Choose Planet Zoo
Choose Planet Zoo if you want a Casual experience. 41,603 Steam reviews back the pick.
Planet Zoo vs Planet Zoo 2
Planet Zoo and Planet Zoo 2 both land in Strategy, Simulation 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 Strategy, Simulation on Steam. Planet Zoo (2019) is 7 years older than Planet Zoo 2 (2026). Planet Zoo is currently ~10% cheaper on Steam than Planet Zoo 2 (44.99 USD vs. 49.99 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 Planet Zoo 2
Choose Planet Zoo 2 if you want the DualShock Controller Support, DualSense Controller Support, and Adjustable Text Size side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Planet Zoo 2 launched in 2026.
Both Planet Zoo and Planet Zoo 2 sit in Strategy and Simulation on Steam and both list HDR available, 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
 Planet Zoo |  Planet Zoo 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Simulation, Casual | Strategy, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 44.99 USD | 49.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.3% positive (41,603 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Frontier Developments | Frontier Developments |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation on Steam.
- Planet Zoo (2019) is 7 years older than Planet Zoo 2 (2026).
- Planet Zoo is currently ~10% cheaper on Steam than Planet Zoo 2 (44.99 USD vs. 49.99 USD).
- Planet Zoo is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Planet Zoo 2 has no Deck rating yet.
Planet Zoo vs Planet Zoo 2 — FAQ
- Should I play Planet Zoo or Planet Zoo 2 first?
- If you want chronology, Planet Zoo (2019) came out before Planet Zoo 2 (2026). 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 Planet Zoo and Planet Zoo 2 similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation 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 Planet Zoo run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Planet Zoo is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Planet Zoo 2 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.