Choose Small World
Choose Small World if you want the Steam Turn Notifications and LAN PvP side of the pairing. Small World launched in 2013.
Small World vs Istanbul: Digital Edition
Small World and Istanbul: Digital Edition 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 5 years older than Istanbul: Digital Edition (2018). Istanbul: Digital Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (94.5% 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 Istanbul: Digital Edition
Choose Istanbul: Digital Edition if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 94.5% positive across 165 reviews.
Both Small World and Istanbul: Digital Edition sit in Strategy, Indie, and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online 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
 Small World |  Istanbul: Digital Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 6.49 USD |
| Steam reviews | 68.9% positive (628 reviews) | 94.5% positive (165 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Days of Wonder | Acram Digital |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Small World (2013) is 5 years older than Istanbul: Digital Edition (2018).
- Istanbul: Digital Edition scores higher on Steam reviews (94.5% positive) than Small World (68.9% positive).
- Istanbul: Digital Edition is currently ~35% cheaper on Steam than Small World (6.49 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Small World is Deck Playable, Istanbul: Digital Edition is Deck Verified.
Small World vs Istanbul: Digital Edition — FAQ
- Which is better, Small World or Istanbul: Digital Edition?
- On Steam reviews Istanbul: Digital Edition scores higher (94.5% positive) than Small World (68.9% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Istanbul: Digital Edition 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 Istanbul: Digital Edition first?
- If you want chronology, Small World (2013) came out before Istanbul: Digital Edition (2018). 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 Istanbul: Digital Edition 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.