If you loved Sail Forth, try Tchia for a bright island world to sail and climb, Sailwind if the wind and sails were your favorite part, and Abandon Ship if you liked commanding a ship in battle. For sailing with friends, Sea of Thieves is the pick. We checked every game on October 29, 2026.
At a glance
| Game | Best for | Length | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tchia | Sail Forth fans who wished they could land on the islands | About 7.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X |
| Wavetale | Players who want a short, bright sea story | About 4 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox |
| A Short Sail | Players who want a smaller, gentler sail with one sailboat | Not shared yet | PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck |
| Sailwind | Fans who loved tacking and want more of it | Open-ended | PC |
| Abandon Ship | Players who liked commanding ships and want deeper battles | About 25 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux |
| Ship of Fools | Fans of Sail Forth's cute crews who want a quicker game | About 6 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch, Xbox |
| Sea of Thieves | Sail Forth fans who want friends on deck | Open-ended | PC, Xbox, PS5 |
| Dredge | Players who loved upgrading and pushing into new waters | About 9.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Switch, PS, Xbox, mobile |
| Windbound | Players who want to build their boat from scratch | About 13.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Sunless Sea | Players who loved charting the unknown and want strong stories | About 22 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux |
Sail Forth is a rare thing: a sailing game that is easy to pick up and still feels like real sailing. Festive Vector’s game gives you a fleet of little boats, a big ocean of island regions to chart, fishfolk crews to recruit, and wind that you learn to read. There is a free-sail mode for pure cruising. It shows Steam Deck: Verified, and HowLongToBeat puts it at about 16 hours for the main story.
Fans love different parts of it, so we grouped the picks by the part you loved most. Lengths come from HowLongToBeat, and Steam Deck status comes from each Steam page, checked on 29 October 2026.
What Sail Forth fans want
- The bright mood: sunny seas, bold colors and cheerful characters.
- The wind: tacking, trimming and the feel of catching a good breeze.
- The fleet and the fights: building up ships and taking on pirates.
- The map: pushing into new waters and filling in the chart.
Our picks
- Best for the bright mood: Tchia
- Best for the wind: Sailwind
- Best for ship battles: Abandon Ship
- Best with friends: Sea of Thieves
- Best for upgrading a boat: Dredge
- Best writing: Sunless Sea
- Our own game: A Short Sail (in development, a sailboat and little islands)
For the bright, sunny mood
Tchia
Who it is for: Sail Forth fans who wished they could land on the islands.
You sail a small boat around a tropical archipelago inspired by New Caledonia. Then you climb, glide, swim and play a real ukulele. You can jump into animals and objects to get around. It is warm, funny and full of color.
The downside: the sailing is simpler than in Sail Forth, and you have one boat, not a fleet. Some story parts have light combat.
Developer: Awaceb | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X|S | Length: about 7.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Wavetale
Who it is for: players who want a short, bright sea story.
You play Sigrid, who can run and surf across the water of a flooded island town. It is quick to play and lovely to look at. The way you skim over waves feels great.
The downside: there is no sailing, and it is short. There are light fights with sea creatures.
Developer: Thunderful Development | Year: 2022 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox | Length: about 4 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
A Short Sail
Who it is for: players who want a smaller, gentler sail with one sailboat.
A Short Sail is a cozy sailing game where you are a little tabby cat with a sailboat. You catch the wind in your sail and steer between little islands. You deliver mail, fish by day and by night, and make friends across the islands. You can customize your boat with new sails, hulls and more.
It is smaller and gentler than Sail Forth. You have one boat, not a fleet, and there is no fighting on foot, only gentle sea battles against storms and living waves. You can play alone or online with friends. It comes out in Q1 2027, and you can play the free demo in your browser now. We compare the two in A Short Sail vs Sail Forth.
Developer: Yos Riady | Platforms: PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck | Length: not shared yet | Free demo at play.ashortsail.com | Play the demo
For the wind and the sails
Sailwind
Who it is for: fans who loved tacking and want more of it.
Sailwind is a sailing sim with realistic physics in a large open world. You trim the sails yourself, navigate without a marker, run cargo between ports, fish and cook. When it clicks, it is very peaceful.
The downside: it is much harder to learn than Sail Forth, single-player, and still in Early Access. There is no fleet, no crew and little story.
