Choose Merge Chess
Choose Merge Chess if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Merge Chess launched in 2021.
Merge Chess vs Lines 98
Merge Chess and Lines 98 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. Merge Chess (2021) is 4 years older than Lines 98 (2025). Merge Chess is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Lines 98 (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 Lines 98
Choose Lines 98 if it's the newer release (2025) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Lines 98 launched in 2025.
Both Merge Chess and Lines 98 sit in Strategy 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 |  Lines 98 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2021 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 1 reviews | 100% positive (10 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Ammonite Design Studios Ltd | Popoko VM Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Casual on Steam.
- Merge Chess (2021) is 4 years older than Lines 98 (2025).
- Merge Chess is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Lines 98 (0.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
Merge Chess vs Lines 98 — FAQ
- Should I play Merge Chess or Lines 98 first?
- If you want chronology, Merge Chess (2021) came out before Lines 98 (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 Merge Chess and Lines 98 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.