Choose Spelunky
Choose Spelunky if you want the Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 92.1% positive across 10,185 reviews.
Spelunky vs Shovel Knight Dig
Spelunky and Shovel Knight Dig both land in Indie 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 Indie games on Steam. Spelunky (2013) is 9 years older than Shovel Knight Dig (2022). Spelunky scores higher on Steam reviews (92.1% positive) than Shovel Knight Dig (73.5% 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 Shovel Knight Dig
Choose Shovel Knight Dig if you want an Action, Strategy, and Adventure experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Shovel Knight Dig launched in 2022.
Both Spelunky and Shovel Knight Dig sit in Indie 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
 Spelunky |  Shovel Knight Dig | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2022 |
| Genres | Indie | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 92.1% positive (10,185 reviews) | 73.5% positive (543 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Mossmouth | Nitrome, Yacht Club Games |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Spelunky (2013) is 9 years older than Shovel Knight Dig (2022).
- Spelunky scores higher on Steam reviews (92.1% positive) than Shovel Knight Dig (73.5% positive).
- Spelunky is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than Shovel Knight Dig (14.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Spelunky has co-op; Shovel Knight Dig does not.
- Both are Deck Verified.
Spelunky vs Shovel Knight Dig — FAQ
- Which is better, Spelunky or Shovel Knight Dig?
- On Steam reviews Spelunky scores higher (92.1% positive) than Shovel Knight Dig (73.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Spelunky is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Spelunky or Shovel Knight Dig first?
- If you want chronology, Spelunky (2013) came out before Shovel Knight Dig (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 Spelunky and Shovel Knight Dig similar?
- They overlap on Indie 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 Shovel Knight Dig have multiplayer like Spelunky?
- No. Spelunky supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Shovel Knight Dig is listed as single-player only.
- Do Spelunky and Shovel Knight Dig both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.