Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like Nuclear Throne (2026)
Every game below overlaps with Nuclear Throne on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: The Binding of Isaac, which both difficult.
- Nuclear Throne is tagged Action Roguelike, Rogue-like, Pixel Graphics, Indie, Difficult, Bullet Hell, Action, Rogue-lite by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 4 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
- 1 are from the same studio: Super Crate Box.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
The Binding of Isaac
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 11 player tags including Action Roguelike, Rogue-like and Indie; released around the same time (2011).
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The Binding of Isaac at a glance Released 2011 Studio Edmund McMillen Player sentiment 95% positive of 62,842 Price $4.99 Action RoguelikeRogue-likeIndieDifficultTop-DownGreat SoundtrackRogue-lite2D
- 2
SYNTHETIK: Legion Rising
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 11 player tags including Top-Down Shooter, Rogue-lite and Indie; released around the same time (2018).
SYNTHETIK is an unforgiving tactical shooter rogue-lite where freedom and experimentation is key. Fight in a world overrun by the Machine Legion and their Gods. Experience the next level in gun-play and dive into unparalleled build options and Android upgrades. Can you defeat the Heart of Armageddon?
SYNTHETIK: Legion Rising at a glance Released 2018 Studio Flow Fire Games Player sentiment 94% positive of 13,093 Price $19.99 Top-Down ShooterRogue-liteIndieAction RoguelikeDifficultShooterTwin Stick ShooterRogue-like
- 3
Risk of Rain (2013)
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 11 player tags including Action Roguelike, Rogue-like and Indie; released around the same time (2013).
Risk of Rain is an action platformer with roguelike elements. With permanent death as a primary feature, players will have to play their best to get as far as possible. Fight on a mysterious planet with randomly spawning enemies and bosses, either alone or with 3 friends in online co-op.
Risk of Rain (2013) at a glance Released 2013 Studio Hopoo Games Player sentiment 93% positive of 29,833 Price $1.99 Action RoguelikeRogue-likeIndiePixel GraphicsGreat SoundtrackDifficultPerma Death2D
- 4
Relic Hunters Zero: Remix
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 10 player tags including Twin Stick Shooter, Top-Down Shooter and Action Roguelike; released around the same time (2015).
Relic Hunters Zero: Remix is a remaster of the FREE 1 million player hit game about blasting evil space ducks and turtles with tiny cute guns. It’s fast, it’s tactical, and feels deliciously smooth to play. Unlock new weapons, characters and relics to defeat the Ducan Commander!
Relic Hunters Zero: Remix at a glance Released 2015 Studio Rogue Snail Player sentiment 93% positive of 6,756 Price Free Twin Stick ShooterTop-Down ShooterAction RoguelikeBullet HellPixel GraphicsLocal Co-OpShooterRogue-like
- 5
Wizard of Legend
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 10 player tags including Action Roguelike, Pixel Graphics and Rogue-like; released around the same time (2018).
Wizard of Legend is a no-nonsense, action-packed take on wizardry that emphasizes precise movements and smart comboing of spells in a rogue-like dungeon crawler that features over a hundred unique spells and relics!
Wizard of Legend at a glance Released 2018 Studio Contingent99 Player sentiment 91% positive of 21,051 Price $15.99 Action RoguelikePixel GraphicsRogue-likeLocal Co-OpRogue-liteIndieLocal MultiplayerDifficult
- 6
Realm of the Mad God Exalt
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 10 player tags including Pixel Graphics, Rogue-like and Perma Death; released around the same time (2012).
Embark on an exhilarating journey into the pixelated Realm of the Mad God! Join, an action-packed, free-to-play MMO bullet hell game. Discover a world with danger, challenges, and hidden treasures as you battle through waves of enemies. Team up with players and conquer dungeons to become a legend!
Realm of the Mad God Exalt at a glance Released 2012 Studio Wild Shadow Studios Player sentiment 83% positive of 47,698 Price Free Pixel GraphicsRogue-likePerma DeathAction RoguelikeBullet HellDifficultRogue-liteIndie
- 7
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 9 player tags including Difficult, Rogue-like and Great Soundtrack; released around the same time (2014).
Crypt of the NecroDancer is an award winning hardcore roguelike rhythm game. Move to the music and deliver beatdowns to the beat! Groove to the epic Danny Baranowsky soundtrack, or select songs from your own MP3 collection!
Crypt of the NecroDancer at a glance Released 2014 Studio Brace Yourself Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 26,481 Price $14.99 DifficultRogue-likeGreat SoundtrackPixel GraphicsIndieLocal Co-OpRPG2D
- 8
Hyper Light Drifter
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic and difficult; shares 8 player tags including Pixel Graphics, Great Soundtrack and Indie; released around the same time (2016).
