Choose Dwarf Fortress
Choose Dwarf Fortress if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 23,734 Steam reviews back the pick.
Dwarf Fortress vs The Colony Experiment
Dwarf Fortress and The Colony Experiment 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. Dwarf Fortress is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Colony Experiment has no Deck rating yet. 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 The Colony Experiment
Choose The Colony Experiment if you want a Casual experience.
Both Dwarf Fortress and The Colony Experiment 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 |  The Colony Experiment | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2022 | — |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 23.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 95% positive (23,734 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Bay 12 Games | Bilboldev |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Dwarf Fortress is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Colony Experiment has no Deck rating yet.
Dwarf Fortress vs The Colony Experiment — FAQ
- Are Dwarf Fortress and The Colony Experiment 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. The Colony Experiment doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.