SMILE GAME BUILDER vs RPG Maker MZ
SMILE GAME BUILDER and RPG Maker MZ both land in Design & Illustration, Web Publishing, Game Development 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 Design & Illustration, Web Publishing, Game Development on Steam. SMILE GAME BUILDER (2016) is 4 years older than RPG Maker MZ (2020). RPG Maker MZ scores higher on Steam reviews (87.1% positive) than SMILE GAME BUILDER (84.3% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Side-by-side comparison
 SMILE GAME BUILDER |  RPG Maker MZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Genres | Design & Illustration, Web Publishing, Game Development | RPG, Design & Illustration, Education, Web Publishing, Game Development |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 13.99 USD | 79.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 84.3% positive (134 reviews) | 87.1% positive (1,034 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | SmileBoom Co.Ltd. | Gotcha Gotcha Games, KADOKAWA, Yoji Ojima |
Side by side
- Both share Design & Illustration, Web Publishing, Game Development on Steam.
- SMILE GAME BUILDER (2016) is 4 years older than RPG Maker MZ (2020).
- RPG Maker MZ scores higher on Steam reviews (87.1% positive) than SMILE GAME BUILDER (84.3% positive).
- SMILE GAME BUILDER is currently ~83% cheaper on Steam than RPG Maker MZ (13.99 USD vs. 79.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Unsupported.
SMILE GAME BUILDER vs RPG Maker MZ — FAQ
- Which is better, SMILE GAME BUILDER or RPG Maker MZ?
- On Steam reviews RPG Maker MZ scores higher (87.1% positive) than SMILE GAME BUILDER (84.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, RPG Maker MZ is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play SMILE GAME BUILDER or RPG Maker MZ first?
- If you want chronology, SMILE GAME BUILDER (2016) came out before RPG Maker MZ (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 SMILE GAME BUILDER and RPG Maker MZ similar?
- They overlap on Design & Illustration, Web Publishing, Game Development 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.