IMHO.

Shakes and Fidget vs Black Desert

Shakes and Fidget and Black Desert both land in Strategy, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer 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 Strategy, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer on Steam. Shakes and Fidget (2016) is 1 year older than Black Desert (2017). Shakes and Fidget scores higher on Steam reviews (84.1% positive) than Black Desert (72.5% 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 Shakes and Fidget

Choose Shakes and Fidget if you want an Indie, Free To Play, and Casual game with Camera Comfort, Custom Volume Controls, and Mouse Only Option. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 84.1% positive across 6,425 reviews.

Choose Black Desert

Choose Black Desert if you want an Action game with Online PvP, Online Co-op, and PvP. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 35,523 Steam reviews back the pick.

Both Shakes and Fidget and Black Desert sit in Strategy, Adventure, and Massively Multiplayer on Steam and both list Multi-player and MMO, 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

Shakes and Fidget vs Black Desert — Steam metadata comparison
Shakes and Fidget — Steam game coverShakes and FidgetBlack Desert — Steam game coverBlack Desert
Released20162017
GenresStrategy, Indie, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Free To Play, CasualAction, Strategy, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer, RPG
PlatformsWindows, macOSWindows
Steam DeckDeck PlayableDeck Unsupported
PriceFree to play9.99 USD
Steam reviews84.1% positive (6,425 reviews)72.5% positive (35,523 reviews)
MultiplayerMulti-player, Cross-Platform MultiplayerMulti-player, Online Co-op, Co-op
DevelopersPlaya Games GmbHPearl Abyss

Side by side

Shakes and Fidget vs Black Desert — FAQ

Which is better, Shakes and Fidget or Black Desert?
On Steam reviews Shakes and Fidget scores higher (84.1% positive) than Black Desert (72.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Shakes and Fidget is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
Should I play Shakes and Fidget or Black Desert first?
If you want chronology, Shakes and Fidget (2016) came out before Black Desert (2017). 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 Shakes and Fidget and Black Desert similar?
They overlap on Strategy, Adventure, Massively Multiplayer 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.
Is Shakes and Fidget free?
Yes — Shakes and Fidget is a free-to-play Steam title. Black Desert is paid (9.99 USD).
Shakes and Fidget vs Black Desert — Verdict (2026) · imho.run