IMHO.

Steam Deck games like Rainbow Step

Below are 8 Steam Deck-friendly games similar to Rainbow Step (5 Verified, the rest Playable), ranked by player overlap. Every pick has Valve's compat stamp — Verified means full controller support and default settings just work; Playable means a small first-launch tweak (control remap or text size) gets you there. imho.run pulls compat status straight from Valve's own endpoint, refreshed daily.

Want the full alternatives list (paid + free + Steam Deck + cheaper picks)? See the parent games like Rainbow Step page.

Ranked picks

  1. 1
    Terraria — Steam game cover

    Terraria

    Deck Verified alternative to Rainbow Step — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Rainbow Step.

    Dig, fight, explore, build! Nothing is impossible in this action-packed adventure game. Four Pack also available!

    2011ActionIndieAdventure9.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam DeckSimilar games →
  2. 2
    Hollow Knight — Steam game cover

    Hollow Knight

    Deck Verified alternative to Rainbow Step — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Rainbow Step.

    Forge your own path in Hollow Knight! An epic action adventure through a vast ruined kingdom of insects and heroes. Explore twisting caverns, battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs, all in a classic, hand-drawn 2D style.

    2017ActionIndieAdventure14.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam DeckSimilar games →
  3. 3
    Mark of the Ninja — Steam game cover

    Mark of the Ninja

    Deck Verified alternative to Rainbow Step — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Rainbow Step.

    In Mark of the Ninja, you'll know what it is to truly be a ninja. You must be silent, agile and clever to outwit your opponents in a world of gorgeous scenery and flowing animation. Marked with cursed tattoos giving you heightened senses, every situation presents you with options.

    ActionIndieAdventureDeck VerifiedSteam DeckSimilar games →
  4. 4
    Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove — Steam game cover

    Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove

    Deck Verified alternative to Rainbow Step — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Rainbow Step.

    Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is the complete Shovel Knight collection, containing all 5 games in the epic saga! Dig, blast, slash, and bash your way through a fantastical, 8-bit inspired world of pixel-perfect platforming, memorable characters, and world-class action-adventure gameplay.

    2014ActionIndieAdventure39.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam DeckSimilar games →
  5. 5
    Hyper Light Drifter — Steam game cover

    Hyper Light Drifter

    Deck Verified alternative to Rainbow Step — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Rainbow Step.

    Explore a beautiful, vast and ruined world riddled with dangers and lost technologies.

    2016ActionIndieAdventure5.99 USDDeck VerifiedSteam DeckSimilar games →
  6. 6
    Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons — Steam game cover

    Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons

    Deck Playable alternative to Rainbow Step — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Rainbow Step.

    Guide two brothers on an epic fairy tale journey from visionary Swedish film director, Josef Fares and top-tier developer Starbreeze Studios. Control both brothers at once as you experience co-op play in single player mode, like never before.

    2013ActionIndieAdventure14.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam DeckSimilar games →
  7. 7
    Outlast — Steam game cover

    Outlast

    Deck Playable alternative to Rainbow Step — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Rainbow Step.

    Hell is an experiment you can't survive in Outlast, a first-person survival horror game developed by veterans of some of the biggest game franchises in history. As investigative journalist Miles Upshur, explore Mount Massive Asylum and try to survive long enough to discover its terrible secret... if you dare.

    2013ActionIndieAdventure14.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam DeckSimilar games →
  8. 8
    CrossCode — Steam game cover

    CrossCode

    Deck Playable alternative to Rainbow Step — runs on Steam Deck out of the box. Shares Action and Indie with Rainbow Step.

    A retro-inspired 2D Action RPG set in the distant future. CrossCode combines 16-bit SNES-style graphics with butter-smooth physics, a fast-paced combat system, and engaging puzzle mechanics, served with a gripping sci-fi story.

    2018ActionIndieAdventure19.99 USDDeck PlayableSteam DeckSimilar games →