Choose Check vs Mate
Choose Check vs Mate if you want an Action and Casual experience. Check vs Mate launched in 2012.
Check vs Mate vs Dark Chess
Check vs Mate and Dark Chess both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Check vs Mate (2012) is 11 years older than Dark Chess (2023). Dark Chess scores higher on Steam reviews (76.4% positive) than Check vs Mate (66.4% 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 Dark Chess
Choose Dark Chess if you want an Indie game with Shared/Split Screen. On Steam, it's currently about 48% cheaper on the Steam Store. Dark Chess launched in 2023.
Both Check vs Mate and Dark Chess sit in Strategy on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen 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
 Check vs Mate |  Dark Chess | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2012 | 2023 |
| Genres | Action, Strategy, Casual | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Deck Playable |
| Price | 24.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 66.4% positive (211 reviews) | 76.4% positive (72 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Targem Games | Tall Troll Games |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Check vs Mate (2012) is 11 years older than Dark Chess (2023).
- Dark Chess scores higher on Steam reviews (76.4% positive) than Check vs Mate (66.4% positive).
- Dark Chess is currently ~48% cheaper on Steam than Check vs Mate (12.99 USD vs. 24.99 USD).
- Dark Chess is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Check vs Mate has no Deck rating yet.
Check vs Mate vs Dark Chess — FAQ
- Should I play Check vs Mate or Dark Chess first?
- If you want chronology, Check vs Mate (2012) came out before Dark Chess (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 Check vs Mate and Dark Chess similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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.