Choose ChessCraft
Choose ChessCraft if you want the Shared/Split Screen and Shared/Split Screen PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 40% cheaper on the Steam Store. ChessCraft launched in 2021.
ChessCraft vs Just Chess
ChessCraft and Just Chess both land in Strategy, 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, Casual on Steam. ChessCraft (2021) is 4 years older than Just Chess (2025). ChessCraft is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than Just Chess (5.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD). 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 Just Chess
Choose Just Chess if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Just Chess launched in 2025.
Both ChessCraft and Just Chess sit in Strategy and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP, 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
 ChessCraft |  Just Chess | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 5.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 94.8% positive (58 reviews) | 6 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Stuart Spence | Pupugames |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Casual on Steam.
- ChessCraft (2021) is 4 years older than Just Chess (2025).
- ChessCraft is currently ~40% cheaper on Steam than Just Chess (5.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
ChessCraft vs Just Chess — FAQ
- Should I play ChessCraft or Just Chess first?
- If you want chronology, ChessCraft (2021) came out before Just Chess (2025). 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 ChessCraft and Just Chess similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.