Games like Defender on Steam Deck
3 of the 4 modern alternatives to Defender (1981) are rated Verified or Playable on the Steam Deck. The cheapest is Luftrausers at € 9,99. One is made by independent developers.
The Steam Deck runs most of the PC catalogue, but not all of it equally well. Only alternatives that Valve rates Verified (works out of the box) or Playable (works, with a tweak or two) are listed here. The ratings come from Valve, not from our own testing, and change as games are patched.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
Sine Mora EX
€ 29,99A polished side-scrolling shoot 'em up with a time-manipulation twist and cinematic presentation.
Sine Mora EX runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
R-Type Dimensions EX
€ 14,99Two arcade classics with modern and retro visuals, horizontal shooting at its most demanding.
R-Type Dimensions EX is also an alternative to 1 other classic
R-Type Dimensions EX runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Luftrausers Indie
€ 9,99An indie arcade dogfighter with tight, punchy controls in the spirit of classic scrolling shooters.
Luftrausers runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Not on Steam Deck
These alternatives to Defender are listed on the main page, but are not rated Verified or Playable on the Steam Deck:
All 4 games like Defender