Choose Magnetta
Choose Magnetta if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Magnetta launched in 2016.
Magnetta vs Sonic Mania
Magnetta and Sonic Mania both land in Action 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 Action games on Steam. Magnetta (2016) is 1 year older than Sonic Mania (2017). Sonic Mania scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Magnetta (56.3% 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 Sonic Mania
Choose Sonic Mania if you want an Adventure and Casual game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. 13,860 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Magnetta and Sonic Mania sit in Action on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 Magnetta |  Sonic Mania | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 56.3% positive (16 reviews) | 93.4% positive (13,860 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Heliocentric Studios | Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Magnetta (2016) is 1 year older than Sonic Mania (2017).
- Sonic Mania scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Magnetta (56.3% positive).
- Sonic Mania is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Magnetta (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Sonic Mania has co-op; Magnetta does not.
- Sonic Mania is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Magnetta has no Deck rating yet.
Magnetta vs Sonic Mania — FAQ
- Should I play Magnetta or Sonic Mania first?
- If you want chronology, Magnetta (2016) came out before Sonic Mania (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 Magnetta and Sonic Mania similar?
- They overlap on Action 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 Magnetta have multiplayer like Sonic Mania?
- No. Sonic Mania supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Magnetta is listed as single-player only.