IMHO.

Games like 1001 Spikes

If 1001 Spikes is your kind of game, the closest matches are Downwell, Cave Story+ and Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers single out its challenging, retro and stressful. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.

Get personalized picks →

About 1001 Spikes: Discover the lost treasures of Ukampa in South America as Aban Hawkins searches for his estranged father, world-famous archeaologist, Jim Hawkins. Aban Hawkins races into the frozen tundra of the antarctic, undiscovered temple ruins and the vast caverns of South America in search of his father and the legendary treasure rumored to lie...

2014ActionIndieAdventure14.99 USDMetacritic 80Windows · macOS · Linuxby Nicalis, Inc.
1001 Spikes — Steam game cover
Players highlight
Chiptune soundtrack enhances tension and rhythmCo op modes provide laid back contrast to main campaignDual jump system enables precise platformingChallengingRetroStressful

Players who liked 1001 Spikes also play

Steam players who put hours into 1001 Spikes also tend to own these titles — a signal called collaborative filtering. imho.run cross-references millions of library ownership patterns to surface games whose real audiences overlap, regardless of whether their genre tags match.

  1. Downwell

    WHY THIS

    Shares a challenging mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Top pick for 1001 Spikes fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Downwell is a curious game about a young person venturing down a well in search of untold treasures with only his Gunboots to protect him.

    2015ActionIndieAdventure2.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  2. Cave Story+

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Second-strongest match for 1001 Spikes fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Run, jump, shoot, fly and explore your way through a massive action-adventure reminiscent of classic 8- and 16-bit games.

    2011ActionIndieAdventure14.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  3. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Third-strongest match for 1001 Spikes fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the complete Shovel Knight collection, containing all 5 games in the epic saga! Dig, blast, slash, and bash your way through a fantastical, 8-bit inspired world of pixel-perfect platforming, memorable characters, and world-class action-adventure gameplay.

    2014ActionIndieAdventure39.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  4. Castle In The Darkness

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Ranked #4 for 1001 Spikes fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Castle In The Darkness is a fun and challenging shout out to the early days of video games! It's an action exploration platformer with some RPG elements, much like games from the Castlevania or Metroid series. It's super fast-paced, challenging, and full of secrets!

    2015ActionIndieAdventure9.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  5. Aeon Drive

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Ranked #5 for 1001 Spikes fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Rush through the cyberpunk landscapes of Neo Barcelona in Aeon Drive, an action-platformer with a speedrunning twist! Whether solo or in up to 4 player co-op, sprint and dash through many areas of the neon-infused city - and use your time and space-bending abilities to get ahead.

    2021ActionIndieAdventure14.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  6. Electronic Super Joy

    WHY THIS

    Ranked #6 for 1001 Spikes fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Electronic Super Joy is a brutally hard platformer set in a world of pulse-pounding electronic music. Run, jump, smash & fly your way through 45+ weird & different levels, with low-gravity, world rotation, giant monsters & swarming missiles.

    2013ActionIndie7.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  7. Jamestown

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Ranked #7 for 1001 Spikes fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Jamestown: Legend Of The Lost Colony is a neo-classical top-down shooter for up to 4 players, set on 17th-century British Colonial Mars. It features all the intensity, depth, and lovingly handcrafted pixels of a classic arcade shooter, with a modern twist: deeply-integrated cooperative gameplay.

    2011ActionIndie9.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  8. Spelunky 2

    WHY THIS

    Shares a stressful mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Ranked #8 for 1001 Spikes fans by collaborative filtering across millions of Steam libraries. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Spelunky 2 builds upon the unique, randomized challenges that made the original a roguelike classic, offering a huge adventure designed to satisfy players old and new. Meet the next generation of explorers as they find themselves on the Moon, searching for treasure and missing family.

    2020ActionIndie19.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗

Reviewers mention these as similar to 1001 Spikes

Surfaced from review text: when other players write 'if you liked X, try Y', we catch the name and resolve it back to a Steam game.

