Choose Taking Root
Choose Taking Root if you want an Indie experience. Taking Root launched in 2024.
Taking Root vs Happy Puppy
Taking Root and Happy Puppy 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. Taking Root (2024) is 1 year older than Happy Puppy (2025). Happy Puppy is currently ~79% cheaper on Steam than Taking Root (2.51 USD vs. 11.99 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 Happy Puppy
Choose Happy Puppy if it's currently about 79% cheaper on the Steam Store. Happy Puppy launched in 2025.
Both Taking Root and Happy Puppy sit in Simulation and Casual 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
 Taking Root |  Happy Puppy | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, Casual | Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 2.51 USD |
| Steam reviews | 9 reviews | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | hacktic | Aminur Rahaman |
Side by side
- Both share Simulation, Casual on Steam.
- Taking Root (2024) is 1 year older than Happy Puppy (2025).
- Happy Puppy is currently ~79% cheaper on Steam than Taking Root (2.51 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
Taking Root vs Happy Puppy — FAQ
- Should I play Taking Root or Happy Puppy first?
- If you want chronology, Taking Root (2024) came out before Happy Puppy (2025). 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 Taking Root and Happy Puppy 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.