Choose Starboys
Choose Starboys if you want the Shared/Split Screen, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and Shared/Split Screen Co-op side of the pairing.
Starboys vs Checkmate Protocol
Starboys and Checkmate Protocol both land in Action, Indie 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 Action, Indie on Steam. Both support cooperative play. 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 Checkmate Protocol
Choose Checkmate Protocol if you want a Casual game with Subtitle Options, Color Alternatives, and Camera Comfort.
Both Starboys and Checkmate Protocol sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op, 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
 Starboys |  Checkmate Protocol | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | — | — |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Unrated | Unrated |
| Price | Price unknown | Price unknown |
| Steam reviews | — | — |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Signal Spike Games | Grozner Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- Both support cooperative play.
Starboys vs Checkmate Protocol — FAQ
- Are Starboys and Checkmate Protocol similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie 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.
- Do both Starboys and Checkmate Protocol have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Starboys ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; Checkmate Protocol ships Online Co-op, Co-op.