Choose Protect the Earth
Choose Protect the Earth if you want an Indie and Casual experience. Protect the Earth launched in 2021.
Protect the Earth vs Normal SHMUP
Protect the Earth and Normal SHMUP both land in Action 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 are Action games on Steam. Protect the Earth (2021) is 1 year older than Normal SHMUP (2022). Normal SHMUP is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Protect the Earth (1.99 USD vs. 3.99 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 Normal SHMUP
Choose Normal SHMUP if it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Normal SHMUP launched in 2022.
Both Protect the Earth and Normal SHMUP sit in Action 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
 Protect the Earth |  Normal SHMUP | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Casual | Action |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 2 reviews | 4 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Victor | HyperBitGore |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Protect the Earth (2021) is 1 year older than Normal SHMUP (2022).
- Normal SHMUP is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Protect the Earth (1.99 USD vs. 3.99 USD).
Protect the Earth vs Normal SHMUP — FAQ
- Should I play Protect the Earth or Normal SHMUP first?
- If you want chronology, Protect the Earth (2021) came out before Normal SHMUP (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 Protect the Earth and Normal SHMUP similar?
- They overlap on Action 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.