Choose Mahjong Soul
Choose Mahjong Soul if it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 2,071 Steam reviews back the pick.
Mahjong Soul vs 17 Steps
Mahjong Soul and 17 Steps both land in Strategy, 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, Casual on Steam. Mahjong Soul (2024) is 2 years older than 17 Steps (2026). Mahjong Soul is free; 17 Steps is paid (2.99 USD). 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 17 Steps
Choose 17 Steps if you want an Indie, Simulation, and Early Access game with Online Co-op and Co-op. On Steam, it has co-op, so you can bring a friend. 17 Steps launched in 2026.
Both Mahjong Soul and 17 Steps sit in Strategy and Casual on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and 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
 Mahjong Soul |  17 Steps | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Casual, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 2.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 87.9% positive (2,071 reviews) | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Catfood Studio | SmilingMiles |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Casual on Steam.
- Mahjong Soul (2024) is 2 years older than 17 Steps (2026).
- Mahjong Soul is free; 17 Steps is paid (2.99 USD).
- 17 Steps has co-op; Mahjong Soul does not.
- Mahjong Soul is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; 17 Steps has no Deck rating yet.
Mahjong Soul vs 17 Steps — FAQ
- Should I play Mahjong Soul or 17 Steps first?
- If you want chronology, Mahjong Soul (2024) came out before 17 Steps (2026). 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 Mahjong Soul and 17 Steps similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.
- Is Mahjong Soul free?
- Yes — Mahjong Soul is a free-to-play Steam title. 17 Steps is paid (2.99 USD).
- Does Mahjong Soul run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Mahjong Soul is rated Deck Playable by Valve. 17 Steps doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.