Choose Beat Hazard 2
Choose Beat Hazard 2 if you want a Casual game with Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. Beat Hazard 2 launched in 2019.
Beat Hazard 2 vs Shmandala
Beat Hazard 2 and Shmandala both land in Action, Indie 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 on Steam. Beat Hazard 2 (2019) is 7 years older than Shmandala (2026). Beat Hazard 2 has co-op; Shmandala 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 Shmandala
Choose Shmandala if you want the Color Alternatives and Keyboard Only Option side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Shmandala launched in 2026.
Both Beat Hazard 2 and Shmandala sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Custom Volume Controls, Playable without Timed Input, and Adjustable Difficulty, 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
 Beat Hazard 2 |  Shmandala | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2026 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Casual | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 18.99 USD | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | 90.5% positive (755 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op | Single-player only |
| Developers | Cold Beam Games | mjoldham |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Beat Hazard 2 (2019) is 7 years older than Shmandala (2026).
- Beat Hazard 2 has co-op; Shmandala does not.
- Beat Hazard 2 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Shmandala has no Deck rating yet.
Beat Hazard 2 vs Shmandala — FAQ
- Should I play Beat Hazard 2 or Shmandala first?
- If you want chronology, Beat Hazard 2 (2019) came out before Shmandala (2026). 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 Beat Hazard 2 and Shmandala similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie 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 Shmandala have multiplayer like Beat Hazard 2?
- No. Beat Hazard 2 supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Shmandala is listed as single-player only.
- Does Beat Hazard 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Beat Hazard 2 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Shmandala doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.