Choose Catgirl Chess
Choose Catgirl Chess if you want a Free To Play and Casual experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. Catgirl Chess launched in 2024.
Catgirl Chess vs Chess Empire
Catgirl Chess and Chess Empire both land in Strategy 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 are Strategy games on Steam. Catgirl Chess (2024) is 1 year older than Chess Empire (2025). Catgirl Chess is free; Chess Empire 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 Chess Empire
Choose Chess Empire if you want an Indie experience. Chess Empire launched in 2025.
Both Catgirl Chess and Chess Empire sit in Strategy 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
 Catgirl Chess |  Chess Empire | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Genres | Strategy, Free To Play, Casual | Strategy, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 2.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 91.7% positive (24 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Multi-player |
| Developers | Abracadabra Arts | Blue Alpaca Games |
Side by side
- Both are Strategy games on Steam.
- Catgirl Chess (2024) is 1 year older than Chess Empire (2025).
- Catgirl Chess is free; Chess Empire is paid (2.99 USD).
Catgirl Chess vs Chess Empire — FAQ
- Should I play Catgirl Chess or Chess Empire first?
- If you want chronology, Catgirl Chess (2024) came out before Chess Empire (2025). 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 Catgirl Chess and Chess Empire similar?
- They overlap on Strategy 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 Catgirl Chess free?
- Yes — Catgirl Chess is a free-to-play Steam title. Chess Empire is paid (2.99 USD).