Choose Wonder Boy Returns
Choose Wonder Boy Returns if it's a focused single-player run rather than a multiplayer commitment. Wonder Boy Returns launched in 2016.
Wonder Boy Returns vs Sonic Mania
Wonder Boy Returns and Sonic Mania both land in Action, 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 Action, Casual on Steam. Wonder Boy Returns (2016) is 1 year older than Sonic Mania (2017). Sonic Mania scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Wonder Boy Returns (68.4% 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 Sonic Mania
Choose Sonic Mania if you want an Adventure game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 13,860 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Wonder Boy Returns and Sonic Mania sit in Action and Casual 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
 Wonder Boy Returns |  Sonic Mania | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Casual | Action, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Verified |
| Price | Price unknown | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 68.4% positive (38 reviews) | 93.4% positive (13,860 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | CFK Co., Ltd. | Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Casual on Steam.
- Wonder Boy Returns (2016) is 1 year older than Sonic Mania (2017).
- Sonic Mania scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Wonder Boy Returns (68.4% positive).
- Sonic Mania has co-op; Wonder Boy Returns does not.
- Sonic Mania is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Wonder Boy Returns has no Deck rating yet.
Wonder Boy Returns vs Sonic Mania — FAQ
- Should I play Wonder Boy Returns or Sonic Mania first?
- If you want chronology, Wonder Boy Returns (2016) came out before Sonic Mania (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 Wonder Boy Returns and Sonic Mania similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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.
- Does Wonder Boy Returns have multiplayer like Sonic Mania?
- No. Sonic Mania supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Wonder Boy Returns is listed as single-player only.