Choose Cave Story+
Choose Cave Story+ if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 3,688 Steam reviews back the pick.
Cave Story+ vs The Waste Land
Cave Story+ and The Waste Land 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. Cave Story+ (2011) is 3 years older than The Waste Land (2014). Cave Story+ scores higher on Steam reviews (91.8% positive) than The Waste Land (42.6% 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 The Waste Land
Choose The Waste Land if it's currently about 33% cheaper on the Steam Store. The Waste Land launched in 2014.
Both Cave Story+ and The Waste Land sit in Action, 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
 Cave Story+ |  The Waste Land | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2011 | 2014 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.8% positive (3,688 reviews) | 42.6% positive (54 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Nicalis, Inc., Studio Pixel | Fledermaus |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Cave Story+ (2011) is 3 years older than The Waste Land (2014).
- Cave Story+ scores higher on Steam reviews (91.8% positive) than The Waste Land (42.6% positive).
- The Waste Land is currently ~33% cheaper on Steam than Cave Story+ (9.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Cave Story+ is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; The Waste Land has no Deck rating yet.
Cave Story+ vs The Waste Land — FAQ
- Should I play Cave Story+ or The Waste Land first?
- If you want chronology, Cave Story+ (2011) came out before The Waste Land (2014). 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 Cave Story+ and The Waste Land 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 Cave Story+ run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Cave Story+ is rated Deck Playable by Valve. The Waste Land doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.