Choose Griptape Backbone
Choose Griptape Backbone if it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Griptape Backbone launched in 2017.
Griptape Backbone vs hoVRboard
Griptape Backbone and hoVRboard both land in 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 are Indie games on Steam. Griptape Backbone (2017) is 2 years older than hoVRboard (2019). Both sit near 93% positive on Steam (Griptape Backbone: 457 reviews, hoVRboard: 29). 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 hoVRboard
Choose hoVRboard if you want an Action, Sports, and Simulation game with Tracked Controller Support and VR Only. hoVRboard launched in 2019.
Both Griptape Backbone and hoVRboard sit in Indie on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (93.4% vs 93.1% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Griptape Backbone |  hoVRboard | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2019 |
| Genres | Indie | Action, Sports, Indie, Simulation, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 11.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.4% positive (457 reviews) | 93.1% positive (29 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | StevenHarmonGames | TomyHorst |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Griptape Backbone (2017) is 2 years older than hoVRboard (2019).
- Both sit near 93% positive on Steam (Griptape Backbone: 457 reviews, hoVRboard: 29).
- Griptape Backbone is free; hoVRboard is paid (11.99 USD).
Griptape Backbone vs hoVRboard — FAQ
- Should I play Griptape Backbone or hoVRboard first?
- If you want chronology, Griptape Backbone (2017) came out before hoVRboard (2019). 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 Griptape Backbone and hoVRboard similar?
- They overlap on 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 Griptape Backbone free?
- Yes — Griptape Backbone is a free-to-play Steam title. hoVRboard is paid (11.99 USD).