Choose The Lab
Choose The Lab if you want a Free To Play game with Steam Leaderboards and SteamVR Collectibles. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 4,429 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Lab vs Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
The Lab and Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades sit side-by-side in player discussions even though their catalogue tags only partly overlap. 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: The Lab (2016) is 10 years older than Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades (2026). Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades scores higher on Steam reviews (97% positive) than The Lab (95.1% positive). The Lab is free; Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades is paid (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 Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Choose Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades if you want an Action and Simulation experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 23,772 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both The Lab and Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades ship Tracked Controller Support and VR Only on Steam, so either pick lands close enough that the choice is taste, not category. Steam reviews are nearly tied (95.1% vs 97% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 The Lab |  Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2026 |
| Genres | Free To Play | Action, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | Free to play | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.1% positive (4,429 reviews) | 97% positive (23,772 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Valve | RUST LTD. |
Side by side
- The Lab (2016) is 10 years older than Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades (2026).
- Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades scores higher on Steam reviews (97% positive) than The Lab (95.1% positive).
- The Lab is free; Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades is paid (19.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
The Lab vs Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades — FAQ
- Which is better, The Lab or Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: The Lab sits at 95.1% positive (4,429 reviews), Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades at 97% (23,772). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play The Lab or Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades first?
- If you want chronology, The Lab (2016) came out before Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades (2026). 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.
- Is The Lab free?
- Yes — The Lab is a free-to-play Steam title. Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades is paid (19.99 USD).