Choose Cartridge Defense
Choose Cartridge Defense if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. Cartridge Defense launched in 2022.
Cartridge Defense vs Mayhem Maidens
Cartridge Defense and Mayhem Maidens both land in Strategy, Indie 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 Strategy, Indie on Steam. Cartridge Defense (2022) is 3 years older than Mayhem Maidens (2025). Cartridge Defense is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Mayhem Maidens (11.99 USD vs. 14.99 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 Mayhem Maidens
Choose Mayhem Maidens if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Mayhem Maidens launched in 2025.
Both Cartridge Defense and Mayhem Maidens sit in Strategy and Indie 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
 Cartridge Defense |  Mayhem Maidens | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.8% positive (73 reviews) | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Out Gaming | Game Studio Inc., KADOKAWA |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Cartridge Defense (2022) is 3 years older than Mayhem Maidens (2025).
- Cartridge Defense is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Mayhem Maidens (11.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
Cartridge Defense vs Mayhem Maidens — FAQ
- Should I play Cartridge Defense or Mayhem Maidens first?
- If you want chronology, Cartridge Defense (2022) came out before Mayhem Maidens (2025). 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 Cartridge Defense and Mayhem Maidens similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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.