Choose Dakar 18
Choose Dakar 18 if you want the Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP side of the pairing. Dakar 18 launched in 2018.
Dakar 18 vs Car Tuning Simulator
Dakar 18 and Car Tuning Simulator both land in Sports, Adventure, 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 Sports, Adventure, Simulation on Steam. Dakar 18 (2018) is 3 years older than Car Tuning Simulator (2021). Dakar 18 scores higher on Steam reviews (65.2% positive) than Car Tuning Simulator (45.7% 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 Car Tuning Simulator
Choose Car Tuning Simulator if you want an Action, Indie, and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 97% cheaper on the Steam Store. Car Tuning Simulator launched in 2021.
Both Dakar 18 and Car Tuning Simulator sit in Sports, Adventure, and Simulation on Steam, 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
 Dakar 18 |  Car Tuning Simulator | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Genres | Sports, Adventure, Simulation, Racing | Action, Sports, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Casual, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 65.2% positive (287 reviews) | 45.7% positive (46 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Bigmoon Entertainment | Boom Games |
Side by side
- Both share Sports, Adventure, Simulation on Steam.
- Dakar 18 (2018) is 3 years older than Car Tuning Simulator (2021).
- Dakar 18 scores higher on Steam reviews (65.2% positive) than Car Tuning Simulator (45.7% positive).
- Car Tuning Simulator is currently ~97% cheaper on Steam than Dakar 18 (0.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Dakar 18 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Car Tuning Simulator has no Deck rating yet.
Dakar 18 vs Car Tuning Simulator — FAQ
- Should I play Dakar 18 or Car Tuning Simulator first?
- If you want chronology, Dakar 18 (2018) came out before Car Tuning Simulator (2021). 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 Dakar 18 and Car Tuning Simulator similar?
- They overlap on Sports, Adventure, 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 Car Tuning Simulator have multiplayer like Dakar 18?
- No. Dakar 18 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Car Tuning Simulator is listed as single-player only.
- Does Dakar 18 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Dakar 18 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Car Tuning Simulator doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.