12 Best Games Like Slay the Spire for Deckbuilding
Twelve games like Slay the Spire that combine deck construction, turn-based combat, path selection, relics and run-specific adaptation.
The best games like Slay the Spire offer more than cards and randomized runs. A close alternative should connect deck construction, turn-based combat, path selection, relics, resource management, enemy intent, risk assessment, and run-specific adaptation into one replayable strategy loop.
Closest overall alternative: Slay the Spire 2 Best multi-lane alternative: Monster Train Best combo-engine alternative: Balatro Best cooperative alternative: Across the Obelisk
What Makes a Game Similar to Slay the Spire?
Slay the Spire is a single-player roguelike deckbuilder developed and published by Mega Crit. Players select a character, acquire cards, remove weak options, collect relics, choose routes, manage health and gold, read enemy intent, and assemble a temporary build capable of surviving increasingly difficult acts.
A meaningful Slay the Spire alternative should share several defining attributes:
- Run-based deck construction: the deck develops during a run rather than being fully designed beforehand.
- Turn-based encounters: card order, energy, targeting, defense, and timing determine combat outcomes.
- Card synergy: individual cards become more valuable when combined with compatible effects, statuses, or archetypes.
- Relics or passive modifiers: persistent run-specific effects reshape drafting and tactical priorities.
- Branching routes: maps, nodes, encounters, shops, elites, and rest locations create strategic path decisions.
- Visible or learnable threats: enemy intent, countdowns, patterns, or predictable systems support informed planning.
- Resource management: health, energy, currency, consumables, cards, dice, units, or action economy remain limited.
- Risk and reward: elites, events, upgrades, optional battles, and uncertain choices trade safety for power.
- Build adaptation: successful runs respond to offered rewards rather than forcing one predetermined deck.
- Run-ending failure: defeat resets most immediate progress and encourages a different strategic approach.
- Unlocks and difficulty scaling: new cards, characters, modifiers, challenges, or ascension-like systems expand mastery.
- High replayability: varied rewards, enemies, paths, characters, and combinations produce different runs.
No single game reproduces Slay the Spire’s exact characters, acts, energy system, enemy-intent display, relic pool, card-upgrade model, and Ascension structure. The recommendations below are ranked by overlap with its drafting, routing, tactical combat, synergy, risk, and replayability relationships.
Games Like Slay the Spire at a Glance
| Game | Strongest shared attributes | Main difference | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slay the Spire 2 | Same series, deckbuilding, relics, routes, turn-based combat, co-op | Expanded sequel systems | Closest overall alternative |
| Monster Train | Deckbuilding, relics, clans, upgrades, bosses, multi-floor tactics | Unit placement across train floors | Positional strategy |
| Balatro | Deck manipulation, passive modifiers, scaling combos, shops, score thresholds | Poker hands instead of combat | Combo engines |
| Wildfrost | Deckbuilding, companions, items, countdowns, positioning, difficult runs | Lane combat and autonomous timers | Tempo management |
| Griftlands | Two decks, choices, relationships, turn-based combat, story, roguelite runs | Negotiation and narrative consequences | Story-driven deckbuilding |
| Across the Obelisk | Deckbuilding, branching routes, party roles, events, co-op, tactical combat | Four-character party structure | Cooperative runs |
| Roguebook | Cards, relics, two heroes, map exploration, combos, turn-based battles | Hex-map discovery and hero positioning | Exploration-led runs |
| Dicey Dungeons | Turn-based runs, classes, equipment, dice manipulation, adaptation | Dice replace card draws | Compact probability puzzles |
| Inscryption | Deckbuilding, sacrifice economy, roguelike structure, puzzles, secrets | Horror narrative and changing rules | Experimental card design |
| StarVaders | Deckbuilding, relic-like upgrades, grid tactics, enemies, replayability | Spatial mech combat | Tactical positioning |
| Die in the Dungeon | Dice-building, relics, turn-based combat, encounters, dungeon runs | Dice placement instead of cards | Dice synergies |
| Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers | Card drafting, Blackjack rules, relic-like effects, encounters, replayability | Gambling framework | Rule-breaking decks |
1. Slay the Spire 2
Closest match for: roguelike deckbuilding, character-specific card pools, relics, branching routes, events, elites, bosses, and cooperative play
Developer and publisher: Mega Crit
Release: 2025
Status: Early Access
Modes: Single-player, co-op, multiplayer, and online co-op
Genres: Strategy, card, and indie
Slay the Spire 2 is the closest possible alternative because it continues the same core relationship between route planning, deck construction, relic acquisition, encounters, and run adaptation.
