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Nuclear Throne

19 Adventure games like Nuclear Throne that you should try

Games like Nuclear Throne · Find similar →

We filtered the 43 games similar to Nuclear Throne down to the 19 that fit the “Adventure” category. Enter the Gungeon, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Paint the Town Red top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Nuclear Throne.

NextGameLike86/ 100

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GenreShooterSubgenreFPSSub-subgenreArena FPS
Tags
HardcoreSoloMultiplayer
Year 2015Dev Vlambeer

Quick answer

Within the “Adventure” category, the closest game to Nuclear Throne is Enter the Gungeon — scoring 93/100 on our similarity scale. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth and Paint the Town Red follow close behind.

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The best adventure games like Nuclear Throne

19 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Nuclear Throne. Each one has been evaluated across 19 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

1

Enter the Gungeon

93
NGL87
Enter the Gungeon
Closest overall match
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineRangedMeleeHardcoreProceduralIsometricPixel Art2DTop-Down
Year 2016Dev Dodge Roll · Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Matches like this one are rare: it meets Nuclear Throne on genre, combat and game mode. The common ground extends to a top-down view and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is setting: fantasy world.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100World100Visuals100Tone90
2

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

90
NGL91
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloCo-opMultiplayerOfflineMeleeRangedHardcoreProceduralIsometricPixel Art2D
Year 2014Dev NicalisPlaytime ~31hOn PC · PS · Xbox

On paper it is what Nuclear Throne is — punishing difficulty, procedural generation and melee combat — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. Both also lean on multiplayer gameplay and an isometric view. The distance is in setting and tone — its own ground is dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting.

Genre100Game mode100World100Visuals82Combat80Tone69
3

Paint the Town Red

88
NGL82
Paint the Town Red
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeRangedHardcoreProceduralIsometric
Year 2015Dev South East GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Xbox · Apple Macintosh

What brings it close to Nuclear Throne is punishing difficulty, procedural generation and melee combat, and the two track each other on genre, combat and world. To that it adds single-player focus and an isometric view. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting.

Genre100Combat100World100Game mode90Tone62Visuals34
4

The Binding of Isaac

74
NGL86
The Binding of Isaac
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedHardcoreProceduralIsometricTop-Down2D
Year 2011Dev Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl · Edmund McMillenPlaytime ~5hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

Shelved next to Nuclear Throne for good reason: punishing difficulty, procedural generation and melee combat. To that it adds 2D presentation and single-player focus. They part company on setting and game mode: this one brings dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting.

Genre100World100Combat80Visuals77Tone61Game mode28
5

Cuphead

85
NGL91
Cuphead
Closest on tone
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineRangedMeleeHardcore2DIsometric
Year 2017Dev Studio MDHR · StudioMDHR EntertainmentPlaytime ~6hOn PC · PS · Xbox

On paper it is what Nuclear Throne is — punishing difficulty, ranged combat and single-player focus — though the resemblance is mostly at that level. To that it adds 2D presentation. They part company on setting and visuals: this one brings a cartoon aesthetic.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Combat81Visuals57Setting0
6

Downwell

74
NGL85
Downwell
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedHardcoreProceduralSci-FiPixel Art2D
Year 2015Dev Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~2hOn PC · PS · iOS

The genre is the same as Nuclear Throne’s, and with it punishing difficulty, procedural generation and melee combat. To that it adds a sci-fi setting and single-player focus. They part company on game mode and setting: this one brings fantasy world.

Genre100Combat100World100Tone73Visuals66Setting48
7

SCP: Secret Laboratory

63
NGL91
SCP: Secret Laboratory
ShooterFPSArena FPS
MultiplayerCo-opMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi
Year 2017Dev Northwood StudiosOn PC

Same family as Nuclear Throne: punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds multiplayer gameplay. They part company on visuals and setting: this one brings a casual, approachable feel and horror setting.

Genre100Game mode69Combat48Tone43Setting34Visuals0
8

Ruiner

62
NGL83
Ruiner
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeHardcoreSci-FiIsometricTop-Down
Year 2017Dev Reikon Games · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · Linux · PC

Same family as Nuclear Throne: punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds a top-down view and single-player focus. They part company on game mode and setting: this one brings dark, oppressive atmosphere and a cyberpunk setting.

Genre100Visuals71Tone67Combat56Setting33Game mode28
9

Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter

79
NGL89
Serious Sam Classic: The First Encounter
Closest on setting
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeRangedHardcoreSci-Fi
Year 2001Dev Croteam · Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Nintendo

The genre is the same as Nuclear Throne’s, and with it punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds single-player focus. They part company on visuals and setting: this one brings a first-person view.

It predates Nuclear Throne by 14 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone74Setting63Visuals0
10

Metal Slug X

77
NGL85
Metal Slug X
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeHardcore2DPixel Art
Year 1999Dev SNKOn Linux · Android · PC

Genre puts it alongside Nuclear Throne, and so does punishing difficulty, melee combat and single-player focus. To that it adds pixel art. They part company on combat and visuals: this one brings precision platforming.

It predates Nuclear Throne by 16 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals61Combat60
11

Ultimate Chicken Horse

67
NGL88
Ultimate Chicken Horse
ShooterFPSArena FPS
MultiplayerOfflineCo-opSoloMeleeHardcore2D
Year 2016Dev NVIDIA Lightspeed Studios · Clever Endeavour GamesPlaytime ~4hOn PC · PS · Xbox

Same family as Nuclear Throne: punishing difficulty, melee combat and multiplayer gameplay. To that it adds 2D presentation. They part company on visuals and tone: this one brings a casual, approachable feel.

Genre100Game mode78Combat48Tone43Visuals28
12

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter

65
NGL87
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opMeleeHardcoreSci-Fi
Year 2009Dev Croteam · Devolver DigitalOn PC

Genre puts it alongside Nuclear Throne, and so does punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. The common ground extends to single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and setting: a first-person view.

Genre100Game mode81Tone76Combat56Setting51Visuals0
13

The Expendabros

64
NGL85
The Expendabros
ShooterFPS
SoloMultiplayerCo-opOfflineMeleeRanged2DPixel Art
Year 2014Dev Free Lives · Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

It meets Nuclear Throne on shooting mechanics, melee combat and single-player focus. Both also lean on 2D presentation. The distance is in visuals — its own ground is precision platforming and free-to-play access.

Combat100Game mode100Genre75Visuals63
14

Cave Story+

64
NGL86
Cave Story+
ShooterFPSArena FPS
SoloMeleeRangedHardcoreSci-Fi2DPixel Art
Year 2010Dev NicalisPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

Same family as Nuclear Throne: punishing difficulty, melee combat and a sci-fi setting. Both also lean on 2D presentation and single-player focus. The distance is in game mode and setting — its own ground is precision platforming and strong narrative focus.

Genre100Combat100Tone82Visuals65Setting62Game mode28
15

Astro Duel 2

62
NGL90
Astro Duel 2
ShooterFPS
MultiplayerOfflineSoloCo-opRangedMeleeSci-FiTop-Down2DPixel Art
Year 2024Dev Rusty Moyher · Wild RoosterOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Nintendo

Held in common with Nuclear Throne: shooting mechanics, ranged combat and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds offline play and a top-down view. They part company on setting: this one brings a cyberpunk setting.

Released 9 years after Nuclear Throne.

Combat100Visuals89Game mode81Genre75Setting38

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Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Nuclear Throne by category

If Nuclear Throne left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the roguelike or the RPG that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Nuclear Throne look-alike but simply the best Arena FPS Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games. And if you feel like widening the net, the Shooter Games ranking is a good way to run into something you were not expecting.