Choose Game Dev Tycoon
Choose Game Dev Tycoon if you want a Strategy and Indie experience. 22,051 Steam reviews back the pick.
Game Dev Tycoon vs Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup
Game Dev Tycoon and Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup both land in Simulation, Casual 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 Simulation, Casual on Steam. Game Dev Tycoon (2013) is 9 years older than Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup (2022). Game Dev Tycoon scores higher on Steam reviews (94.5% positive) than Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup (92.9% 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 Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup
Choose Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup if it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup launched in 2022.
Both Game Dev Tycoon and Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup sit in Simulation and Casual on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (94.5% vs 92.9% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Game Dev Tycoon |  Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual | Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 94.5% positive (22,051 reviews) | 92.9% positive (14 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Greenheart Games 💚 | Abyssal Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Simulation, Casual on Steam.
- Game Dev Tycoon (2013) is 9 years older than Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup (2022).
- Game Dev Tycoon scores higher on Steam reviews (94.5% positive) than Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup (92.9% positive).
- Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Game Dev Tycoon (1.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Game Dev Tycoon is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup has no Deck rating yet.
Game Dev Tycoon vs Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup — FAQ
- Should I play Game Dev Tycoon or Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup first?
- If you want chronology, Game Dev Tycoon (2013) came out before Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup (2022). 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 Game Dev Tycoon and Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup similar?
- They overlap on Simulation, Casual 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 Game Dev Tycoon run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Game Dev Tycoon is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Instant Artist: Puzzle Mashup doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.