Choose Shadowgrounds
Choose Shadowgrounds if you want the Multi-player and Shared/Split Screen side of the pairing. Shadowgrounds launched in 2006.
Shadowgrounds vs Dungeon Explorer
Shadowgrounds and Dungeon Explorer both land in Action 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 Action games on Steam. Shadowgrounds (2006) is 15 years older than Dungeon Explorer (2021). Dungeon Explorer scores higher on Steam reviews (92.3% positive) than Shadowgrounds (81.3% 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 Dungeon Explorer
Choose Dungeon Explorer if you want an Indie and Simulation experience. On Steam, it's currently about 29% cheaper on the Steam Store. Dungeon Explorer launched in 2021.
Both Shadowgrounds and Dungeon Explorer sit in Action on Steam, 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
 Shadowgrounds |  Dungeon Explorer | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2006 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action | Action, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Unrated |
| Price | 6.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 81.3% positive (557 reviews) | 92.3% positive (13 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Frozenbyte | KiokLI |
Side by side
- Both are Action games on Steam.
- Shadowgrounds (2006) is 15 years older than Dungeon Explorer (2021).
- Dungeon Explorer scores higher on Steam reviews (92.3% positive) than Shadowgrounds (81.3% positive).
- Dungeon Explorer is currently ~29% cheaper on Steam than Shadowgrounds (4.99 USD vs. 6.99 USD).
- Shadowgrounds is Deck Unsupported on Steam Deck; Dungeon Explorer has no Deck rating yet.
Shadowgrounds vs Dungeon Explorer — FAQ
- Should I play Shadowgrounds or Dungeon Explorer first?
- If you want chronology, Shadowgrounds (2006) came out before Dungeon Explorer (2021). 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 Shadowgrounds and Dungeon Explorer similar?
- They overlap on Action 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 Dungeon Explorer have multiplayer like Shadowgrounds?
- No. Shadowgrounds supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Dungeon Explorer is listed as single-player only.