9 Monkeys of Shaolin similar games & best alternatives

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9 Monkeys of Shaolin

2020

Should you play it?

The true rebirth of iconic beat 'em up genre in vein of old-school video games! As a simple Chinese fisherman Wei Cheng you have to avenge the death of your friends and family slaughtered in a pirate raid at your peaceful village.

What works

  • Fluid and satisfying combat mechanics
  • Cooperative local and online multiplayer
  • Variety of weapons and skill upgrades
  • Stylized visuals and immersive kung-fu theme
  • Good replayability with new game plus and modifiers

Things to keep in mind

  • Short game length
  • Some bugs and technical issues especially in co-op
  • Basic and unengaging story
  • Boss fights can be frustrating or unbalanced
  • Limited character customization and expression

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • Windblown

  • Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II

  • Remnant: From the Ashes

  • Absolum

  • Abyssus

  • Rotwood

Less intimate

Games that feels like 9 Monkeys of Shaolin but with less focus on close relationships

  • Redeemer: Enhanced Edition

  • Rum & Gun

  • Never Return

  • Aragami 2

  • Salt and Sanctuary

  • The Baconing

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to compare these games

Compare nearby games

Each card is a nearby game on the similarity map, compared with 9 Monkeys of Shaolin. Swipe sideways to move between games. Titles already listed in What to play next are left out.

  • Cover and title: open that game’s page.
  • What works / keep in mind: the same highlights as the desktop comparison panel.
  • Bars: the main motivational differences versus this game.
How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Swipe to compare nearby games with 9 Monkeys of Shaolin. These titles are not in What to play next.

9 Monkeys of Shaolin: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Violence. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Leadership, Continuation.

Last update: 21/08/2026