Choose The Shape of Things
Choose The Shape of Things if you want the Custom Volume Controls and Stereo Sound side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. The Shape of Things launched in 2023.
The Shape of Things vs Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game)
The Shape of Things and Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) both land in 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 Indie, Casual on Steam. The Shape of Things (2023) is 2 years older than Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) (2025). Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) is currently ~86% cheaper on Steam than The Shape of Things (0.99 USD vs. 6.99 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 Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game)
Choose Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) if you want an Early Access game with Touch Only Option. On Steam, it's currently about 86% cheaper on the Steam Store. Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) launched in 2025.
Both The Shape of Things and Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) sit in Indie and Casual on Steam and both list Playable without Timed Input and Mouse Only Option, 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
 The Shape of Things |  Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Casual | Indie, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 6.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.7% positive (162 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Hyper Three Studio | Maya |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- The Shape of Things (2023) is 2 years older than Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) (2025).
- Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) is currently ~86% cheaper on Steam than The Shape of Things (0.99 USD vs. 6.99 USD).
- The Shape of Things is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) has no Deck rating yet.
The Shape of Things vs Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) — FAQ
- Should I play The Shape of Things or Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) first?
- If you want chronology, The Shape of Things (2023) came out before Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) (2025). 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 The Shape of Things and Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Does The Shape of Things run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Shape of Things is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Cloud Popper (Toddler/Early Years Game) doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.