Choose Space Grunts
Choose Space Grunts if you want a Strategy game with Steam Leaderboards. Space Grunts launched in 2016.
Space Grunts vs Space Mercenary Defense Force
Space Grunts and Space Mercenary Defense Force both land in Action, Indie, RPG 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 Action, Indie, RPG on Steam. Space Grunts (2016) is 7 years older than Space Mercenary Defense Force (2023). Space Mercenary Defense Force is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Space Grunts (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 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 Space Mercenary Defense Force
Choose Space Mercenary Defense Force if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Space Mercenary Defense Force launched in 2023.
Both Space Grunts and Space Mercenary Defense Force sit in Action, Indie, and RPG 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
 Space Grunts |  Space Mercenary Defense Force | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Indie, RPG | Action, Indie, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 82.9% positive (35 reviews) | 9 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Orangepixel | Tom Paradise |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, RPG on Steam.
- Space Grunts (2016) is 7 years older than Space Mercenary Defense Force (2023).
- Space Mercenary Defense Force is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Space Grunts (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Space Grunts is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Space Mercenary Defense Force has no Deck rating yet.
Space Grunts vs Space Mercenary Defense Force — FAQ
- Should I play Space Grunts or Space Mercenary Defense Force first?
- If you want chronology, Space Grunts (2016) came out before Space Mercenary Defense Force (2023). 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 Space Grunts and Space Mercenary Defense Force similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, RPG 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 Space Grunts run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Space Grunts is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Space Mercenary Defense Force doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.