Choose DEFCON
Choose DEFCON if you want the Online Co-op, LAN PvP, and LAN Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 88% positive across 2,711 reviews.
DEFCON vs First Strike
DEFCON and First Strike 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. DEFCON (2006) is 11 years older than First Strike (2017). DEFCON scores higher on Steam reviews (88% positive) than First Strike (71.1% positive). 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 First Strike
Choose First Strike if you want an Action and Simulation experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2017) and ships with the modern feature baseline. First Strike launched in 2017.
Both DEFCON and First Strike sit in Strategy and Indie 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
 DEFCON |  First Strike | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 11.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 88% positive (2,711 reviews) | 71.1% positive (523 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Introversion Software | Blindflug Studios AG |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- DEFCON (2006) is 11 years older than First Strike (2017).
- DEFCON scores higher on Steam reviews (88% positive) than First Strike (71.1% positive).
- First Strike is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than DEFCON (11.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- DEFCON has co-op; First Strike does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
DEFCON vs First Strike — FAQ
- Which is better, DEFCON or First Strike?
- On Steam reviews DEFCON scores higher (88% positive) than First Strike (71.1% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, DEFCON is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play DEFCON or First Strike first?
- If you want chronology, DEFCON (2006) came out before First Strike (2017). 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 DEFCON and First Strike 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.