Choose Space Engineers
Choose Space Engineers if you want a Strategy game with Online PvP and PvP. On Steam, it's currently about 31% cheaper on the Steam Store. 67,178 Steam reviews back the pick.
Space Engineers vs Scrap Mechanic
Space Engineers and Scrap Mechanic both land in Action, 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 Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Space Engineers (2019) is 7 years older than Scrap Mechanic (2026). Scrap Mechanic scores higher on Steam reviews (91.9% positive) than Space Engineers (89.9% 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 Scrap Mechanic
Choose Scrap Mechanic if you want an Adventure game with Online Co-op. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.9% positive across 122,038 reviews.
Both Space Engineers and Scrap Mechanic sit in Action, Indie, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player and Co-op, 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
 Space Engineers |  Scrap Mechanic | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Action, Indie, Adventure, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 28.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89.9% positive (67,178 reviews) | 91.9% positive (122,038 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Keen Software House | Axolot Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Space Engineers (2019) is 7 years older than Scrap Mechanic (2026).
- Scrap Mechanic scores higher on Steam reviews (91.9% positive) than Space Engineers (89.9% positive).
- Space Engineers is currently ~31% cheaper on Steam than Scrap Mechanic (19.99 USD vs. 28.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Space Engineers is Deck Unsupported, Scrap Mechanic is Deck Playable.
Space Engineers vs Scrap Mechanic — FAQ
- Which is better, Space Engineers or Scrap Mechanic?
- On Steam reviews Scrap Mechanic scores higher (91.9% positive) than Space Engineers (89.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Scrap Mechanic is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Space Engineers or Scrap Mechanic first?
- If you want chronology, Space Engineers (2019) came out before Scrap Mechanic (2026). 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 Space Engineers and Scrap Mechanic similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Do both Space Engineers and Scrap Mechanic have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Space Engineers ships Co-op; Scrap Mechanic ships Online Co-op, Co-op.