Yes — Waves is free to play, so you can install and play it without buying anything.

Is Waves Steam Deck verified?

Yes. Valve has tested Waves and rates it Verified: it runs well on Steam Deck out of the box, with default controls and readable text.

Can I play Waves on Mac?

Not natively — Steam lists no macOS version of Waves. Mac players would need a cloud gaming service or a Windows compatibility layer.

Is Waves multiplayer?

No — Steam lists Waves as single-player only.

Is Waves on PC Game Pass?

No — Waves is not on PC Game Pass right now.

Waves

Name: Waves
Brand: Squid In A Box Ltd
Availability: InStock

Squid In A Box Ltd · November 16, 2011 · Bullet Hell, Shoot 'Em Up, Twin Stick Shooter, Shooter, Arcade

Waves is free to play — no purchase needed. We track it so you know if that ever changes.

Shooter deals

Overwhelmingly Positive95% · 1,57182Metacritic

Best price

Free

Get it free on Steam

Prices last checked 13 Nov 2026, 14:31 UTC

Cheapest Waves keys — keyshops

Keyshops are third-party marketplaces — keys are resold and can be region-locked or a different edition. Check the listing's region & edition before buying.

Gameseal

Standard Edition · Steam

$3.24

Buy

Kinguin

Standard Edition · Steam

$3.27

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CJS CD Keys

Standard Edition · Steam

$3.67

Buy

Screenshots

Waves price

Waves is free to play — there is no purchase price, on Steam or anywhere else we track. We keep watching it, so if it ever stops being free the price history on this page will show when that happened and what it changed to.

About Waves

✦ AI summary

Blast through waves of digital enemies in this neon-soaked twin-stick shooter where precise timing and combo chains turn you into an unstoppable force. Deep gameplay mechanics like the Time Buffer slow-motion system and seven distinct modes offer endless challenge for hardcore fans while remaining accessible to newcomers.

Waves is an Arcade Twin-Stick Shooter that's all about High Scores. Build your combo and drop bombs in pursuit of Leaderboard dominance over seven game-modes!

Waves — game info

Platforms: Windows
Steam Deck: Verified
Player modes: Single-player
Controller: Full controller support
PC Game Pass: Not included

More games like this:Steam Deck verified games Games with full controller support

Waves in the rankings

DLC & expansions

Waves Soundtrack

from$0.99

lowest tracked $0.49

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

✦ AI summary

Waves is praised by players as a fun, polished arcade twin-stick shooter with striking neon visuals and compelling gameplay that rewards skill and reflexes. The minimalist design and free-to-play nature are appreciated, and players particularly enjoy modes like Bombing Run, Chase, and Hold for their replayability. Some sentiment reflects respect for the game's developer and their legacy rather than criticizing actual gameplay elements.

Recommended Aug 15, 2026

In the game, you must constantly retreat and dodge flying enemy balls. It seems easy, but different balls move along different trajectories: some dodge the cursor, while others appear around you, encircling you and preventing you from retreating.

6 found this helpful

Recommended Sep 29, 2026

This is a fantastic Geometry Wars type of game, and it's free. It's the easiest recommendation ever.

Recommended Sep 23, 2026

this game is super addicting for how simple it is. plays great on steam deck

Recommended Sep 22, 2026

Thank you Dev Rob for this amazing experience and your overwhelming generocity. As a guy who loves simple to understand, hard to master games, This is a true treat.

Recommended Aug 9, 2026

I like it.

Recommended Aug 3, 2026

meh, it's not bad and its free.

Community reviews

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