Choose Small World
Choose Small World if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Online PvP, and Shared/Split Screen PvP side of the pairing. Small World launched in 2013.
Small World vs Hive
Small World and Hive both land in Strategy, 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 Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam. Small World (2013) is 1 year older than Hive (2014). Hive scores higher on Steam reviews (81.5% positive) than Small World (68.9% 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 Hive
Choose Hive if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 81.5% positive across 173 reviews.
Both Small World and Hive sit in Strategy, Indie, and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player and Steam Turn Notifications, 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
 Small World |  Hive | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2014 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 68.9% positive (628 reviews) | 81.5% positive (173 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Days of Wonder | BlueLine Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Small World (2013) is 1 year older than Hive (2014).
- Hive scores higher on Steam reviews (81.5% positive) than Small World (68.9% positive).
- Hive is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Small World (9.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Small World is Deck Playable, Hive is Deck Verified.
Small World vs Hive — FAQ
- Which is better, Small World or Hive?
- On Steam reviews Hive scores higher (81.5% positive) than Small World (68.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Hive is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Small World or Hive first?
- If you want chronology, Small World (2013) came out before Hive (2014). 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 Small World and Hive similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.