Choose Backstage Pass
Choose Backstage Pass if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Backstage Pass launched in 2016.
Backstage Pass vs Animal Lover
Backstage Pass and Animal Lover both land in 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 Indie, Simulation on Steam. Backstage Pass (2016) is 1 year older than Animal Lover (2017). Animal Lover scores higher on Steam reviews (89.3% positive) than Backstage Pass (87.7% 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 Animal Lover
Choose Animal Lover if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. Animal Lover launched in 2017.
Both Backstage Pass and Animal Lover sit in Indie and Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (87.7% vs 89.3% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Backstage Pass |  Animal Lover | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.7% positive (195 reviews) | 89.3% positive (103 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | sakevisual | Trainwreck Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Backstage Pass (2016) is 1 year older than Animal Lover (2017).
- Animal Lover scores higher on Steam reviews (89.3% positive) than Backstage Pass (87.7% positive).
- Animal Lover is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Backstage Pass (9.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Animal Lover is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Backstage Pass has no Deck rating yet.
Backstage Pass vs Animal Lover — FAQ
- Which is better, Backstage Pass or Animal Lover?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: Backstage Pass sits at 87.7% positive (195 reviews), Animal Lover at 89.3% (103). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play Backstage Pass or Animal Lover first?
- If you want chronology, Backstage Pass (2016) came out before Animal Lover (2017). 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 Backstage Pass and Animal Lover similar?
- They overlap on 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.