Choose FOTONICA
Choose FOTONICA if you want an Action game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP. FOTONICA launched in 2014.
FOTONICA vs Synthrun
FOTONICA and Synthrun both land in 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 are Indie games on Steam. FOTONICA (2014) is 5 years older than Synthrun (2019). Synthrun is currently ~93% cheaper on Steam than FOTONICA (0.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD). 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 Synthrun
Choose Synthrun if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 93% cheaper on the Steam Store. Synthrun launched in 2019.
Both FOTONICA and Synthrun sit in Indie on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 FOTONICA |  Synthrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89.2% positive (315 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Santa Ragione | Playrock Studios |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- FOTONICA (2014) is 5 years older than Synthrun (2019).
- Synthrun is currently ~93% cheaper on Steam than FOTONICA (0.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- FOTONICA is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Synthrun has no Deck rating yet.
FOTONICA vs Synthrun — FAQ
- Should I play FOTONICA or Synthrun first?
- If you want chronology, FOTONICA (2014) came out before Synthrun (2019). 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 FOTONICA and Synthrun similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Does Synthrun have multiplayer like FOTONICA?
- No. FOTONICA supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Synthrun is listed as single-player only.
- Does FOTONICA run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — FOTONICA is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Synthrun doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.