Choose Chess Brain
Choose Chess Brain if it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. Chess Brain launched in 2020.
Chess Brain vs Chess Brain: Dark Troops
Chess Brain and Chess Brain: Dark Troops both land in Strategy, Indie, Casual 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, Casual on Steam. Chess Brain (2020) is 1 year older than Chess Brain: Dark Troops (2021). Chess Brain: Dark Troops scores higher on Steam reviews (96.2% positive) than Chess Brain (86.9% 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 Brain: Dark Troops
Choose Chess Brain: Dark Troops if it matches what drew you to this matchup. Chess Brain: Dark Troops launched in 2021.
Both Chess Brain and Chess Brain: Dark Troops sit in Strategy, Indie, and Casual 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
 Chess Brain |  Chess Brain: Dark Troops | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2021 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 2.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 86.9% positive (61 reviews) | 96.2% positive (26 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Caio Flavio | Caio Flavio |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Chess Brain (2020) is 1 year older than Chess Brain: Dark Troops (2021).
- Chess Brain: Dark Troops scores higher on Steam reviews (96.2% positive) than Chess Brain (86.9% positive).
- Chess Brain is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Chess Brain: Dark Troops (0.99 USD vs. 2.99 USD).
- Chess Brain is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Chess Brain: Dark Troops has no Deck rating yet.
Chess Brain vs Chess Brain: Dark Troops — FAQ
- Should I play Chess Brain or Chess Brain: Dark Troops first?
- If you want chronology, Chess Brain (2020) came out before Chess Brain: Dark Troops (2021). 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 Chess Brain and Chess Brain: Dark Troops similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Casual 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 Brain run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Chess Brain is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Chess Brain: Dark Troops doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.