Choose Dwarf Fortress
Choose Dwarf Fortress if it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 23,734 Steam reviews back the pick.
Dwarf Fortress vs Mermaid Colony
Dwarf Fortress and Mermaid Colony both land in Strategy, Indie, 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, Indie, Simulation on Steam. Mermaid Colony (2019) is 3 years older than Dwarf Fortress (2022). Dwarf Fortress scores higher on Steam reviews (95% positive) than Mermaid Colony (52.6% 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 Mermaid Colony
Choose Mermaid Colony if it's currently about 58% cheaper on the Steam Store. Mermaid Colony launched in 2019.
Both Dwarf Fortress and Mermaid Colony sit in Strategy, Indie, 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
 Dwarf Fortress |  Mermaid Colony | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | 2019 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 23.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95% positive (23,734 reviews) | 52.6% positive (19 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Bay 12 Games | M. Hanka |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Mermaid Colony (2019) is 3 years older than Dwarf Fortress (2022).
- Dwarf Fortress scores higher on Steam reviews (95% positive) than Mermaid Colony (52.6% positive).
- Mermaid Colony is currently ~58% cheaper on Steam than Dwarf Fortress (9.99 USD vs. 23.99 USD).
- Dwarf Fortress is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Mermaid Colony has no Deck rating yet.
Dwarf Fortress vs Mermaid Colony — FAQ
- Should I play Dwarf Fortress or Mermaid Colony first?
- If you want chronology, Mermaid Colony (2019) came out before Dwarf Fortress (2022). 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 Dwarf Fortress and Mermaid Colony similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, 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 Dwarf Fortress run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Dwarf Fortress is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Mermaid Colony doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.