  1. Super Meat Boy

    WHY THIS

    Shares a challenging mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Reviewers of 1001 Spikes cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    The infamous, tough-as-nails platformer comes to Steam with a playable Head Crab character (Steam-exclusive)!

    2010Indie14.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  2. La-Mulana

    WHY THIS

    Shares a challenging mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Reviewers of 1001 Spikes cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    LA-MULANA is an “Archaeological Ruin Exploration Action Game,” bringing the classic appeal of adventure with the punishing difficulty of retro-inspired gaming. Search inside ancient ruins, seeking out the “Secret Treasure of Life” – which sleeps in the sprawling ruins of “LA-MULANA” and is said to be the beginning of all civilization.

    2013ActionIndieAdventure14.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  3. Spelunky

    WHY THIS

    Shares a tense mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Reviewers of 1001 Spikes cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Spelunky is a unique platformer with randomized levels that offer a challenging new experience each time you play. Journey deep underground and explore fantastic places filled with all manner of monsters, traps, and treasure.

    2013Indie14.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  4. Escape Goat

    WHY THIS

    Shares a tense mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Reviewers of 1001 Spikes cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Escape Goat is a puzzle platformer where you take control of a goat, who has been imprisoned for witchcraft, and overcome traps and obstacles to escape the Prison of Agnus. Fear not, for with your supreme agility, sturdy horns, and the help of a magic mouse friend, you can turn the tables on foes and use the environment to your advantage.

    2013ActionIndie4.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  5. Montezuma's Revenge

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Reviewers of 1001 Spikes cross-mention this title as a similar play. Shares Action and Adventure with 1001 Spikes.

    This is the official version of the 80's classic game Montezuma's Revenge rebooted by the original developer. It's the classic puzzle solving action adventure platformer you loved in your youth.

    2020ActionAdventure8.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗

Cheaper alternatives

Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below 1001 Spikes at current Steam store prices.

  1. Garry's Mod

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~67% under 1001 Spikes on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Garry's Mod is a physics sandbox. There aren't any predefined aims or goals. We give you the tools and leave you to play.

    2006IndieSimulationCasual4.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  2. Vampire Survivors

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~67% under 1001 Spikes on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you. Be the bullet hell!

    2022ActionIndieRPG4.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  3. R.E.P.O.

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~53% under 1001 Spikes on Steam right now. Shares Action with 1001 Spikes.

    An online co-op horror game with up to 6 players. Locate valuable, fully physics-based objects and handle them with care as you retrieve and extract to satisfy your creator's desires.

    2025ActionEarly Access6.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  4. PEAK

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~47% under 1001 Spikes on Steam right now. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    PEAK is a co-op climbing game where the slightest mistake can spell your doom. Either solo or as a group of lost nature scouts, your only hope of rescue from a mysterious island is to scale the mountain at its center. Do you have what it takes to reach the PEAK?

    2025ActionIndieAdventure7.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  5. Titanfall® 2

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~70% under 1001 Spikes on Steam right now. Shares Action with 1001 Spikes.

    Respawn Entertainment gives you the most advanced titan technology in its new, single player campaign & multiplayer experience. Combine & conquer with new titans & pilots, deadlier weapons, & customization and progression systems that help you and your titan flow as one unstoppable killing force.

    2020Action4.49 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  6. Slay the Spire

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~58% under 1001 Spikes on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    We fused card games and roguelikes together to make the best single player deckbuilder we could. Craft a unique deck, encounter bizarre creatures, discover relics of immense power, and Slay the Spire!

    2019StrategyIndie6.24 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  7. Inscryption

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~47% under 1001 Spikes on Steam right now. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1001 Spikes.

    Inscryption is an inky black card-based odyssey that blends the deckbuilding roguelike, escape-room style puzzles, and psychological horror into a blood-laced smoothie. Darker still are the secrets inscrybed upon the cards...

