Games Like Dark Matter

Nova Drift distills the mechanical depth and strategy of an ARPG into classic arcade space combat. Control an endlessly evolving bio-mechanical ship, face legions of strange and deadly foes, and ride the wake of a dying star across the void.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 26.9%, Bullet Hell 25.6%, Shooter 13.3%, Space 11.7%, Arcade 11.3%

Why You'll Like It: This game features physics-based space combat and deep customization that elevates the classic Asteroids-style movement found in Dark Matter.

Bit Blaster XL is a fast-paced, retro arcade shoot 'em up (shmup) inspired by the classic quarter-munchers of the ‘80s. Easy to pick up, hard to put down, boost, dodge, shoot, and chase high scores in this addictive, old-school action game!

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 16.8%, Bullet Hell 16.1%, Score Attack 9.2%, Minimalist 8.7%, Shooter 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: A fast-paced, retro-arcade space shooter that perfectly mirrors the simple yet addictive loop of Dark Matter.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved is a old school style shooter, but remixed for the 21st century with next generation graphics and deep, modern gameplay. Playing is simple: you are a geometric "ship" trapped in a grid world, facing off against waves of deadly wanderers, snakes, and repulsars.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 38.4%, Bullet Hell 18%, Shoot 'Em Up 13.1%, Arcade 13.1%, Shooter 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: It is the definitive twin-stick arcade shooter, offering the same high-intensity, score-chasing gameplay that defines the genre.

Endless arcade action with just ONE button - Switch directions whenever you shoot!

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 21.2%, Bullet Hell 18.4%, Score Attack 14.1%, Shooter 8.7%, Arcade 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: A pure, score-attack arcade game that distills the shoot-em-up experience down to its most essential, challenging mechanics.

Classic Asteroids® updated with modern gameplay and perfected controls. Explore hazardous environments and sneak around asteroids to surprise attack giant bosses. Upgrade your ship to use additional power-ups. Single player or fight with up to 3 friends with intense local coop.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 23%, Shoot 'Em Up 15.8%, Bullet Hell 15.4%, Score Attack 8.7%, Shooter 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: This title directly builds upon the Asteroids formula with physics-based movement and modern arena-shooter mechanics.

Assault Android Cactus is an intense arcade style twin stick shooter - pick from one of nine unique synthetic heroines and blast your way through overwhelming robots hordes to save the ship from its own workforce. Supports single player and local co-op game modes.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 29.1%, Bullet Hell 19%, Shoot 'Em Up 18.7%, Shooter 9.2%, Top-Down 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: This high-octane twin-stick shooter provides the same frantic, arcade-style combat intensity found in top-down shooters.

Vortex Attack is a frenetic arcade space shooter featuring worldwide tournaments and an intense local multiplayer mode.A worthy successor to Galaga for the XXI century.WARNING: Highly addictive.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 20%, Bullet Hell 17.8%, Twin Stick Shooter 14.6%, Score Attack 9.6%, Shooter 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: A classic arcade shooter that incorporates bullet-hell elements and high-speed action similar to Dark Matter.

Tachyon Project is a dual stick shooter heavily inspired by classic shoot'em ups. We’ve combined many unique enemy types, a large variety of weapons and power-ups with innovative gameplay to ensure a long lasting challenge and discovery at every new level.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 48.2%, Shoot 'Em Up 32%, Arcade 12.5%, Action 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: A fast-paced twin-stick shooter that emphasizes arcade sensibilities and quick, reflex-based gameplay.

Waves 2: Notorious is an arcade twin-stick shooter set in Cyberspace. Build Combos, earn Adrenaline and unleash powerful Burst attacks as you Dive into the Net and do battle against an AI that adapts to your weaknesses!

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 27.6%, Shoot 'Em Up 19.1%, Bullet Hell 18.3%, Shooter 9.1%, Score Attack 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: It offers fluid, fast-paced twin-stick combat with a strong emphasis on arcade scoring and survival mechanics.

Cycle 28 is a classic arcade space combat game where you have six minutes to beat your high-score. Simple controls, powerful upgrades, and intense dogfights. Perfect for when you just need to switch off and shoot something. See you on the scoreboard!

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 22.5%, Bullet Hell 15.2%, Shoot 'Em Up 14.1%, Flight 13.1%, Score Attack 7.5%

Why You'll Like It: An arcade twin-stick shooter that emphasizes momentum and precise movement in a space-based combat setting.

