Choose Slay the Spire
Choose Slay the Spire if you want the Steam Leaderboards, Adjustable Text Size, and Custom Volume Controls side of the pairing. On Steam, it's currently about 51% cheaper on the Steam Store. 75,305 Steam reviews back the pick.
Slay the Spire vs Deck of Stabs
Slay the Spire and Deck of Stabs both land in Strategy, 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 Strategy, Indie on Steam. Slay the Spire (2019) is 7 years older than Deck of Stabs (2026). Slay the Spire scores higher on Steam reviews (97.5% positive) than Deck of Stabs (85.7% 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 Deck of Stabs
Choose Deck of Stabs if you want a RPG game with #category_playable_at_your_own_pace. On Steam, it's the newer release (2026) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Deck of Stabs launched in 2026.
Both Slay the Spire and Deck of Stabs sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Playable without Timed Input, Mouse Only Option, and Save Anytime, 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
 Slay the Spire |  Deck of Stabs | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2019 | 2026 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie, RPG |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 6.24 USD | 12.74 USD |
| Steam reviews | 97.5% positive (75,305 reviews) | 85.7% positive (14 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Mega Crit | RetroAction Games |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Slay the Spire (2019) is 7 years older than Deck of Stabs (2026).
- Slay the Spire scores higher on Steam reviews (97.5% positive) than Deck of Stabs (85.7% positive).
- Slay the Spire is currently ~51% cheaper on Steam than Deck of Stabs (6.24 USD vs. 12.74 USD).
- Slay the Spire is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Deck of Stabs has no Deck rating yet.
Slay the Spire vs Deck of Stabs — FAQ
- Should I play Slay the Spire or Deck of Stabs first?
- If you want chronology, Slay the Spire (2019) came out before Deck of Stabs (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 Slay the Spire and Deck of Stabs similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, 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.
- Does Slay the Spire run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Slay the Spire is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Deck of Stabs doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.