Choose National Machine
Choose National Machine if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. National Machine launched in 2018.
National Machine vs Ground of Aces
National Machine and Ground of Aces both land in Strategy, Simulation, Early Access 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, Early Access on Steam. National Machine (2018) is 7 years older than Ground of Aces (2025). Ground of Aces scores higher on Steam reviews (85.2% positive) than National Machine (52.4% 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 Ground of Aces
Choose Ground of Aces if you want the Camera Comfort, Custom Volume Controls, and Playable without Timed Input side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Ground of Aces launched in 2025.
Both National Machine and Ground of Aces sit in Strategy, Simulation, and Early Access 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
 National Machine |  Ground of Aces | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Early Access | Strategy, Simulation, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 52.4% positive (21 reviews) | 85.2% positive (831 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Eric Sun | Blindflug Studios AG |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Simulation, Early Access on Steam.
- National Machine (2018) is 7 years older than Ground of Aces (2025).
- Ground of Aces scores higher on Steam reviews (85.2% positive) than National Machine (52.4% positive).
- National Machine is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Ground of Aces (14.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Ground of Aces is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; National Machine has no Deck rating yet.
National Machine vs Ground of Aces — FAQ
- Should I play National Machine or Ground of Aces first?
- If you want chronology, National Machine (2018) came out before Ground of Aces (2025). 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 National Machine and Ground of Aces similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Simulation, Early Access 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.