Character identity remains central. Each card pool encourages different forms of offense, defense, scaling, status use, and resource conversion, while relics and events create unexpected strategic pivots.
The sequel expands the original formula through additional content and cooperative modes. It is the direct choice for players who want familiar foundations rather than a genre hybrid.
How Slay the Spire 2 Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: same series, roguelike deckbuilding, card rewards, relics, routes, events, elites, bosses, turn-based combat, and run-specific builds.
- Different: Slay the Spire 2 adds new and revised systems, expanded content, updated presentation, and cooperative play.
- Choose it if: you want the original design language expanded rather than reinterpreted.
2. Monster Train
Closest match for: run-based drafting, clan synergies, relics, card upgrades, bosses, difficulty scaling, and tactical turn-based combat
Developer: Shiny Shoe
Publisher: Good Shepherd Entertainment
Release date: May 21, 2020
Modes: Single-player, PvP, multiplayer, and online PvP
Genres: Strategy and card
Monster Train combines roguelike deckbuilding with battles fought across multiple vertical floors.
Units occupy floors while spells, upgrades, artifacts, and clan mechanics determine how the train survives enemy waves. Positioning matters because enemies climb toward the Pyre if a floor fails to stop them.
Two-clan combinations create strong build identities and encourage experimentation. Compared with Slay the Spire, Monster Train emphasizes unit development, formation, and explosive scaling.
How Monster Train Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike deckbuilder, turn-based strategy, card rewards, relic-like artifacts, upgrades, branching choices, bosses, difficulty modifiers, and replayability.
- Different: Monster Train uses units, three combat floors, clan combinations, wave defense, and competitive multiplayer.
- Choose it if: positional tactics and high-synergy builds are your priorities.
3. Balatro
Closest match for: deck manipulation, passive modifiers, escalating thresholds, shops, probability management, build pivots, and game-breaking combinations
Developer: LocalThunk
Publisher: Playstack
Release date: February 20, 2024
Mode: Single-player
Genres: Strategy, casual, and indie
Balatro transforms poker hands into a roguelike score engine where Jokers, card enhancements, deck changes, and consumables define each run.
The strategic objective is not simply to draw a strong hand. Players construct interactions that multiply value across hand types, suits, ranks, triggers, and passive effects.
Balatro has no monsters, health, or defensive turns. Its closest Slay the Spire relationship is buildcraft: limited shops and uncertain rewards must become a scalable engine before score requirements exceed the deck.
How Balatro Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike deckbuilding, card acquisition, deck refinement, passive modifiers, shops, escalating difficulty, resource management, build adaptation, and replayability.
- Different: Balatro uses poker hands, scoring, Jokers, antes, blinds, and mathematical combo scaling instead of combat.
- Choose it if: discovering multiplicative card interactions is your favorite part of deckbuilding.
4. Wildfrost
Closest match for: tactical deckbuilding, companion cards, items, visible countdowns, positioning, card upgrades, difficult encounters, and run adaptation
Developers: Deadpan Games and Gaziter
Publisher: Chucklefish
Release date: April 12, 2023
Mode: Single-player
Genres: Adventure, strategy, card, and indie
Wildfrost uses companions and items inside lane-based battles governed by countdown counters.
Characters attack automatically when their counters reach zero, so card play changes order, timing, protection, and target exposure. Moving units can be as important as dealing damage.
Cute visual design contrasts with demanding tactical decisions. The game shares Slay the Spire’s emphasis on reading future threats, but expresses intent through countdowns and board position.
How Wildfrost Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike deckbuilder, card battler, drafting, upgrades, companions, turn-based decisions, visible threat timing, difficult runs, and replayability.
