Choose Mobile Astro
Choose Mobile Astro if it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Mobile Astro launched in 2016.
Mobile Astro vs Project AETHER: First Contact
Mobile Astro and Project AETHER: First Contact 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. Mobile Astro (2016) is 4 years older than Project AETHER: First Contact (2020). Mobile Astro is free; Project AETHER: First Contact is paid (12.99 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 Project AETHER: First Contact
Choose Project AETHER: First Contact if it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Project AETHER: First Contact launched in 2020.
Both Mobile Astro and Project AETHER: First Contact sit in Action and Indie 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
 Mobile Astro |  Project AETHER: First Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 65.2% positive (66 reviews) | 8 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Raxasoft Games | Sleepy Spider Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Mobile Astro (2016) is 4 years older than Project AETHER: First Contact (2020).
- Mobile Astro is free; Project AETHER: First Contact is paid (12.99 USD).
- Mobile Astro is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Project AETHER: First Contact has no Deck rating yet.
Mobile Astro vs Project AETHER: First Contact — FAQ
- Should I play Mobile Astro or Project AETHER: First Contact first?
- If you want chronology, Mobile Astro (2016) came out before Project AETHER: First Contact (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 Mobile Astro and Project AETHER: First Contact 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.
- Is Mobile Astro free?
- Yes — Mobile Astro is a free-to-play Steam title. Project AETHER: First Contact is paid (12.99 USD).