Choose Sonic Mania
Choose Sonic Mania if you want a Casual game with Steam Leaderboards, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and Co-op. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 13,860 Steam reviews back the pick.
Sonic Mania vs Shovel Pirate
Sonic Mania and Shovel Pirate both land in Action, 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, Adventure on Steam. Sonic Mania (2017) is 7 years older than Shovel Pirate (2024). Sonic Mania scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Shovel Pirate (88.6% 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 Shovel Pirate
Choose Shovel Pirate if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 70% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shovel Pirate launched in 2024.
Both Sonic Mania and Shovel Pirate sit in Action and Adventure on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP, 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
 Sonic Mania |  Shovel Pirate | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2024 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Casual | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 1.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.4% positive (13,860 reviews) | 88.6% positive (44 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest Games | Neutronized |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- Sonic Mania (2017) is 7 years older than Shovel Pirate (2024).
- Sonic Mania scores higher on Steam reviews (93.4% positive) than Shovel Pirate (88.6% positive).
- Shovel Pirate is currently ~70% cheaper on Steam than Sonic Mania (1.49 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Sonic Mania has co-op; Shovel Pirate does not.
- Sonic Mania is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Shovel Pirate has no Deck rating yet.
Sonic Mania vs Shovel Pirate — FAQ
- Should I play Sonic Mania or Shovel Pirate first?
- If you want chronology, Sonic Mania (2017) came out before Shovel Pirate (2024). 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 Sonic Mania and Shovel Pirate similar?
- They overlap on Action, 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 Sonic Mania run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Sonic Mania is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Shovel Pirate doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.