Choose Nuclear Option
Choose Nuclear Option if you want an Action game with Custom Volume Controls and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 95.5% positive across 6,543 reviews.
Nuclear Option vs SimplePlanes 2
Nuclear Option and SimplePlanes 2 both land in Indie, 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 Indie, Simulation, Early Access on Steam. Nuclear Option (2023) is 3 years older than SimplePlanes 2 (2026). Nuclear Option scores higher on Steam reviews (95.5% positive) than SimplePlanes 2 (91.6% 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 SimplePlanes 2
Choose SimplePlanes 2 if you want a Racing experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. SimplePlanes 2 launched in 2026.
Both Nuclear Option and SimplePlanes 2 sit in Indie, 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 |  SimplePlanes 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Simulation, Early Access | Indie, Simulation, Early Access, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.5% positive (6,543 reviews) | 91.6% positive (395 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Shockfront Studios | Jundroo, LLC |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation, Early Access on Steam.
- Nuclear Option (2023) is 3 years older than SimplePlanes 2 (2026).
- Nuclear Option scores higher on Steam reviews (95.5% positive) than SimplePlanes 2 (91.6% positive).
- SimplePlanes 2 is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Nuclear Option (19.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Playable.
Nuclear Option vs SimplePlanes 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, Nuclear Option or SimplePlanes 2?
- On Steam reviews Nuclear Option scores higher (95.5% positive) than SimplePlanes 2 (91.6% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Nuclear Option is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Nuclear Option or SimplePlanes 2 first?
- If you want chronology, Nuclear Option (2023) came out before SimplePlanes 2 (2026). 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 SimplePlanes 2 similar?
- They overlap on Indie, 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 SimplePlanes 2 have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Nuclear Option ships Online Co-op, Co-op; SimplePlanes 2 ships Online Co-op, Co-op.