Choose SHENZHEN I/O
Choose SHENZHEN I/O if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 95.2% positive across 2,198 reviews.
SHENZHEN I/O vs Silicon Zeroes
SHENZHEN I/O and Silicon Zeroes both land in Indie, Simulation 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, Simulation on Steam. SHENZHEN I/O (2016) is 1 year older than Silicon Zeroes (2017). SHENZHEN I/O scores higher on Steam reviews (95.2% positive) than Silicon Zeroes (89.1% 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 Silicon Zeroes
Choose Silicon Zeroes if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Silicon Zeroes launched in 2017.
Both SHENZHEN I/O and Silicon Zeroes sit in Indie and Simulation 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
 SHENZHEN I/O |  Silicon Zeroes | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.2% positive (2,198 reviews) | 89.1% positive (202 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Zachtronics | PleasingFungus Games |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- SHENZHEN I/O (2016) is 1 year older than Silicon Zeroes (2017).
- SHENZHEN I/O scores higher on Steam reviews (95.2% positive) than Silicon Zeroes (89.1% positive).
- Silicon Zeroes is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than SHENZHEN I/O (14.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- SHENZHEN I/O is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Silicon Zeroes has no Deck rating yet.
SHENZHEN I/O vs Silicon Zeroes — FAQ
- Which is better, SHENZHEN I/O or Silicon Zeroes?
- On Steam reviews SHENZHEN I/O scores higher (95.2% positive) than Silicon Zeroes (89.1% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, SHENZHEN I/O is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play SHENZHEN I/O or Silicon Zeroes first?
- If you want chronology, SHENZHEN I/O (2016) came out before Silicon Zeroes (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 SHENZHEN I/O and Silicon Zeroes similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation 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 SHENZHEN I/O run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — SHENZHEN I/O is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Silicon Zeroes doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.