Choose Shadow Bug
Choose Shadow Bug if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 40% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shadow Bug launched in 2017.
Shadow Bug vs Ninshi Masuta
Shadow Bug and Ninshi Masuta 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. Shadow Bug (2017) is 4 years older than Ninshi Masuta (2021). Shadow Bug is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than Ninshi Masuta (5.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD). 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 Ninshi Masuta
Choose Ninshi Masuta if you want the Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Ninshi Masuta launched in 2021.
Both Shadow Bug and Ninshi Masuta sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, 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
 Shadow Bug |  Ninshi Masuta | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Action, Indie, Adventure | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 5.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96% positive (25 reviews) | 3 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Muro Studios | FVS Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Shadow Bug (2017) is 4 years older than Ninshi Masuta (2021).
- Shadow Bug is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than Ninshi Masuta (5.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Ninshi Masuta has co-op; Shadow Bug does not.
Shadow Bug vs Ninshi Masuta — FAQ
- Should I play Shadow Bug or Ninshi Masuta first?
- If you want chronology, Shadow Bug (2017) came out before Ninshi Masuta (2021). 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 Shadow Bug and Ninshi Masuta 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 Shadow Bug have multiplayer like Ninshi Masuta?
- No. Ninshi Masuta supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op), while Shadow Bug is listed as single-player only.