Choose VVVVVV
Choose VVVVVV if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96.9% positive across 4,463 reviews.
VVVVVV vs Return.
VVVVVV and Return. 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 8 years older than Return. (2018). VVVVVV scores higher on Steam reviews (96.9% positive) than Return. (91% 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 Return.
Choose Return. if you want a Free To Play and Casual experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Return. launched in 2018.
Both VVVVVV and Return. 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 |  Return. | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2010 | 2018 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Free To Play, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | Free to play |
| Steam reviews | 96.9% positive (4,463 reviews) | 91% positive (465 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Terry Cavanagh | — |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- VVVVVV (2010) is 8 years older than Return. (2018).
- VVVVVV scores higher on Steam reviews (96.9% positive) than Return. (91% positive).
- Return. is free; VVVVVV is paid (4.99 USD).
- VVVVVV is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Return. has no Deck rating yet.
VVVVVV vs Return. — FAQ
- Which is better, VVVVVV or Return.?
- On Steam reviews VVVVVV scores higher (96.9% positive) than Return. (91% 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 Return. first?
- If you want chronology, VVVVVV (2010) came out before Return. (2018). 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 Return. 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.
- Is Return. free?
- Yes — Return. is a free-to-play Steam title. VVVVVV is paid (4.99 USD).
- Does VVVVVV run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — VVVVVV is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Return. doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.