Choose Mafia
Choose Mafia if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 86.1% positive across 2,219 reviews.
Mafia vs Mafia III: Definitive Edition
Mafia and Mafia III: Definitive Edition both land in Action, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. Mafia (2002) is 18 years older than Mafia III: Definitive Edition (2020). Mafia scores higher on Steam reviews (86.1% positive) than Mafia III: Definitive Edition (60.9% 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 Mafia III: Definitive Edition
Choose Mafia III: Definitive Edition if it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 16,029 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Mafia and Mafia III: Definitive Edition sit in Action and Adventure 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
 Mafia |  Mafia III: Definitive Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2002 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure | Action, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.1% positive (2,219 reviews) | 60.9% positive (16,029 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Illusion Softworks | Hangar 13, Aspyr (Mac) |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- Mafia (2002) is 18 years older than Mafia III: Definitive Edition (2020).
- Mafia scores higher on Steam reviews (86.1% positive) than Mafia III: Definitive Edition (60.9% positive).
- Mafia is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Mafia III: Definitive Edition (14.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
Mafia vs Mafia III: Definitive Edition — FAQ
- Which is better, Mafia or Mafia III: Definitive Edition?
- On Steam reviews Mafia scores higher (86.1% positive) than Mafia III: Definitive Edition (60.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Mafia is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Mafia or Mafia III: Definitive Edition first?
- If you want chronology, Mafia (2002) came out before Mafia III: Definitive Edition (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 Mafia and Mafia III: Definitive Edition similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure 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.