Choose RETRIS
Choose RETRIS if you want the Custom Volume Controls, Keyboard Only Option, and Adjustable Difficulty side of the pairing. RETRIS launched in 2023.
RETRIS vs Shockwaves
RETRIS and Shockwaves both land in Strategy, Indie, Casual 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 Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam. RETRIS (2023) is 1 year older than Shockwaves (2024). Shockwaves is free; RETRIS is paid (2.99 USD). 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 Shockwaves
Choose Shockwaves if you want a Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Shockwaves launched in 2024.
Both RETRIS and Shockwaves sit in Strategy, Indie, and Casual 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
 RETRIS |  Shockwaves | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 2.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 8 reviews | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | KAKAOS | Steags |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- RETRIS (2023) is 1 year older than Shockwaves (2024).
- Shockwaves is free; RETRIS is paid (2.99 USD).
RETRIS vs Shockwaves — FAQ
- Should I play RETRIS or Shockwaves first?
- If you want chronology, RETRIS (2023) came out before Shockwaves (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 RETRIS and Shockwaves similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Casual 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.
- Is Shockwaves free?
- Yes — Shockwaves is a free-to-play Steam title. RETRIS is paid (2.99 USD).