Choose Waves
Choose Waves if it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Waves launched in 2011.
Waves vs Vortex Attack EX
Waves and Vortex Attack EX both land in Action, Indie 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 Action, Indie on Steam. Waves (2011) is 8 years older than Vortex Attack EX (2019). Waves scores higher on Steam reviews (95.6% positive) than Vortex Attack EX (81.8% 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 Vortex Attack EX
Choose Vortex Attack EX if you want a Casual game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op. On Steam, it's the newer release (2019) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Vortex Attack EX launched in 2019.
Both Waves and Vortex Attack EX sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 Waves |  Vortex Attack EX | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2011 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.6% positive (884 reviews) | 81.8% positive (11 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Squid In A Box Ltd | KaleidoGames |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Waves (2011) is 8 years older than Vortex Attack EX (2019).
- Waves scores higher on Steam reviews (95.6% positive) than Vortex Attack EX (81.8% positive).
- Waves is free; Vortex Attack EX is paid (9.99 USD).
- Vortex Attack EX has co-op; Waves does not.
- Waves is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Vortex Attack EX has no Deck rating yet.
Waves vs Vortex Attack EX — FAQ
- Should I play Waves or Vortex Attack EX first?
- If you want chronology, Waves (2011) came out before Vortex Attack EX (2019). 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 Waves and Vortex Attack EX similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie 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 Waves have multiplayer like Vortex Attack EX?
- No. Vortex Attack EX supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Waves is listed as single-player only.
- Is Waves free?
- Yes — Waves is a free-to-play Steam title. Vortex Attack EX is paid (9.99 USD).
- Does Waves run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Waves is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Vortex Attack EX doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.