Inspired by an arcade classic, Super Destronaut DX is retro space shooter that pits you against an enemy more dreaded than a UFO, a scoreboard.

Why similar: Action 100%

Why You'll Like It: A retro-styled space shooter that focuses heavily on high-score chasing and arcade-style enemy patterns.

In ION ASSAULT players wield thousands of Ion Particles to blast, fry and disrupt anything on screen as you see fit! GAMEPLAY WITH A TWIST: By centering its gameplay around its unique fluid and particle physics system, ION ASSAULT adds a twist to arcade style space shooters!

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 43.2%, Shoot 'Em Up 26.5%, Arcade 11.7%, Casual 9.6%, Action 9%

Why You'll Like It: An arcade-style twin-stick shooter that utilizes physics-based movement to create a unique combat feel.

Thousands of aliens, giant spiders, mutant lizards, and more are on the attack - can you survive the onslaught? Crimsonland is a top-down shooter with a touch of RPG. Unlock over 30 weapons and over 50 perks from quirky to brutal. Complete the quest and show your skills in five survival modes.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 35.5%, Shooter 16.5%, Shoot 'Em Up 15.7%, Top-Down 15.1%, Arcade 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: A classic top-down arena shooter that provides the same overwhelming enemy counts and arcade-style progression.

Grav Blazer is an arcade space shooter with a focus on fast paced action. Skill based firing mechanics, rotational controlled power attacks, increasing level difficulty, and endless procedurally generated levels are some of the features players will experience.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 19.4%, Bullet Hell 15.5%, Shooter 10.4%, Sci-fi 9.4%, Arcade 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: A simple, arcade-focused space shooting game that captures the core essence of classic top-down shooters.

The definitive 'Turbo Edition' of the easy to play hard to master space blaster. Bringing more game modes, ships, challenges, upgradable power-ups and frantic retro space blasting fun than ever before. Alone or in co-op you’ll keep coming back to unlock ships, upgrade weapons and beat your high-score.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 27.5%, Shoot 'Em Up 16.1%, Bullet Hell 15.2%, Shooter 8.4%, Arcade 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: A modern take on classic arcade space shooters that focuses on high scores and varied ship combat.

A classical science fiction point and click adventure which takes you into a deep story and murky atmosphere, while solving logical puzzles. Accompany Tessa Carter and her talking robot as she finds out about herself and searches for a way to survive.

Why similar: Sci-fi 54.3%, Atmospheric 23.3%, Space 22.4%

Why You'll Like It: This game features tight, fast-paced top-down shooting with arcade-style progression and challenging boss encounters.

Asteroid Bounty Hunter is a space shooter mixed with interesting boss fights and breathtaking visuals, with a reward system to take your skill to another level.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 42.2%, Bullet Hell 21.9%, Space 14.7%, Casual 11.4%, Action 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: It combines classic Asteroids-style physics and movement with modern shooter mechanics and mission-based progression.

Stellar 2D is a retro style space arcade game, it's a 2D game in a 3D world. With an addictive, fast paced, casual game-play style.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 53.4%, Casual 19.8%, Action 15.2%, 2D 11.6%

Why You'll Like It: A casual space shooter that offers straightforward, arcade-style gameplay for fans of the genre.

Distant Space are present the arcade game of cosmic fights in arcade style of the 80's, this is a game where you can control the spaceship and forced to destroy extraterrestrials, which are moving in the certain order.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 32.8%, Bullet Hell 13.3%, Space 13.2%, Arcade 12.5%, Shooter 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: A simple, arcade-style space shooter with pixel graphics that feels like a throwback to classic arcade cabinets.

Bladestar is a sci-fi cinematic action shooter featuring visually rich worlds with potentially endless enemies on each level. Defend the galaxy flying a Manta Starfighter through asteroid, mine, and debris fields while battling pirates, rebels, and aliens.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 31.3%, Shooter 14.6%, Space 13.9%, Arcade 12.8%, Sci-fi 11.9%

Why You'll Like It: An arcade-style space combat game that focuses on quick reflexes and navigating through waves of enemies.

Fight, fly, flourish! BLUE REVOLVER is a manic arcade-style shoot-em-up built for newcomers and psychos alike. Powerful special weapons cut through tough areas, while an adaptive difficulty system tailors the game to your skill level as you evade and counter a maniac environmental force!