- Different: Wildfrost uses lanes, autonomous countdown attacks, movable units, charm upgrades, and a frozen-world campaign.
- Choose it if: tempo control and positioning matter more than conventional attack-and-block turns.
5. Griftlands
Closest match for: run-based deckbuilding, turn-based combat, card synergy, choices, relationships, resource management, and multiple protagonists
Developer and publisher: Klei Entertainment
Release date: June 1, 2021
Mode: Single-player
Genres: Adventure, RPG, strategy, and card
Griftlands gives each protagonist two evolving decks: one for physical conflict and another for negotiation.
Jobs, alliances, enemies, survival, and conversation outcomes change the run. Decisions can create future support, hostility, opportunities, or complications.
The dual-deck structure adds narrative context to drafting. Slay the Spire is more abstract and mechanically concentrated, while Griftlands makes the people encountered part of the strategic system.
How Griftlands Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: deckbuilding roguelite, turn-based encounters, card rewards, synergies, limited resources, run failure, multiple characters, choices, and replayability.
- Different: Griftlands uses separate battle and negotiation decks, persistent relationships, jobs, dialogue, and branching stories.
- Choose it if: you want deckbuilding decisions to carry narrative and social consequences.
6. Across the Obelisk
Closest match for: branching routes, card drafting, party roles, status synergies, events, bosses, unlocks, and online co-op
Developer: Dreamsite Games
Publishers: Paradox Interactive and Paradox Arc
Release date: April 8, 2021
Modes: Single-player, co-op, multiplayer, and online co-op
Genres: RPG and strategy
Across the Obelisk expands roguelike deckbuilding across a party of four heroes.
Each hero contributes a deck and battlefield role. Damage, defense, healing, speed, resistances, marks, and status effects can be coordinated across the team.
Branching maps and events preserve the route-planning relationship with Slay the Spire. Multiplayer adds negotiation between human players about cards, targets, upgrades, and paths.
How Across the Obelisk Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike deckbuilder, branching routes, card rewards, events, upgrades, resources, turn-based combat, bosses, unlocks, and replayability.
- Different: Across the Obelisk uses four heroes, party roles, larger decks, campaign progression, and online co-op for up to four players.
- Choose it if: you want to build decks and solve encounters collaboratively.
7. Roguebook
Closest match for: roguelike deckbuilding, two-hero combinations, relics, turn-based combat, map decisions, card synergies, and exploration
Developer: Abrakam Entertainment SA
Publisher: Nacon
Release date: June 17, 2021
Mode: Single-player
Genres: Adventure, RPG, strategy, card, and indie
Roguebook pairs two heroes whose card pools combine into one strategic engine.
The map begins concealed and is gradually revealed, making exploration itself a resource decision. Battles, treasures, shops, events, and upgrades compete for limited reach.
Hero position affects targeting and abilities during combat. Compared with Slay the Spire, Roguebook makes overworld discovery and dual-character interaction more central.
How Roguebook Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike deckbuilder, cards, relics, upgrades, turn-based combat, route decisions, resources, synergies, bosses, and replayability.
- Different: Roguebook uses two heroes, foreground and background positions, hex-map revelation, and exploration resources.
- Choose it if: discovering the run map is as important as refining the deck.
8. Dicey Dungeons
Closest match for: turn-based runs, character-specific mechanics, equipment builds, probability management, enemy encounters, and adaptation
Developer and publisher: Terry Cavanagh
Release date: August 13, 2019
Mode: Single-player
Genres: RPG, strategy, and indie
Dicey Dungeons replaces card energy with dice that must be assigned to equipment.
Equipment accepts particular values or ranges, turning each roll into a small optimization problem. Different characters alter how dice, equipment, statuses, and turn economy function.
Runs are shorter and more scenario-led than Slay the Spire. The similarity lies in assembling a temporary build, reading the opponent, and adapting imperfect resources into an effective turn.
How Dicey Dungeons Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike structure, turn-based combat, character classes, build development, rewards, upgrades, enemy patterns, route progression, and replayability.
- Different: Dicey Dungeons uses dice placement, equipment slots, compact episodes, and stronger probability manipulation.
- Choose it if: you want shorter runs built around tactical use of random rolls.
