If you're curious about SMITE or League of Legends, let's take a look at some differences and similarities between both games.
Before we start talking about the games, here is a basic overview of both:
- League of Legends is a MOBA released in 2009 by Riot Games. League of Legends follows its own created lore, calling the playable characters champions.
- SMITE is a MOBA released in 2014 by Hi-Rez Studios, developed by Titan Forge Games. SMITE uses gods from existing mythologies and religions and implements them into the game, calling the playable characters gods.
In this article, we take a look at the differences between SMITE and League of Legends, the aesthetics, the gameplay, and more.
Aesthetics
There is a big difference between SMITE and League of Legends when it comes to game feel and aesthetics.
SMITE is third-person while League of Legends has a top-down view like other MOBAs.
Some consider a 3rd person experience more immersive, SMITE is designed around that, the point of view is a big difference.
Both SMITE and League of Legends have updates regarding graphics as time passes, deciding which one looks better is far too subjective, so the only way to know is to download both games and take a look yourself.
The style of the games is not the same, as you would expect, League of Legends has a little bit of a cartoonish feel, while SMITE goes toward realism.
Gameplay
Both games are MOBAs, there is a set map layout with different lanes, and each player takes up a role in the game.
League of Legends has besides Summoner's Rift, an ARAM game mode that potentially takes less time to finish than a normal game.
Summoner's Rift is a regular map with three lanes, while ARAM is a map with a single lane and some gameplay changes.
SMITE, besides the Conquest game mode, which is the normal map with three lanes, the game also has the Arena and 4 other game modes.
In the Arena game mode, your team has minions and so does your opponent, your goal is to escort your minions to the enemy portal while protecting your portal from the enemy's minions.
League of Legends occasionally features custom game modes, but they are more like an eventual feature rather than usual game modes you can play at any time.
Another difference in the gameplay is the changes due to SMITE being in the third person and League of Legends being top-down.
In SMITE you have to aim your attacks all the time, but in League, you can see a clear UI indication of what the skill will do, and most skills do not require aiming to a target.
Which game has more playable characters?
League of Legends has over150 champions.
SMITE has over110 gods.
So in December 2021 League of Legends has more playable characters.
Both games only offer certain playable characters for free, and you have to buy the others with an in-game currency or real-life money.
A big difference in monetization is that SMITE offers a bundle thatunlocks all current and future gods for you.
The SMITE Ultimate God Pack, or god pack, is available for $30, and after buying it once you do not have to worry about buying gods ever again.
League of Legends have champion bundles, but none of them get close to unlocking a significant amount of champions for a price as SMITE offers.
Although League of Legends does not have a bundle with all characters available like SMITE does, the game is generous on events and will give you free champion shards that give you a discount on champions.
Community
Both SMITE and League of Legends have been around for some good time now.
Observing some media I would say that League of Legends has a bigger community than SMITE.
If you want to find a SMITE Twitch streamer to watch, for example, you will have fewer options than if you tried to find a League of Legends streamer.
The subreddit of both games also shows a great difference between both games.
In December 2021, the subreddit for League of Legends has 5.5m members, while the subreddit for SMITE has 365.000 members.
It's important to notice that both games have a considerable community size, you're able to find a Discord community for support and discussions about the game in both communities.
On the other side of the coin, both communities have cases of toxicity alleged by the players.
Skins
MOBAs often resort to cosmetics being sold as microtransactions, rather than selling in-game powerful items to the players.
Both SMITE and League of Legends have a good amount of skins.
- League of Legends has around over 1200 skins.
- SMITE has around over 1600 skins.
In SMITE, you can see a 3d model of the in-game skin on the shop.
When buying a skin in League of Legends, you have to search online for the skin in-game model if you want to check it.
League of Legends has skin shards that you can use to unlock skins for free, and you get them at certain events.
In SMITE it is more difficult to get rewarded free skins, you can get skins by watching certain streamers and for not being banned, although there are a few more ways to get free skins in SMITE, it is more limited than League.
Should you play SMITE or League of Legends?
You should answer this one.
Both are great MOBAs and will give you different gameplay and overall experience.
If you play one of them but you're still curious about the other, remember that both games are free, and giving the other game a try doesn't hurt!