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 48.6%, Bullet Hell 33%, Arcade 9.8%, Shooter 3.2%, Action 2.9%

Why You'll Like It: A high-octane bullet-hell shooter known for its precise controls and demanding, rhythmic combat patterns.

GalaxIverse is a top down fast paced vertical blastathon, Battle Fleets and formations of aliens with the occasional boss thrown in for good luck.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 26.6%, Bullet Hell 21.1%, Shooter 15.3%, Arcade 10.5%, Top-Down 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A classic-style space shooter that focuses on arcade scoring and simple, effective combat mechanics.

Fact: everything is better with lasers. So we put lasers on over 30 angry giant insects who want to stop you, Space Moth, from escaping Earth and going to the Moon. Show them who's boss and blast your way into space! (Check out the all new SPACE MOTH: LUNAR EDITION, linked below!)

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 39.7%, Bullet Hell 34.2%, Arcade 14.5%, Action 6.8%, 2D 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: An intense bullet-hell shooter that captures the retro arcade aesthetic and challenging gameplay of the genre.

Prepare for an interstellar showdown like no other in a gripping roguelike top-down twin-stick shooter set in the vast depths of space. Pilot your advanced starship, engaging in relentless battles against hordes of alien adversaries. Destroy, Collect, Upgrade, Die, Unlock, Repeat.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 26.8%, Shoot 'Em Up 18.3%, Bullet Hell 17.5%, Shooter 8.6%, Top-Down 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: A top-down shooter that blends bullet-hell intensity with arcade mechanics for a challenging combat experience.

Buckle up for shoot ‘em up chaos in this fast-paced and hyper-stylized roguelite. As the infamous bounty hunter Black Paradox, it’s up to you to travel through space and defeat the Hellraisers – the most dangerous criminal organization in the galaxy.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 32.2%, Bullet Hell 27.4%, Shooter 13.4%, Sci-fi 10.3%, Space 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: A fast-paced space shooter with a strong retro arcade vibe and a focus on intense, screen-filling combat.

Cyberhunt is a retro procedurally generated twin stick shooter, that takes you back to the sweet to the sweet arcade machines era!

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 27.6%, Shoot 'Em Up 18.7%, Bullet Hell 14.2%, Space 8.5%, Top-Down 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: A fast-paced arcade shooter with a distinct retro aesthetic and challenging, reflex-based gameplay.

Frantic Dimension is a retro twin-stick shooter inspired by the earliest twin-sticks, 'Space Dungeon' and 'Robotron 2084'. Never stop moving and shooting... or you'll die.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 33.8%, Shoot 'Em Up 19%, Score Attack 14.3%, Arcade 11.1%, Shooter 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: Fast-paced arcade action with retro-inspired visuals that demand quick reactions and constant movement.

Astro Duel is a competitive local multiplayer party game. Rounds are quick and death is sudden. Blast your friends into space. Run over their helpless bodies for good measure.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 40.4%, Arcade 15.5%, Space 14.7%, Sci-fi 12.1%, Action 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: This game emphasizes physics-based space combat where movement and positioning are just as important as shooting.

A masterful combination of top-down shooter and endless replayability with procedural levels. Blast your way through walls & enemies with guns and cybernetic abilities. Install perks from cyber chambers and upgrade your character stats after each death. Can you stop the Overseer?

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 56.3%, Shooter 14.6%, Top-Down 14.1%, Sci-fi 11.1%, Action 3.9%

Why You'll Like It: A twin-stick shooter with destructible environments and arcade-like progression that rewards aggressive play.

Rym 9000 is a hyperkinetic shooter inspired by Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Guxt. A treasure-hunting journey to the Moon developed by Sonoshee and composed by Roex. A unique high-octane experience conceived to stimulate your senses and make your eyes and ears bleed!

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 46.2%, Bullet Hell 26.8%, Shooter 13.9%, Action 7%, 2D 6%

Why You'll Like It: A high-speed, surreal arcade shooter that provides intense visual feedback and challenging, fast-paced gameplay.

A vertical arcade shoot'em up with an inventive teleport system, lots of fast-blazing action and explosions, tons of boss fights, a risk/reward based score system and a proper challenge for both veteran and new players of the genre.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 20.8%, Bullet Hell 19.8%, Score Attack 8.8%, Shooter 8.3%, Top-Down 7.9%

Classic multi-directional (360°) shoot 'em up. Navigate your UFO through hazardous environments with dangerous enemies and beat huge bosses!

