Choose A Game of Dwarves
Choose A Game of Dwarves if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. A Game of Dwarves launched in 2012.
A Game of Dwarves vs Dwarf Fortress
A Game of Dwarves and Dwarf Fortress both land in Strategy 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 Strategy games on Steam. A Game of Dwarves (2012) is 10 years older than Dwarf Fortress (2022). Dwarf Fortress scores higher on Steam reviews (95% positive) than A Game of Dwarves (60.6% 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 Dwarf Fortress
Choose Dwarf Fortress if you want an Indie and Simulation experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 95% positive across 23,734 reviews.
Both A Game of Dwarves and Dwarf Fortress sit in Strategy 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
 A Game of Dwarves |  Dwarf Fortress | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 2.49 USD | 23.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 60.6% positive (277 reviews) | 95% positive (23,734 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Zeal Game Studio | Bay 12 Games |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- A Game of Dwarves (2012) is 10 years older than Dwarf Fortress (2022).
- Dwarf Fortress scores higher on Steam reviews (95% positive) than A Game of Dwarves (60.6% positive).
- A Game of Dwarves is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Dwarf Fortress (2.49 USD vs. 23.99 USD).
- Dwarf Fortress is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; A Game of Dwarves has no Deck rating yet.
A Game of Dwarves vs Dwarf Fortress — FAQ
- Which is better, A Game of Dwarves or Dwarf Fortress?
- On Steam reviews Dwarf Fortress scores higher (95% positive) than A Game of Dwarves (60.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Dwarf Fortress is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play A Game of Dwarves or Dwarf Fortress first?
- If you want chronology, A Game of Dwarves (2012) came out before Dwarf Fortress (2022). 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 A Game of Dwarves and Dwarf Fortress similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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.