Choose Nuclear Throne
Choose Nuclear Throne if you want a RPG game with Steam Leaderboards, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 9,705 Steam reviews back the pick.
Nuclear Throne vs Shadowkin
Nuclear Throne and Shadowkin both land in Action, 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 share Action, Indie on Steam. Nuclear Throne (2015) is 9 years older than Shadowkin (2024). Nuclear Throne scores higher on Steam reviews (96.5% positive) than Shadowkin (46.9% 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 Shadowkin
Choose Shadowkin if it's currently about 42% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shadowkin launched in 2024.
Both Nuclear Throne and Shadowkin sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op, 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
 Nuclear Throne |  Shadowkin | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, RPG | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 6.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.5% positive (9,705 reviews) | 46.9% positive (32 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Vlambeer | The Fox Knocks |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Nuclear Throne (2015) is 9 years older than Shadowkin (2024).
- Nuclear Throne scores higher on Steam reviews (96.5% positive) than Shadowkin (46.9% positive).
- Shadowkin is currently ~42% cheaper on Steam than Nuclear Throne (6.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Steam Deck: Nuclear Throne is Deck Verified, Shadowkin is Deck Playable.
Nuclear Throne vs Shadowkin — FAQ
- Should I play Nuclear Throne or Shadowkin first?
- If you want chronology, Nuclear Throne (2015) came out before Shadowkin (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 Nuclear Throne and Shadowkin similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Do both Nuclear Throne and Shadowkin have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Nuclear Throne ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Shadowkin ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.