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 24.9%, Shoot 'Em Up 16.9%, Bullet Hell 14.8%, Shooter 7.9%, Aliens 7.7%

A retro-style, fast-paced, and addictive shoot 'em up. A throwback to the classic arcade games of the 80s. Great for playing while waiting in line for another game. 🎮 (shmup)

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 24.6%, Shoot 'Em Up 15.9%, Bullet Hell 15.2%, Score Attack 9.4%, Minimalist 8.3%

Arcadium is a survival roguelite set in a dynamic, ever-changing universe. Journey across space, harvest planetary resources, and craft powerful builds to eradicate relentless waves of aliens. Each playthrough unveils a new and uncharted universe, ensuring endless challenges and discoveries.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 24.8%, Bullet Hell 20.8%, Shoot 'Em Up 17.1%, Space 7.8%, Arcade 6.5%

Blast. Collect. Upgrade. Repeat. Void Miner is a retro-inspired roguelite asteroid shooter where you pilot a space ship and manage an automated tower to destroy endless fields of chaos. Dodge, blast, and harvest your way through waves of asteroids in a fast-paced loop of destruction and progression.

Why similar: Bullet Hell 31.2%, Aliens 19.3%, Space 14.1%, Arcade 13.8%, Shooter 12.4%

Hyper Space is a “Dodge ’Em Up” Arcade game. Collect stars while avoiding space hazards to reach the highest score, unlock new skins, compete with your friends and travel through space to the most distant galaxies.

Why similar: Bullet Hell 27.9%, Score Attack 20.1%, Space 15.3%, Arcade 14.7%, Family Friendly 13.5%

Grav Blazer is an arcade space shooter with a focus on fast paced action. Skill based firing mechanics, rotational controlled power attacks, increasing level difficulty, and endless procedurally generated levels are some of the features players will experience.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 23%, Bullet Hell 22.7%, Shooter 11.7%, Arcade 9.6%, Aliens 9.3%

Vectorium is a classical, yet intense arcade shooting game. Can you survive those dreadful enemies and barrage of gunfire?

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 25.5%, Shoot 'Em Up 15.7%, Bullet Hell 15.2%, Shooter 7.7%, Score Attack 6.6%

Shoot to move, move to live, live to shoot! Blast Off Far Away (B.O.F.A.) is a space-themed, top-down arena shooter, with a focus on fast-paced arcade-esque gameplay, with the unique twist where movement is limited through the use of the player's gun.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 31.3%, Shooter 15.2%, Arcade 12.1%, Family Friendly 7.9%, Space 6.1%

Shoot, destroy, collect, craft and destroy even more! "Dark Gravity" is a fast-paced, low poly vertical shoot'em up game that features non-linear campaign mode with lots of enemies and bosses. Craft new weapons, upgrade your fighter and build an ultimate aerial war machine!

Why similar: Bullet Hell 29%, Shooter 16.6%, Score Attack 14.2%, Arcade 13.9%, Top-Down 13.7%

Star Vortex is a fast paced Action-RPG inspired by classics of the genre. Design your ship, fight your way through hostile alien sectors, upgrade as you salvage rare weapons and experiment with different builds until nothing can stand against you.

Why similar: Sci-fi 26.4%, 2D 15.9%, Twin Stick Shooter 12.9%, Atmospheric 11.9%, Flight 9.5%

Arcade shoot game inspired on 80’s classics with extra features as you progress.

Why similar: Space 34.1%, Casual 23.6%, Arcade 21.7%, Action 20.5%

Eat, shoot, dash, and explode your way through the cosmos in this adrenaline-fuelled arcade action game. WORMHOLE is a roguelike twist on the classic snake format featuring a stackable perk system and 100+ hand-crafted levels.

Why similar: Score Attack 25.7%, Aliens 18.8%, Arcade 16.9%, Space 15.1%, Sci-fi 12.9%

CometStriker DX is a fast-paced arcade-style shooter where you boost through danger and blast everything in your way!

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 30.4%, Shoot 'Em Up 22.4%, Bullet Hell 20.1%, Shooter 9.2%, Arcade 7.7%

Gear up for an intergalactic thrill ride! Space Elite Force is a frenzied space-shooter packed with weapon customization and epic boss battles. Take command of your ship and fight for the survival of humanity!

