IMHO.

FTL: Faster Than Light vs Magic Pixel Picross

FTL: Faster Than Light and Magic Pixel Picross both land in Strategy, Indie 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 Strategy, Indie on Steam. FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) is 5 years older than Magic Pixel Picross (2017). Magic Pixel Picross is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than FTL: Faster Than Light (3.99 USD vs. 9.99 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 FTL: Faster Than Light

Choose FTL: Faster Than Light if you want a Simulation experience. 46,262 Steam reviews back the pick.

Choose Magic Pixel Picross

Choose Magic Pixel Picross if it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Magic Pixel Picross launched in 2017.

Both FTL: Faster Than Light and Magic Pixel Picross sit in Strategy and Indie 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

FTL: Faster Than Light vs Magic Pixel Picross — Steam metadata comparison
FTL: Faster Than Light — Steam game coverFTL: Faster Than LightMagic Pixel Picross — Steam game coverMagic Pixel Picross
Released20122017
GenresStrategy, Indie, SimulationStrategy, Indie
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableUnrated
Price9.99 USD3.99 USD
Steam reviews95.5% positive (46,262 reviews)4 reviews
MultiplayerSingle-player onlySingle-player only
DevelopersSubset GamesShandong Jerei Digital Technology Co.,LTD.

Side by side

FTL: Faster Than Light vs Magic Pixel Picross — FAQ

Should I play FTL: Faster Than Light or Magic Pixel Picross first?
If you want chronology, FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) came out before Magic Pixel Picross (2017). 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 FTL: Faster Than Light and Magic Pixel Picross similar?
They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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 FTL: Faster Than Light run on Steam Deck?
Yes — FTL: Faster Than Light is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Magic Pixel Picross doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.
FTL: Faster Than Light vs Magic Pixel Picross (2026) · imho.run