Choose Ancient TD
Choose Ancient TD if you want the Multi-player, Online Co-op, and Camera Comfort side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Ancient TD launched in 2025.
Ancient TD vs The Merchant's Eden
Ancient TD and The Merchant's Eden both land in Strategy, Indie, 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 Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam. Ancient TD (2025) is 1 year older than The Merchant's Eden (2026). Ancient TD has co-op; The Merchant's Eden does not. 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 The Merchant's Eden
Choose The Merchant's Eden if you want the Touch Only Option and Save Anytime side of the pairing. On Steam, it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. The Merchant's Eden launched in 2026.
Both Ancient TD and The Merchant's Eden sit in Strategy, Indie, and Casual on Steam and both list Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, and Mouse Only Option, 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
 Ancient TD |  The Merchant's Eden | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 61.5% positive (13 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Ancient TD | Norse Sea Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Ancient TD (2025) is 1 year older than The Merchant's Eden (2026).
- Ancient TD has co-op; The Merchant's Eden does not.
Ancient TD vs The Merchant's Eden — FAQ
- Should I play Ancient TD or The Merchant's Eden first?
- If you want chronology, Ancient TD (2025) came out before The Merchant's Eden (2026). 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 Ancient TD and The Merchant's Eden similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, 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.
- Does The Merchant's Eden have multiplayer like Ancient TD?
- No. Ancient TD supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while The Merchant's Eden is listed as single-player only.