Choose Waking Mars
Choose Waking Mars if it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. Waking Mars launched in 2012.
Waking Mars vs Hollow Knight
Waking Mars and Hollow Knight both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Waking Mars (2012) is 5 years older than Hollow Knight (2017). Hollow Knight scores higher on Steam reviews (97.1% positive) than Waking Mars (91% 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 Hollow Knight
Choose Hollow Knight if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 97.1% positive across 176,306 reviews.
Both Waking Mars and Hollow Knight sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure 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
 Waking Mars |  Hollow Knight | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91% positive (532 reviews) | 97.1% positive (176,306 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Tiger Style | Team Cherry |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Waking Mars (2012) is 5 years older than Hollow Knight (2017).
- Hollow Knight scores higher on Steam reviews (97.1% positive) than Waking Mars (91% positive).
- Waking Mars is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Hollow Knight (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Waking Mars is Deck Playable, Hollow Knight is Deck Verified.
Waking Mars vs Hollow Knight — FAQ
- Which is better, Waking Mars or Hollow Knight?
- On Steam reviews Hollow Knight scores higher (97.1% positive) than Waking Mars (91% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Hollow Knight is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Waking Mars or Hollow Knight first?
- If you want chronology, Waking Mars (2012) came out before Hollow Knight (2017). 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 Waking Mars and Hollow Knight similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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.