Choose Cogs
Choose Cogs if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Cogs launched in 2009.
Cogs vs Tidalis
Cogs and Tidalis both land in 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 Indie, Casual on Steam. Cogs (2009) is 1 year older than Tidalis (2010). Cogs scores higher on Steam reviews (89% positive) than Tidalis (68.8% 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 Tidalis
Choose Tidalis if you want the Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Tidalis launched in 2010.
Both Cogs and Tidalis sit in Indie and Casual 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
 Cogs |  Tidalis | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2009 | 2010 |
| Genres | Indie, Casual | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 5.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89% positive (227 reviews) | 68.8% positive (80 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | Lazy 8 Studios, https://lazy8studios.com | Arcen Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Cogs (2009) is 1 year older than Tidalis (2010).
- Cogs scores higher on Steam reviews (89% positive) than Tidalis (68.8% positive).
- Tidalis is currently ~17% cheaper on Steam than Cogs (4.99 USD vs. 5.99 USD).
- Tidalis has co-op; Cogs does not.
- Cogs is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Tidalis has no Deck rating yet.
Cogs vs Tidalis — FAQ
- Should I play Cogs or Tidalis first?
- If you want chronology, Cogs (2009) came out before Tidalis (2010). 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 Cogs and Tidalis similar?
- They overlap on 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.
- Does Cogs have multiplayer like Tidalis?
- No. Tidalis supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op), while Cogs is listed as single-player only.
- Does Cogs run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Cogs is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Tidalis doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.