Time Wasters similar games & best alternatives
Time Wasters
2023
Related articles
Quick resume
Time Wasters is a space shooter bullet heaven roguelite. Equip and upgrade weapons, destroy swarms of enemies, and collect Time & Space Cubes to bend the timeline to your advantage.
Global score
88/100
Genres
Action, Casual, Indie, Role-playing (RPG)
Similar games
Pros
- Addictive and engaging gameplay loop
- Strong meta progression and unlock system
- Unique planet mechanics adding strategic depth
- Low price with high entertainment value
- Frequent updates and developer support
Cons
- Limited map variety and enemy diversity
- Some balance issues and difficulty spikes
- Ai-generated art criticized by some players
- Repetitive music and visual overload at times
- Lack of multiplayer or social features
Analysis
Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership, Violence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Survival. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Story, Exploration.
How to use the graph
Similar games map
Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.
- Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
- Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
- Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
- Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.
Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.
Motivations
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Autonomy4
"Players have freedom to choose captains, crew members, and upgrade paths, and can direct their movement and aiming, allowing control over playstyle and decisions."
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Competence4
"The game offers skill-based challenges, requiring dodging, positioning, and build optimization with feedback from progression and boss fights."
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Competition-3
"Focus is on individual progression and personal goals rather than direct competition or ranked modes."
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Continuation4
"Players report addictive gameplay loops, frequent returns for runs, and meta progression encouraging habitual play."
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Cooperation-4
"Gameplay is single-player focused with no multiplayer or cooperative mechanics; players engage independently."
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Creativity3
"Customization of crew and builds, choice of upgrades, and strategic use of planets allow creative approaches within defined structures."
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Domination-4
"Interactions are primarily solo and balanced; no evidence of exerting control or superiority over other players."
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Escapism5
"Strong reports of immersion and trance-like 'machine zone' states, with players using the game as a distraction and stress relief."
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Expectation-4
"Players engage voluntarily for fun and personal interest, with no indication of obligation or external pressure."
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Experimenting3
"Players try different captains, weapon combinations, and strategies, exploring mechanics and builds."
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Exploration-2
"The game features a single static map with fixed planet locations; limited discovery but some strategic movement around the map."
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Expression2
"Players customize their ship's crew and upgrades, but character portraits and art are mostly fixed with minimal cosmetic personalization."
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Fantasy4
"Set in a sci-fi space setting with anime-style characters and fantastical weapons, providing an imaginative fiction experience."
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Fellowship-4
"No multiplayer or social community features; players mostly play solo with minimal social connection."
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Growth4
"Strong meta progression, unlocks, and skill development reported, with players learning builds and improving over time."
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Health-4
"Sedentary gameplay with reports of long sessions and ignoring physical needs; no physical activity involved."
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Idle-4
"Requires constant attention and active control; fast-paced and intense gameplay demands focus."
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Intimacy-5
"No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional sharing; gameplay is individual and surface-level."
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Leadership-5
"No leadership or group management roles; players act independently without guiding others."
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Progression5
"Strong emphasis on accumulating upgrades, items, and permanent unlocks through meta progression."
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Relaxation2
"Some players experience flow and catharsis, but the game also involves sustained tension and challenge."
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Sensation4
"Bright, flashy visuals and intense audio effects provide strong sensory stimulation and excitement."
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Status-4
"No social recognition or leaderboards; achievements and progress are personal and not publicly ranked."
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Story-3
"Minimal narrative or lore; gameplay focuses on action and challenges rather than story immersion."
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Strategy4
"Players plan builds, manage upgrades, and navigate map mechanics requiring tactical thinking and problem solving."
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Thrill3
"Fast-paced action and boss fights create suspense and excitement, though some frustration reported with difficulty spikes."
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Value5
"Highly praised for low price and strong entertainment value; players feel they get excellent return on investment."
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Violence3
"Combat and destruction of enemies is central, with emphasis on shooting and defeating waves of foes."
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Survival4
"Core gameplay involves avoiding death, managing shields and hull, and overcoming increasingly difficult enemy waves."
Last update: 29/04/2026