Choose Aeon Drive
Choose Aeon Drive if you want the Steam Leaderboards, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Aeon Drive launched in 2021.
Aeon Drive vs Shovel Pirate
Aeon Drive and Shovel Pirate both land in Action, Indie, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. Aeon Drive (2021) is 3 years older than Shovel Pirate (2024). Shovel Pirate scores higher on Steam reviews (88.6% positive) than Aeon Drive (71.2% 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 Shovel Pirate
Choose Shovel Pirate if it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shovel Pirate launched in 2024.
Both Aeon Drive and Shovel Pirate sit in Action, Indie, and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP, 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
 Aeon Drive |  Shovel Pirate | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 1.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 71.2% positive (59 reviews) | 88.6% positive (44 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | 2Awesome Studio | Neutronized |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Aeon Drive (2021) is 3 years older than Shovel Pirate (2024).
- Shovel Pirate scores higher on Steam reviews (88.6% positive) than Aeon Drive (71.2% positive).
- Shovel Pirate is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Aeon Drive (1.49 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Aeon Drive has co-op; Shovel Pirate does not.
- Aeon Drive is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Shovel Pirate has no Deck rating yet.
Aeon Drive vs Shovel Pirate — FAQ
- Should I play Aeon Drive or Shovel Pirate first?
- If you want chronology, Aeon Drive (2021) came out before Shovel Pirate (2024). 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 Aeon Drive and Shovel Pirate similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Adventure 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 Aeon Drive run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Aeon Drive is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Shovel Pirate doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.