Choose Merge Chess
Choose Merge Chess if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Merge Chess launched in 2021.
Merge Chess vs Hexes
Merge Chess and Hexes both land in 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 Indie, Casual on Steam. Merge Chess (2021) is 2 years older than Hexes (2023). Merge Chess is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Hexes (0.99 USD vs. 4.99 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 Hexes
Choose Hexes if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. Hexes launched in 2023.
Both Merge Chess and Hexes sit in 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
 Merge Chess |  Hexes | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2023 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 1 reviews | 100% positive (12 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Ammonite Design Studios Ltd | Elektri Inc. |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Merge Chess (2021) is 2 years older than Hexes (2023).
- Merge Chess is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Hexes (0.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
Merge Chess vs Hexes — FAQ
- Should I play Merge Chess or Hexes first?
- If you want chronology, Merge Chess (2021) came out before Hexes (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 Merge Chess and Hexes similar?
- They overlap on 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.