Choose Nuclear Throne
Choose Nuclear Throne if you want a RPG game with Steam Leaderboards, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort. On Steam, it's currently about 20% cheaper on the Steam Store. 9,705 Steam reviews back the pick.
Nuclear Throne vs Monsters and Monocles
Nuclear Throne and Monsters and Monocles 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 1 year older than Monsters and Monocles (2016). Nuclear Throne scores higher on Steam reviews (96.5% positive) than Monsters and Monocles (61.9% 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 Monsters and Monocles
Choose Monsters and Monocles if you want an Early Access game with Online Co-op. Monsters and Monocles launched in 2016.
Both Nuclear Throne and Monsters and Monocles 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 |  Monsters and Monocles | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2016 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, RPG | Action, Indie, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.5% positive (9,705 reviews) | 61.9% positive (42 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Vlambeer | Retro Dreamer |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Nuclear Throne (2015) is 1 year older than Monsters and Monocles (2016).
- Nuclear Throne scores higher on Steam reviews (96.5% positive) than Monsters and Monocles (61.9% positive).
- Nuclear Throne is currently ~20% cheaper on Steam than Monsters and Monocles (11.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Nuclear Throne is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Monsters and Monocles has no Deck rating yet.
Nuclear Throne vs Monsters and Monocles — FAQ
- Should I play Nuclear Throne or Monsters and Monocles first?
- If you want chronology, Nuclear Throne (2015) came out before Monsters and Monocles (2016). 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 Monsters and Monocles 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 Monsters and Monocles have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Nuclear Throne ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Monsters and Monocles ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op.
- Does Nuclear Throne run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Nuclear Throne is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Monsters and Monocles doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.