Choose Starbound
Choose Starbound if you want an Indie and RPG game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 51,728 Steam reviews back the pick.
Starbound vs Pixel Madness
Starbound and Pixel Madness both land in Action, Adventure, 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 share Action, Adventure, Casual on Steam. Starbound (2016) is 7 years older than Pixel Madness (2023). Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Pixel Madness (64.3% 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 Pixel Madness
Choose Pixel Madness if you want a Free To Play game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Pixel Madness launched in 2023.
Both Starbound and Pixel Madness sit in Action, Adventure, and 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
 Starbound |  Pixel Madness | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG, Casual | Action, Adventure, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 88.8% positive (51,728 reviews) | 64.3% positive (14 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Chucklefish | blevsoft |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure, Casual on Steam.
- Starbound (2016) is 7 years older than Pixel Madness (2023).
- Starbound scores higher on Steam reviews (88.8% positive) than Pixel Madness (64.3% positive).
- Pixel Madness is free; Starbound is paid (14.99 USD).
- Starbound has co-op; Pixel Madness does not.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Starbound vs Pixel Madness — FAQ
- Should I play Starbound or Pixel Madness first?
- If you want chronology, Starbound (2016) came out before Pixel Madness (2023). 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 Starbound and Pixel Madness similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure, 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 Pixel Madness have multiplayer like Starbound?
- No. Starbound supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Pixel Madness is listed as single-player only.
- Is Pixel Madness free?
- Yes — Pixel Madness is a free-to-play Steam title. Starbound is paid (14.99 USD).