Choose Nuclear Option
Choose Nuclear Option if you want an Indie game with Custom Volume Controls and Playable without Timed Input. 6,543 Steam reviews back the pick.
Nuclear Option vs Paper Planes
Nuclear Option and Paper Planes both land in Action, Simulation, Early Access 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, Simulation, Early Access on Steam. Nuclear Option (2023) is 2 years older than Paper Planes (2025). Paper Planes is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Nuclear Option (9.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 Paper Planes
Choose Paper Planes if it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Paper Planes launched in 2025.
Both Nuclear Option and Paper Planes sit in Action, Simulation, and Early Access on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online 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
 Nuclear Option |  Paper Planes | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2025 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Simulation, Early Access | Action, Simulation, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.5% positive (6,543 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Shockfront Studios | Creekside Interactive |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Simulation, Early Access on Steam.
- Nuclear Option (2023) is 2 years older than Paper Planes (2025).
- Paper Planes is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Nuclear Option (9.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Nuclear Option is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Paper Planes has no Deck rating yet.
Nuclear Option vs Paper Planes — FAQ
- Should I play Nuclear Option or Paper Planes first?
- If you want chronology, Nuclear Option (2023) came out before Paper Planes (2025). 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 Nuclear Option and Paper Planes similar?
- They overlap on Action, Simulation, Early Access 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 Nuclear Option and Paper Planes have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Nuclear Option ships Online Co-op, Co-op; Paper Planes ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Nuclear Option run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Nuclear Option is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Paper Planes doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.