Choose Tabletop Simulator
Choose Tabletop Simulator if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Online Co-op, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 96% positive across 31,086 reviews.
Tabletop Simulator vs Chess Ultra
Tabletop Simulator and Chess Ultra 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. Tabletop Simulator (2015) is 2 years older than Chess Ultra (2017). Tabletop Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (96% positive) than Chess Ultra (73.7% 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 Chess Ultra
Choose Chess Ultra if you want an Action, Sports, and Adventure game with Steam Turn Notifications, Custom Volume Controls, and Playable without Timed Input. On Steam, it's currently about 35% cheaper on the Steam Store. 1,040 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Tabletop Simulator and Chess Ultra sit in Strategy, Indie, and Simulation on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Shared/Split Screen 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
 Tabletop Simulator |  Chess Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2017 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, RPG, Casual | Action, Sports, Strategy, Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Verified |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 12.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96% positive (31,086 reviews) | 73.7% positive (1,040 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer |
| Developers | Berserk Games | Ripstone |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Tabletop Simulator (2015) is 2 years older than Chess Ultra (2017).
- Tabletop Simulator scores higher on Steam reviews (96% positive) than Chess Ultra (73.7% positive).
- Chess Ultra is currently ~35% cheaper on Steam than Tabletop Simulator (12.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Tabletop Simulator has co-op; Chess Ultra does not.
- Steam Deck: Tabletop Simulator is Deck Unsupported, Chess Ultra is Deck Verified.
Tabletop Simulator vs Chess Ultra — FAQ
- Which is better, Tabletop Simulator or Chess Ultra?
- On Steam reviews Tabletop Simulator scores higher (96% positive) than Chess Ultra (73.7% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Tabletop Simulator is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Tabletop Simulator or Chess Ultra first?
- If you want chronology, Tabletop Simulator (2015) came out before Chess Ultra (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 Tabletop Simulator and Chess Ultra 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.