Choose MapleStory
Choose MapleStory if you want a Casual experience. 12,891 Steam reviews back the pick.
MapleStory vs Lost Ark
MapleStory and Lost Ark both land in Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer 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, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. MapleStory (2012) is 10 years older than Lost Ark (2022). Lost Ark scores higher on Steam reviews (67.2% positive) than MapleStory (61.6% 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 Lost Ark
Choose Lost Ark if you want the Online PvP, Online Co-op, and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 67.2% positive across 105,014 reviews.
Both MapleStory and Lost Ark sit in Action, Adventure, and Massively Multiplayer on Steam and both list Multi-player, MMO, and Co-op, 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
 MapleStory |  Lost Ark | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play, Casual | Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 61.6% positive (12,891 reviews) | 67.2% positive (105,014 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | NEXON Korea Corporation | Smilegate RPG |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer on Steam.
- MapleStory (2012) is 10 years older than Lost Ark (2022).
- Lost Ark scores higher on Steam reviews (67.2% positive) than MapleStory (61.6% positive).
- Both are free to play.
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: MapleStory is Deck Unsupported, Lost Ark is Deck Playable.
MapleStory vs Lost Ark — FAQ
- Which is better, MapleStory or Lost Ark?
- On Steam reviews Lost Ark scores higher (67.2% positive) than MapleStory (61.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Lost Ark is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play MapleStory or Lost Ark first?
- If you want chronology, MapleStory (2012) came out before Lost Ark (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 MapleStory and Lost Ark similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer 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.
- Do both MapleStory and Lost Ark have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: MapleStory ships Co-op; Lost Ark ships Online Co-op, Co-op.