Choose Terraria
Choose Terraria if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 590,217 Steam reviews back the pick.
Terraria vs Project Explore
Terraria and Project Explore both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Terraria (2011) is 6 years older than Project Explore (2017). Terraria scores higher on Steam reviews (97.6% positive) than Project Explore (64.3% positive). 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 Project Explore
Choose Project Explore if you want a Simulation and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Project Explore launched in 2017.
Both Terraria and Project Explore sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, 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
 Terraria |  Project Explore | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2011 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.6% positive (590,217 reviews) | 64.3% positive (98 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Re-Logic | Fern Nigro |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Terraria (2011) is 6 years older than Project Explore (2017).
- Terraria scores higher on Steam reviews (97.6% positive) than Project Explore (64.3% positive).
- Project Explore is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Terraria (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Terraria is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Project Explore has no Deck rating yet.
Terraria vs Project Explore — FAQ
- Should I play Terraria or Project Explore first?
- If you want chronology, Terraria (2011) came out before Project Explore (2017). 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 Terraria and Project Explore similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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.
- Do both Terraria and Project Explore have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Terraria ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Project Explore ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Terraria run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Terraria is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Project Explore doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.