Choose Barely Racing
Choose Barely Racing if you want a Casual game with Shared/Split Screen, Steam Leaderboards, and Shared/Split Screen PvP. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Barely Racing launched in 2023.
Barely Racing vs Mad Metal
Barely Racing and Mad Metal both land in Action, Racing 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, Racing on Steam. Barely Racing (2023) is 3 years older than Mad Metal (2026). Mad Metal has co-op; Barely Racing does not. 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 Mad Metal
Choose Mad Metal if you want an Indie game with Online Co-op, DualShock Controller Support, and DualSense Controller Support. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Mad Metal launched in 2026.
Both Barely Racing and Mad Metal sit in Action and Racing on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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
 Barely Racing |  Mad Metal | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Casual, Racing | Action, Indie, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 8.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 86.7% positive (15 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Fragile Software | Mad Mechs Inc. |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Racing on Steam.
- Barely Racing (2023) is 3 years older than Mad Metal (2026).
- Mad Metal has co-op; Barely Racing does not.
- Barely Racing is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Mad Metal has no Deck rating yet.
Barely Racing vs Mad Metal — FAQ
- Should I play Barely Racing or Mad Metal first?
- If you want chronology, Barely Racing (2023) came out before Mad Metal (2026). 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 Barely Racing and Mad Metal similar?
- They overlap on Action, Racing 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 Barely Racing run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Barely Racing is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Mad Metal doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.