Choose SMASHING THE BATTLE
Choose SMASHING THE BATTLE if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 77.7% positive across 179 reviews.
SMASHING THE BATTLE vs The Initial
SMASHING THE BATTLE and The Initial both land in Action, Indie 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, Indie on Steam. SMASHING THE BATTLE (2016) is 1 year older than The Initial (2017). SMASHING THE BATTLE scores higher on Steam reviews (77.7% positive) than The Initial (66.7% 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 The Initial
Choose The Initial if you want an Adventure and RPG experience. The Initial launched in 2017.
Both SMASHING THE BATTLE and The Initial sit in Action and Indie 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
 SMASHING THE BATTLE |  The Initial | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 77.7% positive (179 reviews) | 66.7% positive (183 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Action Square(Studio HG) | Restory Studio |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- SMASHING THE BATTLE (2016) is 1 year older than The Initial (2017).
- SMASHING THE BATTLE scores higher on Steam reviews (77.7% positive) than The Initial (66.7% positive).
- The Initial is currently ~17% cheaper on Steam than SMASHING THE BATTLE (9.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- The Initial is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; SMASHING THE BATTLE has no Deck rating yet.
SMASHING THE BATTLE vs The Initial — FAQ
- Which is better, SMASHING THE BATTLE or The Initial?
- On Steam reviews SMASHING THE BATTLE scores higher (77.7% positive) than The Initial (66.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, SMASHING THE BATTLE is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play SMASHING THE BATTLE or The Initial first?
- If you want chronology, SMASHING THE BATTLE (2016) came out before The Initial (2017). 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 SMASHING THE BATTLE and The Initial similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie 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.