Choose Inside the Backrooms
Choose Inside the Backrooms if you want an Early Access game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Tracked Controller Support. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 10,150 Steam reviews back the pick.
Inside the Backrooms vs Joy Land
Inside the Backrooms and Joy Land both land in Indie, Adventure 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 on Steam. Inside the Backrooms (2022) is 2 years older than Joy Land (2024). Inside the Backrooms scores higher on Steam reviews (79.5% positive) than Joy Land (65.2% 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 Joy Land
Choose Joy Land if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Joy Land launched in 2024.
Both Inside the Backrooms and Joy Land sit in Indie and Adventure 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
 Inside the Backrooms |  Joy Land | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Early Access | Indie, Adventure, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 6.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 79.5% positive (10,150 reviews) | 65.2% positive (46 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | MrFatcat | MK Creations |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Inside the Backrooms (2022) is 2 years older than Joy Land (2024).
- Inside the Backrooms scores higher on Steam reviews (79.5% positive) than Joy Land (65.2% positive).
- Joy Land is free; Inside the Backrooms is paid (6.99 USD).
- Inside the Backrooms has co-op; Joy Land does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Inside the Backrooms vs Joy Land — FAQ
- Should I play Inside the Backrooms or Joy Land first?
- If you want chronology, Inside the Backrooms (2022) came out before Joy Land (2024). 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 Inside the Backrooms and Joy Land similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Adventure 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 Joy Land have multiplayer like Inside the Backrooms?
- No. Inside the Backrooms supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Joy Land is listed as single-player only.
- Is Joy Land free?
- Yes — Joy Land is a free-to-play Steam title. Inside the Backrooms is paid (6.99 USD).