Choose Absurd Chess
Choose Absurd Chess if it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Absurd Chess launched in 2021.
Absurd Chess vs Just Chess
Absurd Chess 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. Absurd Chess (2021) is 4 years older than Just Chess (2025). Absurd Chess is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Just Chess (4.99 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 Absurd Chess 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
 Absurd Chess |  Just Chess | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 4.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 5 reviews | 6 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Pretty Absurd | Pupugames |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Casual on Steam.
- Absurd Chess (2021) is 4 years older than Just Chess (2025).
- Absurd Chess is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Just Chess (4.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Absurd Chess is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Just Chess has no Deck rating yet.
Absurd Chess vs Just Chess — FAQ
- Should I play Absurd Chess or Just Chess first?
- If you want chronology, Absurd Chess (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 Absurd Chess 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.
- Does Absurd Chess run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Absurd Chess is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Just Chess doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.