9. Inscryption
Closest match for: card battles, deck construction, sacrifices, run-based rewards, resource economy, secrets, puzzles, and changing rules
Developer: Daniel Mullins Games
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Release date: October 19, 2021
Mode: Single-player
Genres: Adventure, strategy, and indie
Inscryption begins as a dark card game where creatures, sacrifices, items, and map choices determine survival.
Cards occupy board spaces and require resources such as blood or bones. Deck modification, card creation, and environmental puzzles connect the table to a larger mystery.
The rules and presentation change as the story progresses. Slay the Spire provides a purer repeatable strategy loop, while Inscryption uses deckbuilding as part of a genre-shifting narrative.
How Inscryption Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: card battler, deckbuilding, roguelike runs, map choices, limited resources, card rewards, passive effects, difficult encounters, and strategic adaptation.
- Different: Inscryption adds psychological horror, sacrifice mechanics, board placement, escape-room puzzles, secrets, and changing acts.
- Choose it if: mystery and rule experimentation matter as much as deck optimization.
10. StarVaders
Closest match for: roguelike deckbuilding, card synergies, upgrades, difficult encounters, turn-based tactics, run variation, and replayability
Developer: Pengonauts
Publishers: Joystick Ventures and Beep Japan
Release date: April 30, 2025
Mode: Single-player
Genres: Strategy and indie
StarVaders combines deck construction with grid-based mech combat against an alien invasion.
Cards move units, attack tiles, manipulate enemies, and create tactical chains. Positioning determines both immediate survival and future options.
The grid adds a spatial dimension absent from Slay the Spire. Both games reward coherent card packages, efficient turns, and build-defining combinations discovered during a run.
How StarVaders Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike deckbuilder, card rewards, turn-based strategy, difficult encounters, upgrades, build synergies, escalating threats, and replayability.
- Different: StarVaders uses grid movement, mechs, alien waves, time rewinding, and spatial objectives.
- Choose it if: you want deckbuilding where positioning is part of every card decision.
11. Die in the Dungeon
Closest match for: run-based buildcraft, dice acquisition, relics, turn-based encounters, dungeon progression, risk, and synergy
Developer: ATICO
Publishers: HypeTrain Digital and Sidekick Publishing
Release date: February 20, 2025
Mode: Single-player
Genres: Adventure, RPG, strategy, casual, and indie
Die in the Dungeon replaces cards with dice that represent attacks, defense, healing, boosts, and other effects.
Dice are placed on a board where position and combination influence output. New dice and relics can turn a simple pool into a specialized engine.
Random rolls increase variance, but planning remains central because the player controls the composition and placement of the available dice.
How Die in the Dungeon Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike buildcraft, turn-based combat, dungeon runs, rewards, relics, synergies, encounters, resource decisions, and replayability.
- Different: Die in the Dungeon uses collectible dice, board placement, rolled values, and adjacency-based combinations instead of cards and energy.
- Choose it if: you want Slay the Spire-style synergies expressed through dice placement.
12. Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers
Closest match for: roguelike deck construction, card rewards, passive effects, encounters, shops, risk management, and replayability
Developer: Purple Moss Collectors
Publisher: Yogscast Games
Release date: August 8, 2024
Mode: Single-player
Genres: RPG, strategy, casual, and indie
Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers turns Blackjack into a roguelike adventure inside a tavern.
The deck can include conventional playing cards alongside unusual card types that alter values, rules, resources, and interactions. Success depends on building an engine that bends the familiar game in the player’s favor.
Its combat framework is narrower than Slay the Spire’s attacks, blocks, powers, and statuses. The shared appeal is transforming a simple card system through drafting and synergistic rule changes.
How Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers Compares with Slay the Spire
- Shared: roguelike deckbuilder, card drafting, shops, encounters, passive effects, escalating difficulty, build adaptation, risk management, and replayability.
- Different: Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers uses Blackjack totals, playing cards, tavern opponents, bust rules, and gambling-themed effects.
- Choose it if: breaking familiar card-game rules through deck construction sounds appealing.
Which Slay the Spire Alternative Should You Play First?
