Choose Hive
Choose Hive if you want the Steam Leaderboards side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Hive launched in 2014.
Hive vs Gem Rush
Hive and Gem Rush 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. Hive (2014) is 4 years older than Gem Rush (2018). Gem Rush scores higher on Steam reviews (92.9% positive) than Hive (81.5% 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 Gem Rush
Choose Gem Rush if you want the Online PvP, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2018) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Gem Rush launched in 2018.
Both Hive and Gem Rush 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
 Hive |  Gem Rush | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2018 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 9.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 81.5% positive (173 reviews) | 92.9% positive (14 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op |
| Developers | BlueLine Games | Quicksilver Software, Inc. |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Hive (2014) is 4 years older than Gem Rush (2018).
- Gem Rush scores higher on Steam reviews (92.9% positive) than Hive (81.5% positive).
- Gem Rush is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Hive (9.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Gem Rush has co-op; Hive does not.
- Hive is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Gem Rush has no Deck rating yet.
Hive vs Gem Rush — FAQ
- Should I play Hive or Gem Rush first?
- If you want chronology, Hive (2014) came out before Gem Rush (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 Hive and Gem Rush 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.
- Does Hive run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Hive is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Gem Rush doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.