combat

Knytt Stories is exactly what you want.
Download the game:
http://nifflas.ni2.se
http://nifflas.ni2.se/games/

Then go to his forum and load a few custom levels other people made into it:

https://nifflas.lp1.nl/index.php?PHPSESSID=3f9641667c097cadf7500c0eb17325a5&board=39.0

Check the tags in brackets and pick what you want. There definitely are a bunch of fantastic environmental / exploration stages out there, though it's been too long since I played Knytt Stories, so I don't remember which.

I could check my library later for other environmental games, but I don't think I'll find anything as good as Knytt Underground, good games of this type are pretty rare.

[Halfshell]

My best rec is Rainworld. Its little bit of a different game. The world is very dangerous. But the feeling of just exploring a bleak world was very similar. And it does have a lot to explore.

[Ajax Boar]

play the original Knytt Stories, search for it online and you should find a download link