Handshakes similar games & best alternatives

Handshakes - Trailer
Handshakes - handshakes_1.avif
Handshakes - handshakes_2.avif
Handshakes - handshakes_3.avif
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Handshakes - handshakes_5.avif
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Handshakes

Web browser, Linux, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac • 2023

Should you play it?

Take your brain for a walk in Handshakes, a simple yet tricksy sokoban puzzle game. Guide two hands through puzzles designed to stump, not frustrate, so that they may achieve their dream of a warm, firm handshake.

What works

  • Free to play
  • Unique and clever puzzle mechanics
  • Supports local co-op
  • Charming pixel art and music
  • Well-paced difficulty curve

Things to keep in mind

  • Short length (only 30 levels)
  • Some players find speedrun achievements frustrating
  • Minimal narrative and customization
  • Limited exploration and replay content
  • Controls can be unintuitive for speedrunning

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • DYO

  • Handy Dandy

  • Adventures of Shuggy

  • Toodee and Topdee

  • Cats Love Boxes

  • Wilmot Works It Out

Less social

Games that feels like Handshakes but with less teamwork and cooperation

  • Linelith

  • Akin

  • Maxwell's puzzling demon

  • Slider

  • Paquerette Down the Bunburrows

  • LineWay

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

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).

Handshakes: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Fellowship, Domination. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Survival, Expression, Fantasy.

Last update: 04/08/2026