


Top 9 Games Like Slay the Spire (2026)

Slay the Spire, developed by Mega Crit, helped define the modern roguelike deckbuilder by combining collectible cards, turn-based combat, branching routes, and randomized rewards. Every journey up the Spire requires you to build a focused deck, collect powerful relics, manage limited resources, and adapt your strategy before increasingly dangerous enemies bring the run to an end.
Its influence can now be seen across an entire genre of fantasy card games. Slay the Spire 2 entered Early Access in March 2026 with new characters, cards, enemies, environments, and optional cooperative play, but many other games have also developed the original formula through party management, tactical positioning, longer campaigns, and alternative deckbuilding systems.
Whether you have exhausted the original game, are exploring its sequel, or simply want another fantasy adventure built around cards and unpredictable runs, these are the best games like Slay the Spire to play in 2026:
# | Game | Best For |
|---|---|---|
1 | The closest overall alternative | |
2 | Tactical combat and positioning | |
3 | Party building and optional co-op | |
4 | Dual-hero deck combinations | |
5 | Party-based fantasy deckbuilding | |
6 | Character progression and campaigns | |
7 | Dungeon crawling and optional co-op | |
8 | Dark fantasy and lane-based battles | |
9 | Tactical positioning and survival |
1. Monster Train 2

Genre | Roguelike deckbuilder and turn-based strategy |
Platforms | PC, macOS, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch |
Release Year | 2025 |
Developer / Publisher | Shiny Shoe / Big Fan Games |
Monster Train 2 is the closest overall alternative to Slay the Spire. Both games challenge you to construct a deck during randomized runs, collect artifacts, select routes, and create increasingly powerful combinations before confronting difficult bosses.
The defining difference is Monster Train 2’s vertical battlefield. Enemies enter the train and advance through three combat floors toward your Pyre. You summon units onto those floors, support them with spells and equipment, and decide where each defensive line has the greatest chance of stopping the invasion. Poor placement can allow surviving enemies to advance, while a carefully constructed floor can destroy an entire wave.
Five playable clans offer different champions, units, mechanics, and spell packages. Each run combines a primary and allied clan, creating far more potential deck combinations than a single-faction system would provide. Room cards, equipment, Pyre Hearts, artifacts, and card upgrades add further opportunities to build strategies around armor, status effects, summoned units, spell damage, or scaling attack power.
Why It’s Similar:
Decks constructed during randomized runs
Branching routes with different rewards
Playable factions with distinct mechanics
Powerful artifacts and card upgrades
Turn-based fantasy combat
Increasing difficulty and endgame challenges
My Verdict: Monster Train 2 is the strongest recommendation for anyone who wants another deep fantasy deckbuilder after Slay the Spire. Its three-floor battles add an important positioning element without sacrificing the card synergies and difficult decisions that make the genre compelling.
Buy Monster Train 2 on GameBoost
2. Wildfrost

Genre | Tactical roguelike deckbuilder |
Platforms | PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, iOS, and Android |
Release Year | 2023 |
Developer / Publisher | Deadpan Games and Gaziter / Chucklefish |
Buy Wildfrost if you want a colorful fantasy deckbuilder that remains surprisingly unforgiving beneath its charming presentation. You lead survivors from Snowdwell across a frozen world, gathering companions, elemental items, charms, and resources needed to challenge the source of the eternal winter.
Wildfrost places much greater emphasis on positioning than Slay the Spire. Companions remain on the battlefield and automatically attack when their countdown reaches zero. You can move them between rows, recall them to recover health, place defensive characters in front of vulnerable allies, or use cards that accelerate and interrupt different countdowns.
Enemies also display their upcoming attacks, allowing you to plan around dangerous abilities before they trigger. However, controlling a crowded battlefield requires more than simply calculating damage. You must consider attack order, counter effects, row placement, status conditions, and whether defeating one enemy will cause another effect to activate.
Why It’s Similar:
Fantasy roguelike deckbuilding
Procedurally arranged journeys
Distinct leaders and companion cards
Charms that modify individual cards
Visible enemy intentions
Unlockable cards and difficulty modifiers
My Verdict: Wildfrost is an excellent choice for players who enjoy reading enemy intentions and planning several turns ahead. Its countdown and positioning systems make combat feel distinct while preserving the demanding decision-making associated with Slay the Spire.
3. Across the Obelisk

Genre | Roguelite deckbuilding RPG |
Platforms | PC, macOS, Linux, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch |
Release Year | 2022 |
Developer / Publisher | Dreamsite Games / Paradox Interactive and Paradox Arc |
Across the Obelisk expands the roguelike deckbuilder formula around an entire party of fantasy heroes. Instead of controlling one character and one deck, you command four heroes whose cards, equipment, perks, and combat roles must complement one another.
The available characters cover recognizable roles such as warriors, scouts, mages, and healers, but each can be developed in different directions. A warrior may concentrate on armor and protecting allies or become an aggressive damage dealer. Spellcasters can specialize in particular elements, while support characters can heal, cleanse harmful effects, or strengthen other party members.
Story events, branching routes, equipment, town upgrades, and persistent perks give the game a stronger role-playing structure than Slay the Spire. It can be completed alone, with the player controlling all four heroes, or cooperatively with friends sharing responsibility for the party. Cross-platform co-op makes it one of the most accessible multiplayer choices in the genre.
Why It’s Similar:
Deckbuilding across randomized adventures
Visible enemy actions and turn order
Cards, equipment, perks, and consumable items
Branching paths and narrative events
Multiple difficulty levels
Highly replayable fantasy campaigns
My Verdict: Across the Obelisk is the best option for players who want Slay the Spire’s deckbuilding inside a larger party-based RPG. Managing four interconnected decks adds complexity, while optional co-op provides a feature the original Slay the Spire never offered.
Buy Across the Obelisk on GameBoost
4. Roguebook

