Choose Streets of Rage 4
Choose Streets of Rage 4 if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Steam Leaderboards, and Online PvP side of the pairing. 6,956 Steam reviews back the pick.
Streets of Rage 4 vs Shovel Knight Showdown
Streets of Rage 4 and Shovel Knight Showdown 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. Shovel Knight Showdown (2019) is 1 year older than Streets of Rage 4 (2020). Streets of Rage 4 scores higher on Steam reviews (93.6% positive) than Shovel Knight Showdown (87% 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 Shovel Knight Showdown
Choose Shovel Knight Showdown if you want an Adventure experience. On Steam, it's currently about 60% cheaper on the Steam Store. Shovel Knight Showdown launched in 2019.
Both Streets of Rage 4 and Shovel Knight Showdown sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op, 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
 Streets of Rage 4 |  Shovel Knight Showdown | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Verified |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.6% positive (6,956 reviews) | 87% positive (46 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Dotemu, Guard Crush, Lizardcube | Yacht Club Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Shovel Knight Showdown (2019) is 1 year older than Streets of Rage 4 (2020).
- Streets of Rage 4 scores higher on Steam reviews (93.6% positive) than Shovel Knight Showdown (87% positive).
- Shovel Knight Showdown is currently ~60% cheaper on Steam than Streets of Rage 4 (9.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Both are Deck Verified.
Streets of Rage 4 vs Shovel Knight Showdown — FAQ
- Should I play Streets of Rage 4 or Shovel Knight Showdown first?
- If you want chronology, Shovel Knight Showdown (2019) came out before Streets of Rage 4 (2020). 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 Streets of Rage 4 and Shovel Knight Showdown 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.
- Do both Streets of Rage 4 and Shovel Knight Showdown have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Streets of Rage 4 ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Shovel Knight Showdown ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.
- Do Streets of Rage 4 and Shovel Knight Showdown both run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — both are Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve confirms they run with full controller support, legible text, and default settings out of the box.