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 22.1%, Bullet Hell 20.4%, Score Attack 10.2%, Arcade 9%, Aliens 8.6%

Star Drifter is a super hard and hectic space shooter, inspired by classics such as R Type, Xenon, Galaxian, Moon Cresta and Gradius.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 67%, Casual 18%, Action 14.9%

Super Space Club is a lo-fi arcade space shooter to chill to. Defend a vibrant galaxy as a club of misfit heroes and battle endless waves of spacecrafts to the tune of atmospheric beats. Outlast your enemies and vibe to the rhythm of the stars.

Why similar: Flight 20.8%, Shoot 'Em Up 17.8%, Bullet Hell 17.1%, Space 8.6%, Arcade 8.4%

A physics-powered action roguelike. Grab asteroids, catch missiles, and hurl them back at swarming enemies. Build wild loadouts, defeat colossal bosses, and push deeper into a collapsing galaxy.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 34%, Bullet Hell 19.2%, Shooter 10.4%, Top-Down 9.7%, Space 8.5%

An indie story-driven space shooter with intense battles, escalating enemy waves, and massive boss fights. Choose and upgrade ships, unlock powerful weapons, and protect your allies. Upgrade your base and construct a battleship to take on even stronger enemies. All set to a rock & synth soundtrack.

Why similar: Twin Stick Shooter 34.5%, Bullet Hell 20.9%, Shooter 9.6%, Top-Down 8.1%, Minimalist 7.7%

A SUPER throwback to the classic quarter eating arcade games of the 80's. Super Bit Blaster XL is an (even more) enhanced version of the retro styled, addictive, and fast paced arcade shoot 'em up!

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 23.5%, Bullet Hell 23%, Score Attack 10.9%, Arcade 10%, Space 8%

Zenohell is a 90s inspired shoot-em'up (shmup) that is all about simple gameplay, just dodge, shoot, score, with vibrant pixel visuals and a kicking 28 track soundtrack, with lots of content to boot.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 80.5%, Action 19.5%

Alien Crusader is an action packed, vertical scrolling, space shooter game, similar to classic coin-up arcade and shoot'em up games.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 51.3%, Space 20.7%, Sci-fi 15.7%, Action 12.3%

Jump back to the good old days of arcade machines with Void Invaders: a colourful, chaotic and explosive arcade shoot-em-up game inspired by classics such as Galaga and Space Invaders!

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 64.6%, Arcade 26.5%, Action 8.8%

Deep Space Exploitation is a space mining game featuring 2D physics, fully destructible asteroids, and a story of survival under an exploitative corporation. Use your equipment wisely, upgrade your ship, and make difficult decisions to secure your future!

Why similar: Flight 30%, Minimalist 14%, Physics 13.5%, Space 11.6%, Arcade 11.5%

Pewt 'em Up! is a retro inspired arcade space shoot 'em up with lots of upgrades, achievements, extras and more.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 29.5%, Shooter 15.9%, Aliens 14.8%, Arcade 13.8%, Space 8.5%

How long can you survive the depths of space in this fresh revival of the classic arcade shooter, all while grooving to an original score by Megan McDuffee. Pilot solo or recruit a friend for local co-op across 30 unique challenges or the endless arcade mode.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 30%, Shooter 15.1%, Score Attack 13.7%, Arcade 12.6%, Space 10.6%

"Aeve:Zero Gravity" is an arcade space shooter about battles in open space. In a classic mode "Shoot'em'all"

Why similar: Action 100%

Ruzh Delta Z is a frenzied shoot-em-up which draws inspiration from classics such as Gradius, DoDonPachi, and R-Type. Shoot your way through perilous stages and wreck thousands of rogue vessels in your quest to become the ultimate pilot.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 40.3%, Bullet Hell 34.9%, Casual 12.7%, Action 12.1%

Command a starship in Void Resurgence, a retro-futuristic space roguelite. Battle through colorful cosmic fields, collect upgrades, and build your ultimate ship. Dodge intense bullet-hell patterns and fight for survival. Every run offers new challenges and permanent progress.

Why similar: Shoot 'Em Up 24.2%, Bullet Hell 23.6%, Score Attack 15%, Arcade 9.2%, Space 8.5%