Choose Orbital Invaders
Choose Orbital Invaders if it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. Orbital Invaders launched in 2020.
Orbital Invaders vs Protect the Earth
Orbital Invaders and Protect the Earth both land in Action, Indie, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. Orbital Invaders (2020) is 1 year older than Protect the Earth (2021). Orbital Invaders is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Protect the Earth (0.99 USD vs. 3.99 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 Protect the Earth
Choose Protect the Earth if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Protect the Earth launched in 2021.
Both Orbital Invaders and Protect the Earth sit in Action, Indie, and Casual 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
 Orbital Invaders |  Protect the Earth | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Casual | Action, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 7 reviews | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Shaggy Dwarf | Victor |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Orbital Invaders (2020) is 1 year older than Protect the Earth (2021).
- Orbital Invaders is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Protect the Earth (0.99 USD vs. 3.99 USD).
Orbital Invaders vs Protect the Earth — FAQ
- Should I play Orbital Invaders or Protect the Earth first?
- If you want chronology, Orbital Invaders (2020) came out before Protect the Earth (2021). 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 Orbital Invaders and Protect the Earth similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Casual 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.