Explore a beautiful, vast and ruined world riddled with dangers and lost technologies.
Hyper Light Drifter at a glance Released 2016 Studio Heart Machine Player sentiment 93% positive of 19,135 Price $19.99 Pixel GraphicsGreat SoundtrackIndieDifficultRPG2DTop-DownPost-apocalyptic
- 9
Super Crate Box
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Vlambeer; both difficult; shares 7 player tags including Indie, Pixel Graphics and 2D; released around the same time (2012).
Vlambeer's SUPER CRATE BOX is coming to bring back the glory of the golden arcade age, when all that really mattered was getting on that high score list. Grab your baseball cap and loosen your pants, it's time to fight endless hordes of enemies and collect every weapon crate you can.
Super Crate Box at a glance Released 2012 Studio Vlambeer Player sentiment 89% positive of 6,444 Price Free IndiePixel Graphics2DShooterDifficultGreat SoundtrackRogue-like
- 10
Heroes of Hammerwatch
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 9 player tags including Rogue-lite, Action Roguelike and Pixel Graphics; released around the same time (2018).
Heroes of Hammerwatch is a rogue-lite action-adventure. Explore and battle your way through procedurally generated levels on your own or with up to 3 friends.
Heroes of Hammerwatch at a glance Released 2018 Studio Crackshell Player sentiment 87% positive of 9,527 Price $2.99 Rogue-liteAction RoguelikePixel GraphicsRPGIndie2DTop-DownRogue-like
- 11
Dungeon of the ENDLESS
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 9 player tags including Rogue-like, Pixel Graphics and Indie; released around the same time (2014).
Dungeon of the ENDLESS™ is a Rogue-Like Dungeon-Defense game, in which the player and their team of heroes must protect the generator of their crashed ship while exploring an ever-expanding dungeon, all while facing waves of monsters and special events as they try to find their way out...
Dungeon of the ENDLESS at a glance Released 2014 Studio AMPLITUDE Studios Player sentiment 85% positive of 14,040 Price $11.99 Rogue-likePixel GraphicsIndieRPGPerma DeathDifficultRogue-liteGreat Soundtrack
- 12
Magicite
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 9 player tags including Indie, RPG and Rogue-like; released around the same time (2014).
Explore, craft, and survive in this Multiplayer RPG Platformer with permanent death! Featuring many Rogue-like elements, Magicite randomly generates each underground dungeon for you and your friends to delve deep into.
Magicite at a glance Released 2014 Studio Sean Young Player sentiment 85% positive of 7,585 Price $9.99 IndieRPGRogue-likePixel Graphics2DAction RoguelikePerma DeathDifficult
- 13
Vampire Survivors
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 9 player tags including Action Roguelike, Bullet Hell and Pixel Graphics.
Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you. Be the bullet hell!
Vampire Survivors at a glance Released 2022 Studio poncle Player sentiment 98% positive of 265,103 Price $3.74 Action RoguelikeBullet HellPixel GraphicsRogue-lite2DIndieRogue-likeRPG
- 14
Juicy Realm
Why it matched: shares 10 player tags including Indie, Action Roguelike and RPG; released around the same time (2018).
Juicy Realm is a roguelike game in which players must square off against bizarre fruits all across the world. The line between the animal and the plant world has become blurred, and the food chain has been completely disrupted.
Juicy Realm at a glance Released 2018 Studio SpaceCan Player sentiment 88% positive of 3,676 Price $9.99 IndieAction RoguelikeRPGRogue-likeLocal Co-OpLocal MultiplayerRogue-liteTwin Stick Shooter
- 15
Noita
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 9 player tags including Rogue-like, Pixel Graphics and Difficult.
Noita is a magical action roguelite set in a world where every pixel is physically simulated. Fight, explore, melt, burn, freeze and evaporate your way through the procedurally generated world using spells you've created yourself.
Noita at a glance Released 2020 Studio Nolla Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 88,598 Price $19.99 Rogue-likePixel GraphicsDifficultIndie2DPerma DeathAction RoguelikeRogue-lite
- 16
Never Split the Party
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 9 player tags including Action Roguelike, Rogue-like and Indie.
Never Split the Party is an ultra social rogue-like! You're one of four adventurers joining together to explore a procedurally generated dungeon, amass powerful upgrades, and cooperate with your fellow adventures to conquer and crush the evil dungeon champions!
Never Split the Party at a glance Released 2019 Studio Legend Studio Player sentiment 76% positive of 4,400 Price Free Action RoguelikeRogue-likeIndieDifficultPixel GraphicsRogue-liteRPG2D
- 17
Hotline Miami
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 8 player tags including Great Soundtrack, Indie and Pixel Graphics; released around the same time (2012).
