SandboxAPKPhysics sandbox games, sorted out
Independent guides, version tracking and testing for five physics sandbox games: where to get each one, what runs on your device, how the mods work, and which build is current.
Sandbox games with ragdoll physics have turned into their own genre. Garry's Mod started it on PC in 2006. People Playground stripped it down to 2D and added chemistry and electricity. Melon Playground put that on phones and became one of the most downloaded games on iOS and Android. GoreBox brought it back to 3D and made it free on Android. Teardown took the destruction part and built a whole engine around it. They share players, they share search terms, and they get confused with each other constantly, so this site covers all five.
The five games
| Game | Platforms | Price | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoreBox | Android, PC | Free / $8.99 | 3D, first person, gore |
| Melon Playground | iOS, Android, web | Free | 2D, ragdolls, huge mod library |
| People Playground | PC | $9.99 | 2D, deep simulation |
| Teardown | PC, PS5, Xbox | $29.99 | 3D voxel destruction, campaign |
| Garry's Mod | PC | $9.99 | 3D, Source engine, game modes |
GoreBox
A free first-person sandbox from F²Games with vehicles, weapons, ragdoll GoreDolls and a Reality Crusher gravity gun. Over ten million Android installs (source: the Google Play listing, checked September 2026), a paid Steam version, no iOS. The APK page tracks the current Android build, older versions and where the file legitimately comes from. Guides: the hub, PC, iOS, mods, commands, crash fixes, multiplayer, v16 and latest version, GoreBox 27, wiki.
Melon Playground (Melon Sandbox)
The 2D ragdoll game renamed Melon Sandbox in 2023 and still called Melon Playground by everyone who plays it. Over 150 million downloads across stores (source: PlayDucky's App Store listing and announcements, checked September 2026). Free on iPhone and Android, playable in a browser, no Steam version. Its Workshop lists around 90,000 mods (source: the in-game Workshop counter). Guides: the hub, PC and browser, iOS.
People Playground
The PC sandbox that Melon and GoreBox borrowed from. $9.99 on Steam, 2D, and under the stick figures there's wiring, temperature, liquids and gravity. Total-conversion mods like Beyond Nowhere are a game in themselves. There is no mobile version. Guides: the hub, PC, mobile.
Teardown
Different from the other four: no ragdolls, no gore, and a campaign. Every voxel in the world can be broken, and the game is about planning a route through a building and then wrecking it. $29.99 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series, with free multiplayer added in 2026. Guides: the hub, PC, mobile.
Garry's Mod
The original. Twenty years old, $9.99 on Steam, still busy every day thanks to game modes like Trouble in Terrorist Town and Prop Hunt, and now with a successor in s&box. PC only; the Android apps using its name are clones. Guides: the hub, PC, Android.
Which sandbox game should you play?
The best mobile sandbox games page ranks the phone options and lists the clones to avoid.
- On a phone and want it free: Melon Sandbox for 2D, GoreBox for 3D (Android only).
- On an iPhone: Melon Sandbox. It's the only one of the five with a real iOS version.
- On a PC with $10: People Playground for simulation depth, Garry's Mod for multiplayer and game modes.
- Want destruction rather than ragdolls, or a game with an ending: Teardown.
- Playing with friends: Garry's Mod or Teardown. GoreBox's multiplayer is friends-only through Photon now; People Playground and Melon have none.
What this site does and doesn't do
Every page links to the official store for the game and, where it applies, to Uptodown and Aptoide for the unmodified Android app. We don't host APKs, IPAs or cracks, we don't link to mod menus, and we don't recommend the clone apps that borrow these games' names. When something changes, like GoreBox losing its servers or People Playground's Workshop going down, the relevant page gets updated with a date at the top.
Common questions
Which sandbox games are on Android?
GoreBox and Melon Sandbox, both free. People Playground, Teardown and Garry's Mod are not, whatever the APK sites say.
Which are on iOS?
Only Melon Sandbox. The rest can be streamed from a PC or console with Steam Link or Remote Play.
What does "sandbox APK" mean?
An APK is an Android install file. For sandbox games, the only ones worth installing are the official Play Store listings, or the same files mirrored by Uptodown and Aptoide.
Are these games OK for kids?
Teardown is rated E10+. The other four involve ragdoll violence and range from Teen to 17+. Check each hub for the specific rating.
What's the best free sandbox game on iPhone?
Melon Sandbox. It's the only one of the major sandboxes with a real iOS version.
Is GoreBox on iPhone?
No. See the iOS page for the workarounds.
Are sandbox games OK for kids?
Most of these are violence sandboxes rated 12+ to 17+. Check each store rating.
Best sandbox games on Android and iOS
Two are worth your time, one is worth a look, and the rest are copies of them.
Sandbox games on Android and iOS are a crowded store category with a short list of real entries. Most of what comes up for "ragdoll sandbox" is the same Unity template republished under fifty names. This section is the honest ranking: what's worth installing, what to try if you're curious, and which big PC games are not on phones no matter what the APK sites say.
Worth installing
| Game | Platforms | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Melon Sandbox (Melon Playground) | iOS, Android, browser | Free, 2D, a Workshop with around 90,000 mods, Lua scripting, updated every few weeks. The best-supported sandbox on phones and the only one of the big names on iPhone. |
| GoreBox | Android (free), PC | 3D, first person, vehicles, weapons with attachments, a map editor and Workshop. Extremely violent. Not on iOS. |
| GoreBox 27 | Android (early access) | The rebuilt GoreBox with crossplay multiplayer and bots. Less content, better systems. |
Worth a look
- Playground Man (Android, iOS): a simple ragdoll sandbox with a friendlier tone.
- Ragdoll Playground / Sandbox Ragdoll style apps: 3D, lighter physics, heavy ads. Check the review dates; these change hands.
- Human Playground (Android): a crude People Playground copy, and usually what the "People Playground APK" sites are shipping.
Not on phones, whatever the listing says
- People Playground: PC only. The APKs are clones or a web wrapper around a pirated build.
- Teardown: PC, PS5, Xbox. The APKs are voxel games renamed.
- Garry's Mod: PC only. The Play Store apps are Unity templates using the name.
How to tell a clone
- Screenshots from a different game than the one the app runs.
- Reviews mentioning a name change or a different developer.
- No Workshop or mod system, when the real game is known for one.
- A "verify to unlock" or survey step before anything works.