Choose Kerbal Space Program
Choose Kerbal Space Program if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 95.9% positive across 77,731 reviews.
Kerbal Space Program vs Kerbal Space Program 2
Kerbal Space Program and Kerbal Space Program 2 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 8 years older than Kerbal Space Program 2 (2023). Kerbal Space Program scores higher on Steam reviews (95.9% positive) than Kerbal Space Program 2 (25.8% 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 Kerbal Space Program 2
Choose Kerbal Space Program 2 if you want an Early Access experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2023) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 22,045 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Kerbal Space Program and Kerbal Space Program 2 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 |  Kerbal Space Program 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2023 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Indie, Simulation, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 49.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.9% positive (77,731 reviews) | 25.8% positive (22,045 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Squad | Intercept Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Kerbal Space Program (2015) is 8 years older than Kerbal Space Program 2 (2023).
- Kerbal Space Program scores higher on Steam reviews (95.9% positive) than Kerbal Space Program 2 (25.8% positive).
- Kerbal Space Program is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Kerbal Space Program 2 (9.99 USD vs. 49.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Kerbal Space Program is Deck Playable, Kerbal Space Program 2 is Deck Unsupported.
Kerbal Space Program vs Kerbal Space Program 2 — FAQ
- Which is better, Kerbal Space Program or Kerbal Space Program 2?
- On Steam reviews Kerbal Space Program scores higher (95.9% positive) than Kerbal Space Program 2 (25.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Kerbal Space Program is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Kerbal Space Program or Kerbal Space Program 2 first?
- If you want chronology, Kerbal Space Program (2015) came out before Kerbal Space Program 2 (2023). 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 Kerbal Space Program 2 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.