Choose Bulb Boy
Choose Bulb Boy if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Bulb Boy launched in 2015.
Bulb Boy vs Mr. Shadow
Bulb Boy and Mr. Shadow both land in Indie, Adventure 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, Adventure on Steam. Bulb Boy (2015) is 1 year older than Mr. Shadow (2016). Bulb Boy scores higher on Steam reviews (87% positive) than Mr. Shadow (76.5% 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 Mr. Shadow
Choose Mr. Shadow if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's currently about 44% cheaper on the Steam Store. Mr. Shadow launched in 2016.
Both Bulb Boy and Mr. Shadow sit in Indie and Adventure 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
 Bulb Boy |  Mr. Shadow | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2016 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 8.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87% positive (284 reviews) | 76.5% positive (17 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Bulbware | bycomb |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Bulb Boy (2015) is 1 year older than Mr. Shadow (2016).
- Bulb Boy scores higher on Steam reviews (87% positive) than Mr. Shadow (76.5% positive).
- Mr. Shadow is currently ~44% cheaper on Steam than Bulb Boy (4.99 USD vs. 8.99 USD).
- Bulb Boy is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Mr. Shadow has no Deck rating yet.
Bulb Boy vs Mr. Shadow — FAQ
- Should I play Bulb Boy or Mr. Shadow first?
- If you want chronology, Bulb Boy (2015) came out before Mr. Shadow (2016). 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 Bulb Boy and Mr. Shadow similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Adventure 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 Bulb Boy run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Bulb Boy is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Mr. Shadow doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.