Choose Retro Wave
Choose Retro Wave if you want an Action and Racing experience. Retro Wave launched in 2024.
Retro Wave vs Thermal Runaway
Retro Wave and Thermal Runaway 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. Retro Wave (2024) is 2 years older than Thermal Runaway (2026). 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 Thermal Runaway
Choose Thermal Runaway if you want the Gamepad Recommended side of the pairing. Thermal Runaway launched in 2026.
Both Retro Wave and Thermal Runaway sit in Indie and Casual on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 Retro Wave |  Thermal Runaway | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Casual, Racing | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | — | — |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | QrowTech | Chilling Moose Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Retro Wave (2024) is 2 years older than Thermal Runaway (2026).
Retro Wave vs Thermal Runaway — FAQ
- Should I play Retro Wave or Thermal Runaway first?
- If you want chronology, Retro Wave (2024) came out before Thermal Runaway (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 Retro Wave and Thermal Runaway 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.