Choose VVVVVV
Choose VVVVVV if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.9% positive across 4,463 reviews.
VVVVVV vs Upside Down
VVVVVV and Upside Down 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. VVVVVV (2010) is 7 years older than Upside Down (2017). VVVVVV scores higher on Steam reviews (96.9% positive) than Upside Down (78.9% 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 Upside Down
Choose Upside Down if you want an Adventure and Casual experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2017) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Upside Down launched in 2017.
Both VVVVVV and Upside Down sit in Action and Indie 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
 VVVVVV |  Upside Down | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2010 | 2017 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Adventure, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 24.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.9% positive (4,463 reviews) | 78.9% positive (161 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Terry Cavanagh | EGAMER |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- VVVVVV (2010) is 7 years older than Upside Down (2017).
- VVVVVV scores higher on Steam reviews (96.9% positive) than Upside Down (78.9% positive).
- VVVVVV is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Upside Down (4.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: VVVVVV is Deck Verified, Upside Down is Deck Playable.
VVVVVV vs Upside Down — FAQ
- Which is better, VVVVVV or Upside Down?
- On Steam reviews VVVVVV scores higher (96.9% positive) than Upside Down (78.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, VVVVVV is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play VVVVVV or Upside Down first?
- If you want chronology, VVVVVV (2010) came out before Upside Down (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 VVVVVV and Upside Down 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.