Choose Banished
Choose Banished if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 25,649 Steam reviews back the pick.
Banished vs Kingdoms and Castles
Banished and Kingdoms and Castles both land in Strategy, Indie, Simulation 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, Simulation on Steam. Banished (2014) is 3 years older than Kingdoms and Castles (2017). Kingdoms and Castles scores higher on Steam reviews (93.8% positive) than Banished (90% 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 Kingdoms and Castles
Choose Kingdoms and Castles if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 93.8% positive across 19,354 reviews.
Both Banished and Kingdoms and Castles sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation 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
 Banished |  Kingdoms and Castles | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Verified |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90% positive (25,649 reviews) | 93.8% positive (19,354 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Shining Rock Software LLC | Lion Shield, LLC |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Banished (2014) is 3 years older than Kingdoms and Castles (2017).
- Kingdoms and Castles scores higher on Steam reviews (93.8% positive) than Banished (90% positive).
- Kingdoms and Castles is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than Banished (14.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Banished is Deck Playable, Kingdoms and Castles is Deck Verified.
Banished vs Kingdoms and Castles — FAQ
- Which is better, Banished or Kingdoms and Castles?
- On Steam reviews Kingdoms and Castles scores higher (93.8% positive) than Banished (90% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Kingdoms and Castles is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Banished or Kingdoms and Castles first?
- If you want chronology, Banished (2014) came out before Kingdoms and Castles (2017). 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 Banished and Kingdoms and Castles similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie, Simulation 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.