Choose Z
Choose Z if you want an Action game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Z launched in 2014.
Z vs Total Annihilation
Z and Total Annihilation both land in Strategy 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 Strategy games on Steam. Z (2014) is 1 year older than Total Annihilation (2015). Total Annihilation scores higher on Steam reviews (96.6% positive) than Z (66.9% 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 Total Annihilation
Choose Total Annihilation if you want the Multi-player side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.6% positive across 2,497 reviews.
Both Z and Total Annihilation sit in Strategy 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
 Z |  Total Annihilation | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2015 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy | Strategy |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 6.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66.9% positive (504 reviews) | 96.6% positive (2,497 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player |
| Developers | TickTock Games | Cavedog Entertainment |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Z (2014) is 1 year older than Total Annihilation (2015).
- Total Annihilation scores higher on Steam reviews (96.6% positive) than Z (66.9% positive).
- Total Annihilation is currently ~29% cheaper on Steam than Z (4.99 USD vs. 6.99 USD).
- Total Annihilation is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Z has no Deck rating yet.
Z vs Total Annihilation — FAQ
- Which is better, Z or Total Annihilation?
- On Steam reviews Total Annihilation scores higher (96.6% positive) than Z (66.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Total Annihilation is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Z or Total Annihilation first?
- If you want chronology, Z (2014) came out before Total Annihilation (2015). 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 Z and Total Annihilation similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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 Z have multiplayer like Total Annihilation?
- No. Total Annihilation supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Z is listed as single-player only.