Hotline Miami is a high-octane action game overflowing with raw brutality, hard-boiled gunplay and skull crushing close combat.
Hotline Miami at a glance Released 2012 Studio Dennaton Games Player sentiment 97% positive of 127,794 Price $9.99 Great SoundtrackIndiePixel GraphicsTop-DownDifficult2DShooterTop-Down Shooter
- 18
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 8 player tags including Great Soundtrack, Pixel Graphics and Difficult; released around the same time (2015).
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is the brutal conclusion to the Hotline Miami saga, set against a backdrop of escalating violence and retribution over spilled blood in the original game.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number at a glance Released 2015 Studio Dennaton Games Player sentiment 94% positive of 79,987 Price $14.99 Great SoundtrackPixel GraphicsDifficultTop-DownIndieTop-Down Shooter2DShooter
- 19
Ikaruga
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 8 player tags including Bullet Hell, Great Soundtrack and Shooter.
Shoot! Dodge! and... Get Hit!? "Ikaruga" is a vertical shoot 'em up that features an unique polarity-switching gameplay. Switch the ship's polarity and "get hit and absorb" enemy bullets! Achieve High Score with the chain bonus!
Ikaruga at a glance Released 2001 Studio Treasure Player sentiment 95% positive of 2,364 Price $9.99 Bullet HellGreat SoundtrackShooterDifficultIndieLocal Co-Op2DLocal Multiplayer
- 20
Darkest Dungeon
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 7 player tags including Rogue-like, RPG and Difficult; released around the same time (2016).
Darkest Dungeon is a challenging gothic roguelike turn-based RPG about the psychological stresses of adventuring. Recruit, train, and lead a team of flawed heroes against unimaginable horrors, stress, disease, and the ever-encroaching dark. Can you keep your heroes together when all hope is lost?
Darkest Dungeon at a glance Released 2016 Studio Red Hook Studios Player sentiment 92% positive of 161,942 Price $3.74 Rogue-likeRPGDifficultPerma DeathIndie2DRogue-lite
- 21
Hades
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 8 player tags including Action Roguelike, Rogue-lite and Indie.
Defy the god of the dead as you hack and slash out of the Underworld in this rogue-like dungeon crawler from the creators of Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre.
Hades at a glance Released 2020 Studio Supergiant Games Player sentiment 98% positive of 308,085 Price $24.99 Action RoguelikeRogue-liteIndieRogue-likeGreat SoundtrackRPGDifficultPerma Death
- 22
Brotato
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 8 player tags including Rogue-like, Action Roguelike and Bullet Hell.
Brotato is a top-down arena shooter roguelite where you play a potato wielding up to 6 weapons at a time to fight off hordes of aliens. Choose from a variety of traits and items to create unique builds and survive until help arrives.
Brotato at a glance Released 2023 Studio Blobfish Player sentiment 96% positive of 118,244 Price $4.99 Rogue-likeAction RoguelikeBullet HellLocal Co-OpRogue-liteTop-Down Shooter2DRPG
- 23
Halls of Torment
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 8 player tags including Action Roguelike, Rogue-lite and Bullet Hell.
Slay hordes of terrifying monsters in this horde survival roguelite. Descend into the Halls of Torment where the Lords of the underworld await you. Treasures, magical trinkets, and a growing cast of heroes will grant you the power to vanquish these horrors from beyond. How long can you survive?
Halls of Torment at a glance Released 2024 Studio Chasing Carrots Player sentiment 95% positive of 31,787 Price $6.66 Action RoguelikeRogue-liteBullet HellPixel GraphicsRogue-likeRPGTop-Down2D
- 24
Risk of Rain 2
Why it matched: both difficult; shares 8 player tags including Action Roguelike, Rogue-lite and Rogue-like.
Escape a chaotic alien planet by fighting through hordes of frenzied monsters – with your friends, or on your own. Combine loot in surprising ways and master each character until you become the havoc you feared upon your first crash landing.
Risk of Rain 2 at a glance Released 2020 Studio Hopoo Games Player sentiment 94% positive of 352,120 Price $8.24 Action RoguelikeRogue-liteRogue-likeShooterGreat SoundtrackDifficultIndieBullet Hell
Common questions
What game is most like Nuclear Throne?
The Binding of Isaac, on the evidence we have. It both difficult. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to Nuclear Throne" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with Nuclear Throne. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
What else did the makers of Nuclear Throne do?
Super Crate Box is also from Vlambeer, and appears in the list below for that reason as well as on tag overlap.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.