Choose Nidhogg
Choose Nidhogg if you want a Sports game with Online PvP. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 4,059 Steam reviews back the pick.
Nidhogg vs Kiai Resonance
Nidhogg and Kiai Resonance 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. Nidhogg (2014) is 1 year older than Kiai Resonance (2015). Nidhogg scores higher on Steam reviews (91.2% positive) than Kiai Resonance (73.8% 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 Kiai Resonance
Choose Kiai Resonance if you want a Simulation experience. On Steam, it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Kiai Resonance launched in 2015.
Both Nidhogg and Kiai Resonance sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and 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
 Nidhogg |  Kiai Resonance | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2015 |
| Genres | Action, Sports, Indie | Action, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.2% positive (4,059 reviews) | 73.8% positive (80 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Messhof | Absorb Reality |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Nidhogg (2014) is 1 year older than Kiai Resonance (2015).
- Nidhogg scores higher on Steam reviews (91.2% positive) than Kiai Resonance (73.8% positive).
- Kiai Resonance is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Nidhogg (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Nidhogg is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Kiai Resonance has no Deck rating yet.
Nidhogg vs Kiai Resonance — FAQ
- Should I play Nidhogg or Kiai Resonance first?
- If you want chronology, Nidhogg (2014) came out before Kiai Resonance (2015). 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 Nidhogg and Kiai Resonance 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 Nidhogg run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Nidhogg is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Kiai Resonance doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.