Alternate Reality: The City vs The Last Tinker: City of Colors
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.


In Alternate Reality: The City, players are abducted from Earth and thrust into a familiar yet strange metropolis in an alternate dimension. Your mission is to uncover clues about your captors and find a way back home while navigating a richly detailed sci‑fi world. The game blends classic first‑person RPG mechanics—skills, stats, experience, and a variety of shops—with a moral alignment system that reacts to your actions, influencing how the environment treats you. Encounters can be resolved through combat, trickery, charm, or bribery, offering multiple paths to progress. The storyline is non‑linear, allowing you to take jobs to boost specific skills or simply pass time, and your choices determine whether you become a force for good or evil. Released in 1985, this single‑player experience is available on iOS and Mac, delivering retro RPG depth with a unique moral evaluation system.
Koru, a boy from the slums of Colortown, embarks on a joyous quest to defeat the Bleakness, a dark force threatening to erase all happiness. Using color and emotion as weapons, he brings life back to a world drained of its hue. The game blends platforming elements with a unique no‑jump mechanic, delivering an indie fantasy adventure filled with humor and heartfelt storytelling. Play solo across PC, Mac, Linux, and PlayStation 4.
- Deep moral alignment system
- Non‑linear quest structure
- Multiple encounter resolution methods
- Classic retro RPG feel
- Innovative color‑based combat system
- Charming hand‑drawn art style
- Engaging story with humor
- Available on multiple platforms
- Limited platform availability (iOS, Mac only)
- Graphics dated by modern standards
- No multiplayer or online features
- Limited combat depth for hardcore players
- No multiplayer or co‑op mode
- Short overall campaign length
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Alternate Reality: The City
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A vibrant action adventure where color restores joy to a bleak world.
Alternatives to The Last Tinker: City of Colors
View all →The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataAlternate Reality: The City offers a retro, choice‑driven RPG experience on iOS/Mac, while The Last Tinker delivers a colorful, indie action‑adventure on many platforms.
Key differences
- •Genre: classic sci‑fi turn‑based RPG vs. platform‑action adventure with paint‑based combat.
- •Platform coverage: iOS & Mac only vs. PlayStation 4, Windows, macOS, Linux.
- •Release era and style: 1985 retro graphics vs. 2014 hand‑drawn, vibrant visuals.
- •Combat depth: multiple resolution methods (trickery, bribery) vs. limited combat depth for hardcore players.
- •Replay value: moral alignment tracks affect NPCs vs. shorter campaign with limited replayability.
Gameplay & fun factor
Offers deep moral alignment, non‑linear quests, multiple encounter resolutions, appealing to RPG fans.
Platform availability
Supports PS4, Windows, macOS, Linux, whereas Alternate Reality runs only on iOS and Mac.
Price & value
Both are paid one‑time titles; no price data for A, B is $19.99, making direct cost comparison unavailable.
Multiplayer / co‑op
Both are single‑player only.
Content & replayability
Moral alignment and non‑linear quests give higher replay potential than B's short campaign.
Difficulty & accessibility
B removes the jump button and uses simple paint mechanics, likely easier for casual players than A's turn‑based system.
Graphics & performance
B features hand‑drawn, vibrant visuals; A's graphics are dated by modern standards.
Choose Alternate Reality: The City if…
RPG enthusiasts who value deep story choices and don't need broad platform support.
Choose The Last Tinker: City of Colors if…
Players seeking a colorful, easy‑to‑pick‑up action adventure on multiple modern platforms.
Common questions
Which game is cheaper?
The Last Tinker lists a price of $19.99; Alternate Reality's price is not specified.
Can I play either game on Windows?
The Last Tinker supports Windows; Alternate Reality is limited to iOS and Mac.
Do either of these games have multiplayer?
Both titles are single‑player only.




