Choose KNIGHTS
Choose KNIGHTS if you want an Indie experience. On Steam, it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. KNIGHTS launched in 2016.
KNIGHTS vs Absurd Chess
KNIGHTS and Absurd Chess 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. KNIGHTS (2016) is 5 years older than Absurd Chess (2021). KNIGHTS is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Absurd Chess (0.99 USD vs. 4.99 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 Absurd Chess
Choose Absurd Chess if you want the Multi-player, Online PvP, and PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Absurd Chess launched in 2021.
Both KNIGHTS and Absurd Chess sit in Strategy 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
 KNIGHTS |  Absurd Chess | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie, Casual | Strategy, Casual |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 0.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.4% positive (388 reviews) | 5 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player |
| Developers | Arzola's | Pretty Absurd |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Casual on Steam.
- KNIGHTS (2016) is 5 years older than Absurd Chess (2021).
- KNIGHTS is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Absurd Chess (0.99 USD vs. 4.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
KNIGHTS vs Absurd Chess — FAQ
- Should I play KNIGHTS or Absurd Chess first?
- If you want chronology, KNIGHTS (2016) came out before Absurd Chess (2021). 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 KNIGHTS and Absurd Chess 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.
- Does KNIGHTS have multiplayer like Absurd Chess?
- No. Absurd Chess supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while KNIGHTS is listed as single-player only.