Choose Shiny Gauntlet
Choose Shiny Gauntlet if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Shiny Gauntlet launched in 2016.
Shiny Gauntlet vs BadLads
Shiny Gauntlet and BadLads both land in Action, 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 Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam. Shiny Gauntlet (2016) is 4 years older than BadLads (2020). BadLads has co-op; Shiny Gauntlet does not. 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 BadLads
Choose BadLads if you want a Strategy, Simulation, and Massively Multiplayer game with Multi-player, MMO, and Online PvP. On Steam, it's the newer release (2020) and ships with the modern feature baseline. BadLads launched in 2020.
Both Shiny Gauntlet and BadLads sit in Action, 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
 Shiny Gauntlet |  BadLads | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure, RPG | Action, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, Massively Multiplayer, RPG, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 3 reviews | 69.7% positive (99 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Spritewrench | CHEMICAL HEADS STUDIOS |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie, Adventure on Steam.
- Shiny Gauntlet (2016) is 4 years older than BadLads (2020).
- BadLads has co-op; Shiny Gauntlet does not.
Shiny Gauntlet vs BadLads — FAQ
- Should I play Shiny Gauntlet or BadLads first?
- If you want chronology, Shiny Gauntlet (2016) came out before BadLads (2020). 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 Shiny Gauntlet and BadLads similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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 Shiny Gauntlet have multiplayer like BadLads?
- No. BadLads supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Shiny Gauntlet is listed as single-player only.