Choose Startopia
Choose Startopia if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.1% positive across 649 reviews.
Startopia vs The Mims Beginning
Startopia and The Mims Beginning both land in 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 are Simulation games on Steam. Startopia (2013) is 3 years older than The Mims Beginning (2016). Startopia scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than The Mims Beginning (72.4% 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 The Mims Beginning
Choose The Mims Beginning if you want a Strategy, Indie, and Free To Play game with Subtitle Options, Custom Volume Controls, and Stereo Sound. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. The Mims Beginning launched in 2016.
Both Startopia and The Mims Beginning sit in 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
 Startopia |  The Mims Beginning | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Genres | Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 6.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 91.1% positive (649 reviews) | 72.4% positive (181 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | My Little Planet Ltd, Mucky Foot Productions Ltd | Squatting Penguins |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- Startopia (2013) is 3 years older than The Mims Beginning (2016).
- Startopia scores higher on Steam reviews (91.1% positive) than The Mims Beginning (72.4% positive).
- The Mims Beginning is free; Startopia is paid (6.99 USD).
- Startopia is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Mims Beginning has no Deck rating yet.
Startopia vs The Mims Beginning — FAQ
- Which is better, Startopia or The Mims Beginning?
- On Steam reviews Startopia scores higher (91.1% positive) than The Mims Beginning (72.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Startopia is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Startopia or The Mims Beginning first?
- If you want chronology, Startopia (2013) came out before The Mims Beginning (2016). 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 Startopia and The Mims Beginning similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Is The Mims Beginning free?
- Yes — The Mims Beginning is a free-to-play Steam title. Startopia is paid (6.99 USD).
- Does Startopia run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Startopia is rated Deck Playable by Valve. The Mims Beginning doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.