Choose Island of the Lost
Choose Island of the Lost if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Island of the Lost launched in 2021.
Island of the Lost vs Dear Gardener
Island of the Lost and Dear Gardener 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. Island of the Lost (2021) is 5 years older than Dear Gardener (2026). 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 Dear Gardener
Choose Dear Gardener if you want the Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, and Save Anytime side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Dear Gardener launched in 2026.
Both Island of the Lost and Dear Gardener sit in Indie, Adventure, and Simulation 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
 Island of the Lost |  Dear Gardener | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2026 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 7.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 81.8% positive (22 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | James Smart | Youkoso Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure, Simulation on Steam.
- Island of the Lost (2021) is 5 years older than Dear Gardener (2026).
Island of the Lost vs Dear Gardener — FAQ
- Should I play Island of the Lost or Dear Gardener first?
- If you want chronology, Island of the Lost (2021) came out before Dear Gardener (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 Island of the Lost and Dear Gardener 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.