Choose Sand:box
Choose Sand:box if you want a Free To Play and Casual game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Sand:box launched in 2023.
Sand:box vs Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator
Sand:box and Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator both land in Indie, Simulation 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 on Steam. Sand:box (2023) is 2 years older than Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator (2025). Sand:box is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator (1.99 USD vs. 4.99 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 Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator
Choose Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator launched in 2025.
Both Sand:box and Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator sit in Indie and Simulation 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
 Sand:box |  Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, Free To Play, Casual | Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 1.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 92.5% positive (520 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | smellymoo | Afk Pixel Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Sand:box (2023) is 2 years older than Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator (2025).
- Sand:box is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator (1.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Sand:box has co-op; Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator does not.
- Sand:box is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator has no Deck rating yet.
Sand:box vs Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator — FAQ
- Should I play Sand:box or Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator first?
- If you want chronology, Sand:box (2023) came out before Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator (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 Sand:box and Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation 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 Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator have multiplayer like Sand:box?
- No. Sand:box supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator is listed as single-player only.
- Does Sand:box run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Sand:box is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Alchemy Laboratory: Simulator doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.