Choose ISLANDERS
Choose ISLANDERS if you want a Strategy game with Steam Leaderboards. 10,198 Steam reviews back the pick.
ISLANDERS vs Model City
ISLANDERS and Model City both land in Indie, Casual on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Indie, Casual on Steam. ISLANDERS (2019) is 1 year older than Model City (2020). Model City is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than ISLANDERS (2.49 USD vs. 4.99 USD). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Model City
Choose Model City if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Model City launched in 2020.
Both ISLANDERS and Model City sit in Indie and Casual on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 ISLANDERS |  Model City | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 2.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.1% positive (10,198 reviews) | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Coatsink, GrizzlyGames, Stage Clear Studios | GTGD |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- ISLANDERS (2019) is 1 year older than Model City (2020).
- Model City is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than ISLANDERS (2.49 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- ISLANDERS is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Model City has no Deck rating yet.
ISLANDERS vs Model City — FAQ
- Should I play ISLANDERS or Model City first?
- If you want chronology, ISLANDERS (2019) came out before Model City (2020). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are ISLANDERS and Model City similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Casual on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does ISLANDERS run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — ISLANDERS is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Model City doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.