Choose Alpha Runner
Choose Alpha Runner if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Alpha Runner launched in 2015.
Alpha Runner vs The Sky Climber
Alpha Runner and The Sky Climber both land in 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 Indie, Casual on Steam. Alpha Runner (2015) is 3 years older than The Sky Climber (2018). Alpha Runner is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than The Sky Climber (0.99 USD vs. 1.99 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 The Sky Climber
Choose The Sky Climber if it's the newer release (2018) and ships with the modern feature baseline. The Sky Climber launched in 2018.
Both Alpha Runner and The Sky Climber sit in Indie and Casual on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 Alpha Runner |  The Sky Climber | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2018 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Casual | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 78.1% positive (64 reviews) | 7 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | LightsoutGames | Tormentor Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Alpha Runner (2015) is 3 years older than The Sky Climber (2018).
- Alpha Runner is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than The Sky Climber (0.99 USD vs. 1.99 USD).
- Alpha Runner is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; The Sky Climber has no Deck rating yet.
Alpha Runner vs The Sky Climber — FAQ
- Should I play Alpha Runner or The Sky Climber first?
- If you want chronology, Alpha Runner (2015) came out before The Sky Climber (2018). 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 Alpha Runner and The Sky Climber similar?
- They overlap on 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 Alpha Runner run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Alpha Runner is rated Deck Verified by Valve. The Sky Climber doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.