Why goal-free play feels easy
Score-based games keep signaling that you should do better. In a sandbox there are no wrong answers, so you can rest your hands and just watch. Sand piling and collapsing looks similar each time but never quite the same, which keeps it from getting boring.
Calm settings
| Setting | Where | Suggestion |
|---|---|---|
| Sim speed | More | 0.5x or 0.25x (speeds other than 1x are advanced tools, unlocked with one ad) |
| Color skin | More | Pastel (Neon and Pastel unlock with one ad) |
| Theme | Settings | Dark |
| Ambient sound | Settings | On or off, to taste |
| Haptics | Settings | Off |
The More menu
Tap the More icon in the top bar of Sandlab to change wall presets, color skin, sim speed, tilt gravity and the high-res canvas.
Scenes worth watching
| Scene | How to make it |
|---|---|
| Hourglass | Fill the top half of the Hourglass wall preset with sand and let it run. When it is done, clear all and stamp it again |
| Rain over a lake | Water below, touch fire to its surface. Steam rises and falls back as water |
| Growing garden | Scatter seeds next to a pool and plants slowly grow along the water |
| Burning log | Set a lump of coal on fire. Coal burns for a very long time and leaves smoke and ash |
Pour with one finger
Hold a finger on the screen and the element keeps flowing like a faucet. You can pour with several fingers at once too.
Keeping a moment
- Share as image (PNG): one still of the current screen
- Record GIF: tap to start, tap again to save a short animation (unlocked with one ad)
- Save / Load: save the canvas to a slot and pick up where you left off
FAQ
The screen flashes too much.
Lots of fire, lava or spark means lots of bright pixels. Stick to sand, water and seeds and use the Pastel skin for a calmer look.
Does leaving it running drain the battery?
The simulation keeps computing, so leaving it on uses battery. Pause once everything has settled.
Sandlab - Falling Sand Physics
No sign-up, and the simulation runs fully offline. Your canvases stay on your device. Free on Android.