Choose Kerbal Space Program
Choose Kerbal Space Program if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 77,731 Steam reviews back the pick.
Kerbal Space Program vs SpaceEngine
Kerbal Space Program and SpaceEngine 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. Kerbal Space Program (2015) is 4 years older than SpaceEngine (2019). Both sit near 96% positive on Steam (Kerbal Space Program: 77,731 reviews, SpaceEngine: 8,862). 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 SpaceEngine
Choose SpaceEngine if you want a Casual and Early Access game with Tracked Controller Support. On Steam, it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. 8,862 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Kerbal Space Program and SpaceEngine sit in Indie and Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (95.9% vs 96% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Kerbal Space Program |  SpaceEngine | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Indie, Simulation, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 39.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.9% positive (77,731 reviews) | 96% positive (8,862 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Squad | Cosmographic Software |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Kerbal Space Program (2015) is 4 years older than SpaceEngine (2019).
- Both sit near 96% positive on Steam (Kerbal Space Program: 77,731 reviews, SpaceEngine: 8,862).
- SpaceEngine is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than Kerbal Space Program (29.99 USD vs. 39.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Kerbal Space Program is Deck Playable, SpaceEngine is Deck Unsupported.
Kerbal Space Program vs SpaceEngine — FAQ
- Which is better, Kerbal Space Program or SpaceEngine?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: Kerbal Space Program sits at 95.9% positive (77,731 reviews), SpaceEngine at 96% (8,862). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play Kerbal Space Program or SpaceEngine first?
- If you want chronology, Kerbal Space Program (2015) came out before SpaceEngine (2019). 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 Kerbal Space Program and SpaceEngine 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.