Choose Cat in the Box
Choose Cat in the Box if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Cat in the Box launched in 2020.
Cat in the Box vs Tide Up
Cat in the Box and Tide Up both land in 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 Indie, Adventure on Steam. Cat in the Box (2020) is 2 years older than Tide Up (2022). Tide Up scores higher on Steam reviews (94% positive) than Cat in the Box (90.9% 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 Tide Up
Choose Tide Up if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Tide Up launched in 2022.
Both Cat in the Box and Tide Up sit in Indie and Adventure on Steam, 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
 Cat in the Box |  Tide Up | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2022 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 6.99 USD | 7.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.9% positive (372 reviews) | 94% positive (50 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Gustav | Gustav |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Cat in the Box (2020) is 2 years older than Tide Up (2022).
- Tide Up scores higher on Steam reviews (94% positive) than Cat in the Box (90.9% positive).
- Cat in the Box is currently ~13% cheaper on Steam than Tide Up (6.99 USD vs. 7.99 USD).
Cat in the Box vs Tide Up — FAQ
- Should I play Cat in the Box or Tide Up first?
- If you want chronology, Cat in the Box (2020) came out before Tide Up (2022). 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 Cat in the Box and Tide Up similar?
- They overlap on 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.