Choose Kerbal Space Program
Choose Kerbal Space Program if it's currently about 71% cheaper on the Steam Store. 77,731 Steam reviews back the pick.
Kerbal Space Program vs Tracon!2012:SE
Kerbal Space Program and Tracon!2012:SE 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 3 years older than Tracon!2012:SE (2018). Kerbal Space Program scores higher on Steam reviews (95.9% positive) than Tracon!2012:SE (46.7% 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 Tracon!2012:SE
Choose Tracon!2012:SE if it's the newer release (2018) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Tracon!2012:SE launched in 2018.
Both Kerbal Space Program and Tracon!2012:SE 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
 Kerbal Space Program |  Tracon!2012:SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2018 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 34.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.9% positive (77,731 reviews) | 46.7% positive (15 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Squad | FeelThere |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Kerbal Space Program (2015) is 3 years older than Tracon!2012:SE (2018).
- Kerbal Space Program scores higher on Steam reviews (95.9% positive) than Tracon!2012:SE (46.7% positive).
- Kerbal Space Program is currently ~71% cheaper on Steam than Tracon!2012:SE (9.99 USD vs. 34.99 USD).
- Kerbal Space Program is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Tracon!2012:SE has no Deck rating yet.
Kerbal Space Program vs Tracon!2012:SE — FAQ
- Should I play Kerbal Space Program or Tracon!2012:SE first?
- If you want chronology, Kerbal Space Program (2015) came out before Tracon!2012:SE (2018). 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 Tracon!2012:SE 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 Kerbal Space Program run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Kerbal Space Program is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Tracon!2012:SE doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.