Choose Spectromancer
Choose Spectromancer if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 85.9% positive across 206 reviews.
Spectromancer vs Small World
Spectromancer and Small World both land in Strategy, Indie 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 Strategy, Indie on Steam. Spectromancer (2009) is 4 years older than Small World (2013). Spectromancer scores higher on Steam reviews (85.9% positive) than Small World (68.9% 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 Small World
Choose Small World if you want a Casual game with Shared/Split Screen and Steam Turn Notifications. On Steam, it's currently about 72% cheaper on the Steam Store. Small World launched in 2013.
Both Spectromancer and Small World sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Shared/Split Screen PvP, 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
 Spectromancer |  Small World | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2013 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 6.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 85.9% positive (206 reviews) | 68.9% positive (628 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Apus Software, Three Donkeys LLC | Days of Wonder |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Spectromancer (2009) is 4 years older than Small World (2013).
- Spectromancer scores higher on Steam reviews (85.9% positive) than Small World (68.9% positive).
- Small World is currently ~72% cheaper on Steam than Spectromancer (1.99 USD vs. 6.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Spectromancer vs Small World — FAQ
- Which is better, Spectromancer or Small World?
- On Steam reviews Spectromancer scores higher (85.9% positive) than Small World (68.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Spectromancer is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Spectromancer or Small World first?
- If you want chronology, Spectromancer (2009) came out before Small World (2013). 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 Spectromancer and Small World similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie 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.