Choose Factorio
Choose Factorio if you want a Casual game with Multi-player, Online Co-op, and LAN Co-op. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 114,794 Steam reviews back the pick.
Factorio vs Idle Shapes
Factorio and Idle Shapes 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. Factorio (2020) is 2 years older than Idle Shapes (2022). Factorio scores higher on Steam reviews (98.3% positive) than Idle Shapes (83.3% 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 Idle Shapes
Choose Idle Shapes if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 97% cheaper on the Steam Store. Idle Shapes launched in 2022.
Both Factorio and Idle Shapes sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation 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
 Factorio |  Idle Shapes | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 35.00 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 98.3% positive (114,794 reviews) | 83.3% positive (12 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Wube Software LTD. | PaulArt |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Factorio (2020) is 2 years older than Idle Shapes (2022).
- Factorio scores higher on Steam reviews (98.3% positive) than Idle Shapes (83.3% positive).
- Idle Shapes is currently ~97% cheaper on Steam than Factorio (0.99 USD vs. 35.00 USD).
- Factorio has co-op; Idle Shapes does not.
- Factorio is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Idle Shapes has no Deck rating yet.
Factorio vs Idle Shapes — FAQ
- Should I play Factorio or Idle Shapes first?
- If you want chronology, Factorio (2020) came out before Idle Shapes (2022). 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 Factorio and Idle Shapes 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.
- Does Idle Shapes have multiplayer like Factorio?
- No. Factorio supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Idle Shapes is listed as single-player only.
- Does Factorio run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Factorio is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Idle Shapes doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.