Choose Trench Run
Choose Trench Run if it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Trench Run launched in 2016.
Trench Run vs Shell Out Showdown
Trench Run and Shell Out Showdown both land in Action, Indie, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. Trench Run (2016) is 6 years older than Shell Out Showdown (2022). Shell Out Showdown scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Trench Run (37.8% 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 Shell Out Showdown
Choose Shell Out Showdown if you want the Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Shell Out Showdown launched in 2022.
Both Trench Run and Shell Out Showdown sit in Action, Indie, and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP, 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
 Trench Run |  Shell Out Showdown | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2022 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Casual | Action, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 3.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 37.8% positive (37 reviews) | 100% positive (10 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Transhuman Design | manadream |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Trench Run (2016) is 6 years older than Shell Out Showdown (2022).
- Shell Out Showdown scores higher on Steam reviews (100% positive) than Trench Run (37.8% positive).
- Trench Run is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Shell Out Showdown (3.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Shell Out Showdown has co-op; Trench Run does not.
Trench Run vs Shell Out Showdown — FAQ
- Should I play Trench Run or Shell Out Showdown first?
- If you want chronology, Trench Run (2016) came out before Shell Out Showdown (2022). 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 Trench Run and Shell Out Showdown similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie, Casual 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.