    2021StrategyIndieAdventure7.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  8. Cookie Clicker

    WHY THIS

    Priced ~67% under 1001 Spikes on Steam right now. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    An idle game about making cookies! Originally released in 2013 on the web, and actively developed since then. This is the official version for Steam.

    2021StrategyIndieSimulation4.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗

Free alternatives

Free-to-play games that recommended players of this title also tend to enjoy.

  1. Doki Doki Literature Club!

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    The Literature Club is full of cute girls! Will you write the way into their heart? This game is not suitable for children or those who are easily disturbed.

    2017IndieFree To PlayCasualFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  2. Life is Strange - Episode 1

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action and Adventure with 1001 Spikes.

    Episode 1 now FREE! Life is Strange is an award-winning and critically acclaimed episodic adventure game that allows the player to rewind time and affect the past, present and future.

    2015ActionAdventureFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  3. Helltaker

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1001 Spikes.

    Helltaker is a short game about sharply dressed demon girls.

    2020IndieAdventureFree To PlayFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  4. Ultimate Custom Night

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Welcome to the ultimate FNAF mashup, featuring 50 selectable characters and custom difficulties!

    2018ActionIndieFree To PlayFreeSteam ↗
  5. Bongo Cat

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Bongo cat needs your help. Bongo cat needz more hatz!!! Every time you press a key, Bongo cat will punch your taskbar. Type, click, play, work to collect more points. Which hats will you find?

    2025IndieSimulationMassively MultiplayerFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  6. ENA: Dream BBQ

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie and Adventure with 1001 Spikes.

    Experience surreal environments and inexplicable characters as ENA in a new wild world.

    2025IndieAdventureFreeDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  7. The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Sonic the Hedgehog...was murdered!? Get to the bottom of the mystery in this brand-new adventure!

    2023IndieSimulationFree To PlayFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  8. Indigo Park: Chapter 1

    WHY THIS

    Free-to-play pick from the same recommendation pool — no purchase to try it. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Explore the abandoned childhood wonder of Indigo Park! Guided by Rambley the Raccoon, help restore power to the destroyed amusement park while you run from the reason it shut down.

    2024ActionIndieAdventureFreeDeck PlayableSteam ↗

More from Nicalis, Inc.

Other recommendable Steam games by Nicalis, Inc., ranked by review count so the studio's hits land first.

  1. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

    WHY THIS

    Shares a challenging mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Another title from Nicalis, Inc., the studio behind 1001 Spikes. Shares Action with 1001 Spikes.

    The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a randomly generated action RPG shooter with heavy Rogue-like elements. Following Isaac on his journey players will find bizarre treasures that change Isaac’s form giving him super human abilities and enabling him to fight off droves of mysterious creatures, discover secrets and fight his way to safety.

    2014Action14.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  2. Cave Story+

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Another title from Nicalis, Inc., the studio behind 1001 Spikes. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Run, jump, shoot, fly and explore your way through a massive action-adventure reminiscent of classic 8- and 16-bit games.

    2011ActionIndieAdventure14.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  3. Castle In The Darkness

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Another title from Nicalis, Inc., the studio behind 1001 Spikes. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Castle In The Darkness is a fun and challenging shout out to the early days of video games! It's an action exploration platformer with some RPG elements, much like games from the Castlevania or Metroid series. It's super fast-paced, challenging, and full of secrets!

    2015ActionIndieAdventure9.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  4. NightSky

    WHY THIS

    Another title from Nicalis, Inc., the studio behind 1001 Spikes. Shares Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Nominated as a IGF Seamus McNally Finalist, NightSky is an ambient action-puzzle game that offers a gameplay experience unlike any other—cerebral challenges fill uniquely designed picturesque worlds. The player must maneuver a sphere by using realistic physics to advance; each of these worlds is broken into different areas.

    2011StrategyIndieCasual9.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam ↗
  5. Crystal Crisis

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Another title from Nicalis, Inc., the studio behind 1001 Spikes. Shares Action with 1001 Spikes.

