Choose Crazy Machines
Choose Crazy Machines if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's currently about 23% cheaper on the Steam Store. Crazy Machines launched in 2008.
Crazy Machines vs Contraption Maker
Crazy Machines and Contraption Maker both land in 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 are Casual games on Steam. Crazy Machines (2008) is 6 years older than Contraption Maker (2014). Contraption Maker scores higher on Steam reviews (92.4% positive) than Crazy Machines (80.7% 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 Contraption Maker
Choose Contraption Maker if you want an Indie and Simulation game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Co-op. On Steam, it's the newer release (2014) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Contraption Maker launched in 2014.
Both Crazy Machines and Contraption Maker sit in 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
 Crazy Machines |  Contraption Maker | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2008 | 2014 |
| Genres | Strategy, Casual | Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 80.7% positive (57 reviews) | 92.4% positive (701 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Fakt Software | Kevin Ryan |
Side by side
- Both are Casual games on Steam.
- Crazy Machines (2008) is 6 years older than Contraption Maker (2014).
- Contraption Maker scores higher on Steam reviews (92.4% positive) than Crazy Machines (80.7% positive).
- Crazy Machines is currently ~23% cheaper on Steam than Contraption Maker (9.99 USD vs. 12.99 USD).
- Contraption Maker has co-op; Crazy Machines does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Crazy Machines vs Contraption Maker — FAQ
- Should I play Crazy Machines or Contraption Maker first?
- If you want chronology, Crazy Machines (2008) came out before Contraption Maker (2014). 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 Crazy Machines and Contraption Maker similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Does Crazy Machines have multiplayer like Contraption Maker?
- No. Contraption Maker supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Crazy Machines is listed as single-player only.