Choose according to the Slay the Spire attribute you most want to preserve:
- Closest continuation of the original formula: Slay the Spire 2
- Multi-floor combat and explosive clan synergy: Monster Train
- Mathematical combo engines and score scaling: Balatro
- Countdowns, positioning, and tactical tempo: Wildfrost
- Narrative choices and two distinct decks: Griftlands
- Four-player cooperative deckbuilding: Across the Obelisk
- Dual heroes and map exploration: Roguebook
- Compact dice-and-equipment puzzles: Dicey Dungeons
- Horror, secrets, and changing card rules: Inscryption
- Grid tactics combined with cards: StarVaders
- Dice placement and relic combinations: Die in the Dungeon
- Blackjack-based rule breaking: Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers
Other Relevant Slay the Spire Alternatives
Several other games match narrower parts of Slay the Spire’s profile:
- Dice & Fold combines turn-based dungeon crawling, dice attacks, enemy cards, classes, deckbuilding, and Solitaire-inspired decisions.
- 9 Kings applies roguelike drafting and build-breaking combinations to kingdom construction and automated battles.
- Super Fantasy Kingdom combines roguelite runs, kingdom rebuilding, defenders, production, and recurring collapse rather than direct card combat.
- Witch’s Apocalyptic Journey connects card crafting, schedules, branching choices, multiple endings, magic, and cooperative play.
- Darkest Dungeon lacks deck construction but strongly overlaps through turn-based combat, risk assessment, resource attrition, difficult expeditions, and permanent consequences.
How we chose these games
We looked for PC games we price that cover this topic and for games sharing at least four of Slay the Spire’s most characteristic Steam user tags, checked on 7 October 2026. The order follows how closely each game’s main systems match Slay the Spire, not its popularity.
Questions
What is the closest game to Slay the Spire?
Slay the Spire 2 is the closest overall alternative because it directly continues the series’ roguelike deckbuilding, character card pools, relics, branching routes, events, elites, bosses, and turn-based combat. Monster Train is the closest independent alternative.
What type of game is Slay the Spire?
Slay the Spire is a single-player roguelike deckbuilder, card battler, turn-based strategy game, and indie RPG. Its defining systems include card drafting, deck removal, relics, enemy intent, energy, route planning, events, elites, bosses, and escalating difficulty.
Which alternative has the deepest card synergies?
Monster Train offers deep interactions between clans, units, spells, upgrades, and artifacts. Balatro provides the strongest multiplicative combo engine, while Slay the Spire 2 remains closest to the original card-and-relic structure.
Which alternatives support co-op?
Slay the Spire 2, Across the Obelisk, and Witch's Apocalyptic Journey list cooperative or online-cooperative modes. Most close roguelike deckbuilders are designed for single-player runs.
Which alternative is best for shorter runs?
Dicey Dungeons is the strongest compact alternative because its episodes, dice equipment, and character mechanics create focused tactical sessions. Balatro also supports fast restarts and immediately readable goals.
Which alternatives use dice instead of cards?
Dicey Dungeons, Die in the Dungeon, and Dice & Fold place dice at the center of combat and buildcraft. They differ through equipment assignment, board placement, or direct damage against enemy cards.
Is Monster Train similar to Slay the Spire?
Yes. Both use run-based deck construction, card rewards, relic-like modifiers, upgrades, bosses, difficulty scaling, and turn-based combat. Monster Train adds units, clan combinations, and three vertical battle floors.
Is Balatro similar to Slay the Spire?
Yes, through deck refinement, shops, passive modifiers, build adaptation, escalating requirements, risk management, and replayability. Balatro replaces enemy combat with poker-hand scoring and multiplier engines.
Which alternative is best for story?
Griftlands is the strongest narrative-driven roguelite deckbuilder because relationships, jobs, negotiation, combat, and choices affect the run. Inscryption is stronger for mystery, horror, and rule-changing storytelling.
Which alternative is best for tactical positioning?
StarVaders provides the clearest grid-based positioning. Monster Train uses unit placement across floors, Wildfrost uses lanes and countdowns, and Roguebook uses two-hero position changes.
Guides written and checked by the gamekeys.deals team against our own price data and the stores' published policies.