Developer: Raw Lion Workshop | Year: 2021 (Early Access) | Platforms: PC | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
For the ships and the fights
Abandon Ship
Who it is for: players who liked commanding ships and want deeper battles.
You captain an Age of Sail ship and her crew across a large, story-filled world that reacts to your choices. Battles against ships, forts and sea monsters are tactical: you manage crew and weapons room by room. The art looks like old naval oil paintings.
The downside: it is much harder than Sail Forth, and crew can die for good. It is not cozy.
Developer: Fireblade Software | Year: 2019 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux | Length: about 25 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
Ship of Fools
Who it is for: fans of Sail Forth’s cute crews who want a quicker game.
You play the Fools, odd little creatures who share one small ship. You run between cannons and oars, fight sea monsters and push through a stormy archipelago. It is built for two players, online or on one screen, but you can sail it alone too.
The downside: it is a roguelite, so you will lose runs and start again. It is busier and more about combat than Sail Forth.
Developer: Fika Productions | Year: 2022 | Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox | Length: about 6 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
Sea of Thieves
Who it is for: Sail Forth fans who want friends on deck.
Each player works part of one ship: sails, wheel, map, cannons and repairs. You hunt treasure across a big sea of islands. It feels great with a crew.
The downside: other crews can attack you. Safer Seas mode gives your crew a private world, with some limits. See cozy games like Sea of Thieves and multiplayer sailing games.
Developer: Rare | Year: 2018 (Steam 2020) | Platforms: PC, Xbox, PS5 | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
For the map and the upgrades
Dredge
Who it is for: players who loved upgrading and pushing into new waters.
You run a small fishing boat, sell your catch and upgrade your hull, engines and nets. Each upgrade lets you reach new islands with new fish. The loop of “go a bit farther” is very like Sail Forth.
The downside: it is a motorboat game, and nights bring horror and sea monsters. It is not cozy. For softer picks, see cozy games like Dredge.
Developer: Black Salt Games | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Switch, PS, Xbox, mobile | Length: about 9.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Windbound
Who it is for: players who want to build their boat from scratch.
You wash up on wild islands, gather materials and build a boat, then add hulls and sails as you go. You sail between islands that are built anew each chapter. There is an easier Storyteller mode.
The downside: it is a survival game, with hunger and animal fights. Reviews are mixed.
Developer: 5 Lives Studios | Year: 2020 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | Length: about 13.5 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Steam page
Sunless Sea
Who it is for: players who loved charting the unknown and want strong stories.
You captain a steamship on a dark sea beneath the earth. Each port holds a strange little story. Parts of the map are shuffled, so charting it is a real adventure.
The downside: it is grim, slow and often deadly, the opposite of Sail Forth’s sunny mood. Try it only if dark fiction appeals to you.
Developer: Failbetter Games | Year: 2015 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux | Length: about 22 hours for the main story (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Playable | Steam page
Watch out
- Harder fights: Abandon Ship and Ship of Fools have tougher combat than Sail Forth, and you can lose crew or whole runs.
- Dark moods: Dredge and Sunless Sea are good games, but they are spooky. Skip them if you loved Sail Forth for its sunshine.
- Survival chores: Windbound asks you to eat and gather. Pick Storyteller mode if you want a gentler trip.
- Steam Deck: every pick here is Verified or Playable, so all of them should run on a Deck.
Our own game
We make A Short Sail.
Related guides
- Best cozy sailing games
- Open world sailing games
- Multiplayer sailing games
- A Short Sail vs Sail Forth
- Games like Wind Waker on PC
Questions
What is the closest game to Sail Forth?
There is no exact match. Tchia is closest in mood: bright, sunny and full of islands. Sailwind is closest in how the wind and sails work. Abandon Ship is closest in commanding a ship in battle.
Is Sail Forth multiplayer?
No. Sail Forth is single-player. For sailing with friends, try Sea of Thieves, or see our multiplayer sailing games list.
How long is Sail Forth?
About 16 hours for the main story and about 28.5 hours with extras, according to HowLongToBeat.
Does Sail Forth have combat?
Yes. You fight pirate ships with cannons. There is also a free-sail mode for cruising without a goal.
Is Sail Forth on Steam Deck?
Yes. Sail Forth shows Verified on its Steam page, checked on 29 October 2026.
