Choose Cities XXL
Choose Cities XXL if it's currently about 78% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,010 Steam reviews back the pick.
Cities XXL vs Planet Zoo
Cities XXL and Planet Zoo both land in 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 are Simulation games on Steam. Cities XXL (2015) is 4 years older than Planet Zoo (2019). Planet Zoo scores higher on Steam reviews (91.3% positive) than Cities XXL (34.3% 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 Planet Zoo
Choose Planet Zoo if you want a Strategy and Casual game with HDR available. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.3% positive across 41,603 reviews.
Both Cities XXL and Planet Zoo sit in Simulation 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
 Cities XXL |  Planet Zoo | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Genres | Simulation | Strategy, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 44.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 34.3% positive (1,010 reviews) | 91.3% positive (41,603 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Focus Entertainment | Frontier Developments |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- Cities XXL (2015) is 4 years older than Planet Zoo (2019).
- Planet Zoo scores higher on Steam reviews (91.3% positive) than Cities XXL (34.3% positive).
- Cities XXL is currently ~78% cheaper on Steam than Planet Zoo (9.99 USD vs. 44.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Cities XXL vs Planet Zoo — FAQ
- Which is better, Cities XXL or Planet Zoo?
- On Steam reviews Planet Zoo scores higher (91.3% positive) than Cities XXL (34.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Planet Zoo is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Cities XXL or Planet Zoo first?
- If you want chronology, Cities XXL (2015) came out before Planet Zoo (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 Cities XXL and Planet Zoo similar?
- They overlap on 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.