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 Gunblade Ranger
Nuclear Throne and Gunblade Ranger 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 11 years older than Gunblade Ranger (2026). Gunblade Ranger scores higher on Steam reviews (98.4% positive) than Nuclear Throne (96.5% 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 Gunblade Ranger
Choose Gunblade Ranger if you want an Adventure game with DualShock Controller Support, DualSense Controller Support, and Subtitle Options. On Steam, it's currently about 58% cheaper on the Steam Store. Gunblade Ranger launched in 2026.
Both Nuclear Throne and Gunblade Ranger 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. Steam reviews are nearly tied (96.5% vs 98.4% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Nuclear Throne |  Gunblade Ranger | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, RPG | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 11.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.5% positive (9,705 reviews) | 98.4% positive (62 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Vlambeer | Astral Flow Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Nuclear Throne (2015) is 11 years older than Gunblade Ranger (2026).
- Gunblade Ranger scores higher on Steam reviews (98.4% positive) than Nuclear Throne (96.5% positive).
- Gunblade Ranger is currently ~58% cheaper on Steam than Nuclear Throne (4.99 USD vs. 11.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Nuclear Throne is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Gunblade Ranger has no Deck rating yet.
Nuclear Throne vs Gunblade Ranger — FAQ
- Should I play Nuclear Throne or Gunblade Ranger first?
- If you want chronology, Nuclear Throne (2015) came out before Gunblade Ranger (2026). 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 Gunblade Ranger 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 Gunblade Ranger have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Nuclear Throne ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op; Gunblade Ranger ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Nuclear Throne run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Nuclear Throne is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Gunblade Ranger doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.