Choose Gnomes & Goblins
Choose Gnomes & Goblins if you want the Tracked Controller Support side of the pairing. Gnomes & Goblins launched in 2020.
Gnomes & Goblins vs Pearl of the Desert
Gnomes & Goblins and Pearl of the Desert both land in Indie, Adventure, Simulation 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, Adventure, Simulation on Steam. Gnomes & Goblins (2020) is 4 years older than Pearl of the Desert (2024). Pearl of the Desert is currently ~70% cheaper on Steam than Gnomes & Goblins (5.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 Pearl of the Desert
Choose Pearl of the Desert if it's currently about 70% cheaper on the Steam Store. Pearl of the Desert launched in 2024.
Both Gnomes & Goblins and Pearl of the Desert sit in Indie, Adventure, and Simulation on Steam and both list VR Only, 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
 Gnomes & Goblins |  Pearl of the Desert | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2024 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 73.1% positive (78 reviews) | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Wevr, Inc. | Unelma Labs |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure, Simulation on Steam.
- Gnomes & Goblins (2020) is 4 years older than Pearl of the Desert (2024).
- Pearl of the Desert is currently ~70% cheaper on Steam than Gnomes & Goblins (5.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
Gnomes & Goblins vs Pearl of the Desert — FAQ
- Should I play Gnomes & Goblins or Pearl of the Desert first?
- If you want chronology, Gnomes & Goblins (2020) came out before Pearl of the Desert (2024). 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 Gnomes & Goblins and Pearl of the Desert similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Adventure, Simulation 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.