Choose Hexcells
Choose Hexcells if you want a Strategy experience. 2,917 Steam reviews back the pick.
Hexcells vs Puzzle Dating
Hexcells and Puzzle Dating both land in 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 Indie, Casual on Steam. Hexcells (2014) is 3 years older than Puzzle Dating (2017). Hexcells scores higher on Steam reviews (96.7% positive) than Puzzle Dating (65.1% 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 Puzzle Dating
Choose Puzzle Dating if you want a Simulation game with Steam Leaderboards. On Steam, it's currently about 67% cheaper on the Steam Store. Puzzle Dating launched in 2017.
Both Hexcells and Puzzle Dating sit in Indie and Casual 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
 Hexcells |  Puzzle Dating | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2014 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Indie, Simulation, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 2.99 USD | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.7% positive (2,917 reviews) | 65.1% positive (43 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Matthew Brown | M. Hanka |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Casual on Steam.
- Hexcells (2014) is 3 years older than Puzzle Dating (2017).
- Hexcells scores higher on Steam reviews (96.7% positive) than Puzzle Dating (65.1% positive).
- Puzzle Dating is currently ~67% cheaper on Steam than Hexcells (0.99 USD vs. 2.99 USD).
- Hexcells is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Puzzle Dating has no Deck rating yet.
Hexcells vs Puzzle Dating — FAQ
- Should I play Hexcells or Puzzle Dating first?
- If you want chronology, Hexcells (2014) came out before Puzzle Dating (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 Hexcells and Puzzle Dating similar?
- They overlap on 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 Hexcells run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Hexcells is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Puzzle Dating doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.