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 Tarantula Virus
Nuclear Throne and Tarantula Virus 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 8 years older than Tarantula Virus (2023). Tarantula Virus is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Nuclear Throne (5.99 USD vs. 11.99 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 Tarantula Virus
Choose Tarantula Virus if you want an Adventure and Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Tarantula Virus launched in 2023.
Both Nuclear Throne and Tarantula Virus 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 |  Tarantula Virus | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 5.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.5% positive (9,705 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Vlambeer | Kamil Graca |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Nuclear Throne (2015) is 8 years older than Tarantula Virus (2023).
- Tarantula Virus is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Nuclear Throne (5.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Nuclear Throne is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Tarantula Virus has no Deck rating yet.
Nuclear Throne vs Tarantula Virus — FAQ
- Should I play Nuclear Throne or Tarantula Virus first?
- If you want chronology, Nuclear Throne (2015) came out before Tarantula Virus (2023). 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 Tarantula Virus 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 Tarantula Virus have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Nuclear Throne ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Tarantula Virus ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Nuclear Throne run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Nuclear Throne is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Tarantula Virus doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.