The Steam Deck has been a roaring success for Valve. This humble device kickstarted its own category of ‘handheld PCs' that has since been joined by devices such as the MSI Claw, ASUS ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go. The Steam Deck does have one particular advantage over them, however: the Steam Deck compatibility system.

Users browsing the Steam Store can instantly check if a game is suitable to play on the Steam Deck by looking for the ‘Steam Deck Verified' badge. Though this will soon be changed to incorporate other SteamOS devices, it remains a great indicator of what might make a good title for portable gaming.

Five Steam Deck Verified games on the way

We spotted five games that have already received Steam Deck Verified status, even though they have not yet been released.

Sonic Rumble

The first of these is Sonic Rumble, a competitive party game comparable to the classic Mario Party series, but starring SEGA's blue blur and his friends. According to the Steam store page, Sonic Rumble is set to be even more chaotic than your average Mario Party game, with up to 32 players battling it out. In fact, we’d compare it to something more akin to Fall Guys.

Tenebris Somnia

The second is Tenebris Somnia from publisher New Blood Interactive and developed by Saibot Studios and Andrés Borghi. This survival horror is a tribute to the FMV games of the 90s, with 2D survival horror and puzzle-solving gameplay and live-action cutscenes. There’s already some great behind-the-scenes content available on the game’s news hub.

Goodbye Seoul

Next is Goodbye Seoul from JINO Games. This is a narrative-driven puzzle adventure set in a mostly abandoned and crumbling city. The player needs to uncover the secrets of a forgotten project as the end of the world looms. It looks to deliver an atmospheric experience along with a healthy amount of platforming gameplay.

Abalon Arena

For those who like tactical card games on their Steam Deck, there is Abalon Arena, a multiplayer card game featuring mutant squirrels. Players can go head-to-head in a competitive match or play co-operatively, or choose to play solo. The game advertises “over 400 tactically distinct cards” with five ‘magic school’ archetypes to play with. In addition to the cards, there are also 20 heroes and 48 guardians to sink your teeth into.

SCP: Control Error

SCP: Control Error is another horror-focused title, and the final game getting our Verified spotlight. The game takes inspiration from the SCP Foundation stories. The player takes the role of an SCP employee taking part in a dangerous test inside a mysterious underground facility. It’s described as a “short, first-person psychological horror game set in 1985”.

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No firm release dates are available for these titles, but most are listed as ‘Coming soon'. In the meantime, you can always check out their demo versions, which are currently available for Tenebris Somnia, Goodbye Seoul, and Abalon Arena. You’ll find these at the top of their respective Steam store pages.

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