Choose Fantastic Contraption
Choose Fantastic Contraption if you want the SteamVR Collectibles side of the pairing. Fantastic Contraption launched in 2016.
Fantastic Contraption vs Handy Machines VR
Fantastic Contraption and Handy Machines VR both land in Strategy, 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 Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Fantastic Contraption (2016) is 4 years older than Handy Machines VR (2020). Handy Machines VR is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than Fantastic Contraption (2.99 USD vs. 19.99 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 Handy Machines VR
Choose Handy Machines VR if you want a Casual game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's currently about 85% cheaper on the Steam Store. Handy Machines VR launched in 2020.
Both Fantastic Contraption and Handy Machines VR sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation on Steam and both list Tracked Controller Support and VR Only, 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
 Fantastic Contraption |  Handy Machines VR | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 2.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 71.4% positive (35 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Northway Games, Radial Games Corp | Milan Matonok, Daniel Rychlý |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Fantastic Contraption (2016) is 4 years older than Handy Machines VR (2020).
- Handy Machines VR is currently ~85% cheaper on Steam than Fantastic Contraption (2.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Fantastic Contraption is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Handy Machines VR has no Deck rating yet.
Fantastic Contraption vs Handy Machines VR — FAQ
- Should I play Fantastic Contraption or Handy Machines VR first?
- If you want chronology, Fantastic Contraption (2016) came out before Handy Machines VR (2020). 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 Fantastic Contraption and Handy Machines VR similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.