Choose Surviving Mars
Choose Surviving Mars if you want a Simulation experience. 10,552 Steam reviews back the pick.
Surviving Mars vs Mars vs. Robots
Surviving Mars and Mars vs. Robots both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Surviving Mars (2018) is 6 years older than Mars vs. Robots (2024). Mars vs. Robots is free; Surviving Mars is paid (Price unknown). 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 Mars vs. Robots
Choose Mars vs. Robots if you want an Action and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Mars vs. Robots launched in 2024.
Both Surviving Mars and Mars vs. Robots sit in Strategy 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
 Surviving Mars |  Mars vs. Robots | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation | Action, Strategy, Free To Play |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | Price unknown | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 79% positive (10,552 reviews) | 8 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Haemimont Games, Abstraction | SUPERita |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Surviving Mars (2018) is 6 years older than Mars vs. Robots (2024).
- Mars vs. Robots is free; Surviving Mars is paid (Price unknown).
- Surviving Mars is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Mars vs. Robots has no Deck rating yet.
Surviving Mars vs Mars vs. Robots — FAQ
- Should I play Surviving Mars or Mars vs. Robots first?
- If you want chronology, Surviving Mars (2018) came out before Mars vs. Robots (2024). 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 Surviving Mars and Mars vs. Robots similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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.
- Is Mars vs. Robots free?
- Yes — Mars vs. Robots is a free-to-play Steam title. Surviving Mars is paid (Price unknown).