Choose Moonbase Alpha
Choose Moonbase Alpha if you want an Adventure game with Steam Leaderboards and Valve Anti-Cheat enabled. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 91.9% positive across 10,478 reviews.
Moonbase Alpha vs Spacebase Startopia
Moonbase Alpha and Spacebase Startopia both land in Strategy, 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, Simulation on Steam. Moonbase Alpha (2010) is 11 years older than Spacebase Startopia (2021). Moonbase Alpha scores higher on Steam reviews (91.9% positive) than Spacebase Startopia (50% 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 Spacebase Startopia
Choose Spacebase Startopia if you want the Online PvP, Online Co-op, and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Spacebase Startopia launched in 2021.
Both Moonbase Alpha and Spacebase Startopia sit in Strategy and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player and Co-op, 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
 Moonbase Alpha |  Spacebase Startopia | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2010 | 2021 |
| Genres | Strategy, Adventure, Simulation | Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | Free to play | 8.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.9% positive (10,478 reviews) | 50% positive (234 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Virtual Heroes, Army Game Studio | Realmforge Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Moonbase Alpha (2010) is 11 years older than Spacebase Startopia (2021).
- Moonbase Alpha scores higher on Steam reviews (91.9% positive) than Spacebase Startopia (50% positive).
- Moonbase Alpha is free; Spacebase Startopia is paid (8.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Moonbase Alpha is Deck Playable, Spacebase Startopia is Deck Verified.
Moonbase Alpha vs Spacebase Startopia — FAQ
- Which is better, Moonbase Alpha or Spacebase Startopia?
- On Steam reviews Moonbase Alpha scores higher (91.9% positive) than Spacebase Startopia (50% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Moonbase Alpha is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Moonbase Alpha or Spacebase Startopia first?
- If you want chronology, Moonbase Alpha (2010) came out before Spacebase Startopia (2021). 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 Moonbase Alpha and Spacebase Startopia similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.
- Do both Moonbase Alpha and Spacebase Startopia have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Moonbase Alpha ships Co-op; Spacebase Startopia ships Online Co-op, Co-op.
- Is Moonbase Alpha free?
- Yes — Moonbase Alpha is a free-to-play Steam title. Spacebase Startopia is paid (8.99 USD).