Choose Paint Drying Simulator
Choose Paint Drying Simulator if it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Paint Drying Simulator launched in 2021.
Paint Drying Simulator vs Desktop Wooden Fish
Paint Drying Simulator and Desktop Wooden Fish both land in 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 are Simulation games on Steam. Paint Drying Simulator (2021) is 4 years older than Desktop Wooden Fish (2025). Paint Drying Simulator is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Desktop Wooden Fish (0.99 USD vs. 1.99 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 Desktop Wooden Fish
Choose Desktop Wooden Fish if you want an Indie and Casual game with Steam Leaderboards, Camera Comfort, and Custom Volume Controls. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Desktop Wooden Fish launched in 2025.
Both Paint Drying Simulator and Desktop Wooden Fish sit in 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
 Paint Drying Simulator |  Desktop Wooden Fish | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2025 |
| Genres | Simulation | Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90% positive (261 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | GLADY'S Comcis | 摸鱼工作室 |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- Paint Drying Simulator (2021) is 4 years older than Desktop Wooden Fish (2025).
- Paint Drying Simulator is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Desktop Wooden Fish (0.99 USD vs. 1.99 USD).
- Paint Drying Simulator is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Desktop Wooden Fish has no Deck rating yet.
Paint Drying Simulator vs Desktop Wooden Fish — FAQ
- Should I play Paint Drying Simulator or Desktop Wooden Fish first?
- If you want chronology, Paint Drying Simulator (2021) came out before Desktop Wooden Fish (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 Paint Drying Simulator and Desktop Wooden Fish similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Does Paint Drying Simulator run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Paint Drying Simulator is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Desktop Wooden Fish doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.