    An all-star cast of heroes has gathered to test their mettle in this cute and chaotic new color-matching ONLINE combat game! Crystal Crisis is presented like a fighting game, but players attack by arranging falling crystals and clearing them from the screen. It’s the ultimate Online puzzle battle throwdown!

    2019ActionCasual19.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  6. Save me Mr Tako: Tasukete Tako-San

    WHY THIS

    Another title from Nicalis, Inc., the studio behind 1001 Spikes. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    A Blast From the Portable-Gaming Past! Mr Tako will solve puzzles, explore mysterious dungeons and fight tenacious bosses on his mission to end the war between the octopus kingdom and the human world. Will you help this brave octopus to spread his message of tolerance and unity?

    2018ActionIndieAdventureSteam ↗
  7. Cave Story's Secret Santa

    WHY THIS

    Another title from Nicalis, Inc., the studio behind 1001 Spikes. Shares Adventure with 1001 Spikes.

    After Balrog recovers the Christmas presents that were stolen by Chaba, the cowardly Mimiga named Santa must sneak into every house and return the missing packages. Be the Mimiga Who Saves Christmas!

    2021AdventureFreeDeck VerifiedSteam ↗

Plays great on Steam Deck

Valve-Verified or Playable picks from the similar pool — ready to go on Deck out of the box.

  1. Downwell

    WHY THIS

    Shares a challenging mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Downwell is a curious game about a young person venturing down a well in search of untold treasures with only his Gunboots to protect him.

    2015ActionIndieAdventure2.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  2. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the complete Shovel Knight collection, containing all 5 games in the epic saga! Dig, blast, slash, and bash your way through a fantastical, 8-bit inspired world of pixel-perfect platforming, memorable characters, and world-class action-adventure gameplay.

    2014ActionIndieAdventure39.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  3. Electronic Super Joy

    WHY THIS

    Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Electronic Super Joy is a brutally hard platformer set in a world of pulse-pounding electronic music. Run, jump, smash & fly your way through 45+ weird & different levels, with low-gravity, world rotation, giant monsters & swarming missiles.

    2013ActionIndie7.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  4. Jamestown

    WHY THIS

    Shares a retro mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Jamestown: Legend Of The Lost Colony is a neo-classical top-down shooter for up to 4 players, set on 17th-century British Colonial Mars. It features all the intensity, depth, and lovingly handcrafted pixels of a classic arcade shooter, with a modern twist: deeply-integrated cooperative gameplay.

    2011ActionIndie9.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗
  5. Spelunky 2

    WHY THIS

    Shares a stressful mood with 1001 Spikes.

    Deck Verified — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with 1001 Spikes.

    Spelunky 2 builds upon the unique, randomized challenges that made the original a roguelike classic, offering a huge adventure designed to satisfy players old and new. Meet the next generation of explorers as they find themselves on the Moon, searching for treasure and missing family.

    2020ActionIndie19.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam ↗

Frequently asked about 1001 Spikes

Does 1001 Spikes work on Steam Deck?
1001 Spikes is currently rated Unsupported on Steam Deck. It may not launch or may have significant issues that block normal play.
How much does 1001 Spikes cost?
1001 Spikes is listed on Steam at 14.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
Does 1001 Spikes have multiplayer or co-op?
Yes — 1001 Spikes supports multi-player play according to its Steam store listing (Multi-player).
What games are most similar to 1001 Spikes?
Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside 1001 Spikes are Downwell, Cave Story+, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove.
Who developed 1001 Spikes?
1001 Spikes was developed by Nicalis, Inc..

imho.run ranks Steam game alternatives using a mix of collaborative filtering (ALS / iALS / EASE / LightGCN), content scoring over genres, categories, Steam tags, developers, and publishers, plus AI-extracted vibes mined from review text. The page above is generated in seed mode anchored on 1001 Spikes.

For library-aware picks tuned to your specific taste, sign in with Steam on the home page.