Choose Dark Chess
Choose Dark Chess if you want the Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Shared/Split Screen PvP side of the pairing. Dark Chess launched in 2023.
Dark Chess vs Chess Pills
Dark Chess and Chess Pills both land in Strategy, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam. Chess Pills (2022) is 1 year older than Dark Chess (2023). Chess Pills scores higher on Steam reviews (86.2% positive) than Dark Chess (76.4% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Chess Pills
Choose Chess Pills if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 69% cheaper on the Steam Store. Chess Pills launched in 2022.
Both Dark Chess and Chess Pills sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Dark Chess |  Chess Pills | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2022 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 12.99 USD | 3.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 76.4% positive (72 reviews) | 86.2% positive (29 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | Tall Troll Games | Deep Green Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Chess Pills (2022) is 1 year older than Dark Chess (2023).
- Chess Pills scores higher on Steam reviews (86.2% positive) than Dark Chess (76.4% positive).
- Chess Pills is currently ~69% cheaper on Steam than Dark Chess (3.99 USD vs. 12.99 USD).
- Dark Chess is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Chess Pills has no Deck rating yet.
Dark Chess vs Chess Pills — FAQ
- Should I play Dark Chess or Chess Pills first?
- If you want chronology, Chess Pills (2022) came out before Dark Chess (2023). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Dark Chess and Chess Pills similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Chess Pills have multiplayer like Dark Chess?
- No. Dark Chess supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Chess Pills is listed as single-player only.
- Does Dark Chess run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Dark Chess is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Chess Pills doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.