1
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.
Sci-fiTactical RPGTrading
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$14.99 ~70.9 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 83.6% of 4k
The Squirrel's verdictBoth put you in command of a ship and crew trading, fighting, and taking contracts across an open map. Star Traders trades Sailing Era's static economy and stat-check boarding for deep overlapping systems: skill checks, crew management, and RNG-driven encounters that can end a run. Median playtime runs 70.9 hours.
Not for you if you want a gentle learning curve, since reviews describe no tutorial and dozens of hours needed to grasp core mechanics.
2
Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
TradingBase-BuildingExploration
$14.99 ~10 hr median no co-op complexity: light 86.1% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictSailing Era gave you ship travel, trade routes, and a world map to sail; Merchant of the Skies keeps the moving-goods-between-ports loop but drops naval combat, boarding, and crew management entirely. It's pure trade and logistics with base-building on islands you claim, no stat checks or fleet battles, median playtime 10 hours.
Not for you if the naval combat, boarding, and crew management were the parts of Sailing Era you actually wanted, since none of that carries over here.
3
TradingPiratesEconomy
$14.99 ~23.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 73.6% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictTrade-sim players looking for a deeper economy than Sailing Era offers will find it here: Port Royale 3 centers on manual price-slider trading, city development contracts, and an AI market that responds to supply and demand. Naval combat exists but runs mostly on autopilot. Median playtime is 23.2 hours, and the 2012 release has received no updates in years.
Not for you if you want meaningful ship-to-ship combat, boarding mechanics, or land RPG elements alongside the trading.
4
Exploration2D PlatformerWargame
$4.99 ~29.8 hr median no co-op complexity: light 71.2% of 597
The Squirrel's verdictUncharted Ocean draws from the same Uncharted Waters lineage as Sailing Era, with officer stats that directly affect combat outcomes, ship-building tied to grinding blueprint shards and materials, and a favor system layered over trade and sailing. The UI comes from a mobile port, and English translations are machine-quality. Median playtime is 29.8 hours at $4.99.
Not for you if you need clean English localization or a PC-native interface, since the mobile-derived UI and translation quality are consistent reviewer complaints.
5
PiratesEconomyNaval
$11.99 ~9.6 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 61.8% of 178
The Squirrel's verdictSailing Era players wanted market depth and a living economy alongside naval combat and crew management. Winds of Trade drops the RPG and boarding combat entirely and doubles down on trade: fluctuating prices, contracts, fleet logistics across multiple ships. No land exploration, no crew stories, just running a shipping company against a market that actually moves.
Not for you if you came to Sailing Era for boarding fights, crew management, or land exploration rather than spreadsheet-driven trade routes.
6
Tortuga - A Pirate's Tale
PC
Naval CombatNavalPirates
$24.99 ~15.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 57.1% of 168
The Squirrel's verdictTortuga suits players who want tactical depth in naval combat: battles are turn-based with wind direction and angle positioning mattering, and a character traits and perks system adds RPG progression absent from Sailing Era. Free sailing between ports and goods trading carry over. Reviewers note combat makes up roughly 75% of playtime and can feel slow. Median playtime is 15.2 hours.
Not for you if you want brisk combat resolution — the turn-based battles are widely described as tedious and repetitive, dominating most sessions.
7
Exploration
$9.99 ~5.8 hr median no co-op complexity: light 53.2% of 171
The Squirrel's verdictSailing Era's naval combat and crew management are absent here. What carries over is time spent piloting a boat between locations while an economy runs underneath: shuttling passengers for fares, bidding on island properties, fishing and diving for income. Controls are slower and stat-check combat is replaced entirely by transport-and-tycoon loops. Suits players who want the sailing-as-livelihood half without any fighting.
Not for you if you came for boarding actions, crew stat checks, or any form of naval combat, since this game has none.
8
Uncharted Waters Origin
PC
RPGMMORPGTurn-Based Strategy
Free ~90 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 46.1% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictSame sailing/trade/naval-combat loop Sailing Era draws from, built as a live-service MMO instead of a solo campaign: co-op crews, ongoing content, and a much deeper career/progression grid. Free to play with a cash shop layered over trading, adventure, and combat careers. Fits players who want more systems and other captains at sea over a finished single-player world.
Not for you if you want a complete offline campaign without a cash shop or gacha-style monetization gating progress.