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 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.