Genre | Roguelike deckbuilder |
Platforms | PC, macOS, Linux, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch |
Release Year | 2021 |
Developer / Publisher | Abrakam Entertainment / Nacon |
Purchase Roguebook for a traditional fantasy deckbuilder built around two active heroes. Each character contributes cards to a shared deck, allowing abilities from one hero to prepare, protect, or strengthen the attacks of the other.
Positioning adds another tactical consideration. One hero stands at the front while the other occupies the rear, and many cards behave differently depending on who currently leads. Some attacks automatically swap the heroes, while defensive abilities can move an injured character away from immediate danger. Successful decks account for both card order and party formation.
Outside combat, you explore the procedurally generated pages of the Roguebook. Magic ink reveals concealed hexagonal spaces containing battles, merchants, treasures, healing opportunities, and other encounters. Exploring more of each map produces additional rewards, but spending too many resources before the boss can leave your party unprepared.
Why It’s Similar:
Deck construction during every run
Fantasy heroes with unique card pools
Relics, gems, and permanent progression
Procedurally generated maps
Escalating difficulty levels
Turn-based battles with visible threats
My Verdict: Roguebook is one of the most direct Slay the Spire alternatives, but its dual-hero system gives it a clear identity. Combining two characters creates interesting synergies, and revealing the overworld with magical ink makes exploration more involved than selecting nodes from a fixed map.
5. Chrono Ark

Genre | Party-based roguelike deckbuilding RPG |
Platforms | PC |
Release Year | 2024 |
Developer / Publisher | Al Fine / Al Fine |
Chrono Ark combines roguelike deckbuilding with the character relationships, storytelling, and party management associated with a Japanese-style RPG. You guide Lucy and a team of Investigators through the Twisted Land while attempting to restore the Clock Tower and repair their broken world.
Each Investigator contributes personal abilities to the party deck. Characters fill offensive, defensive, healing, and support roles, but the most effective teams are built around interactions between their individual skills. Recruiting different combinations dramatically changes how you generate resources, protect allies, apply status effects, and respond to incoming attacks.
Chrono Ark also handles health differently from many deckbuilders. Characters can suffer recoverable damage that may be healed efficiently during combat, but additional attacks can convert that damage into lasting injuries. This creates tense decisions about whether to continue attacking, spend resources on healing, or prevent an enemy from acting before the temporary health loss becomes permanent.
Why It’s Similar:
Card-based combat and deck construction
Randomized runs through a hostile fantasy world
Relics, consumables, and character upgrades
Distinct heroes with specialized mechanics
Difficult boss encounters
Extensive strategic combinations
My Verdict: Chrono Ark is ideal for players who want stronger storytelling and deeper party management without abandoning roguelike deckbuilding. Its combat takes time to learn, but the interaction between character skills gives it exceptional strategic depth.
6. Gordian Quest

Genre | Deckbuilding role-playing game |
Platforms | PC, macOS, Linux, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch |
Release Year | 2022 |
Developer / Publisher | Mixed Realms / Mixed Realms and Coconut Island Games |
Gordian Quest applies roguelike deckbuilding to a much larger fantasy campaign inspired by classic tabletop role-playing games. You assemble a group of heroes, travel through corrupted regions, complete quests, acquire equipment, and develop each party member through a substantial progression system.
Combat takes place on a small grid, so positioning matters alongside card selection. Moving a hero can place an enemy within range, protect a vulnerable party member, or prepare an area attack capable of striking several targets. The party system also encourages decks that support one another rather than three characters independently pursuing their own strategies.
Heroes gain levels, improve attributes, equip items, and unlock new skills through branching development grids. The lengthy campaign provides more persistent progression than a standard Slay the Spire run, while a separate roguelite mode offers a more direct sequence of randomized challenges for players who prefer shorter and more replayable sessions.
Why It’s Similar:
Fantasy combat controlled through cards
Heroes with different decks and abilities
Relics, equipment, and character upgrades
Strategic turn-based encounters
Roguelite mode with randomized challenges
Numerous potential party combinations
My Verdict: Gordian Quest is the strongest choice for players who want deckbuilding combined with a substantial fantasy RPG. It is less streamlined than Slay the Spire, but the campaign, equipment, grid movement, and character development provide considerably more long-term progression.
Buy Gordian Quest on GameBoost
7. HELLCARD

Genre | Cooperative roguelike deckbuilder |
Platforms | PC and Xbox Series X|S |
Release Year | 2024 |
Developer / Publisher | Thing Trunk / Skystone Games |
Get HELLCARD if you want to descend through fantasy dungeons alone or with other players. The game comes from the universe of Book of Demons and uses a distinctive paper-cutout presentation for its heroes, monsters, environments, and Archdemon-led armies.
Battles take place across a circular arena divided into close and distant ranges. Certain weapons and abilities can only strike nearby enemies, while others become more effective against distant targets. Cards can push monsters between ranges, damage groups occupying a particular zone, or protect party members threatened by an approaching creature.
Solo players can recruit computer-controlled companions and manage the party without relying on other people. Online co-op allows up to three players to develop separate decks while coordinating attacks, defenses, status effects, and targets. This preserves the appeal of a single-player fantasy deckbuilder while providing a cooperative option similar to the mode introduced in Slay the Spire 2.
Why It’s Similar:
Fantasy dungeon runs built around cards
Different classes with specialized decks
Artifacts and card upgrades
Random enemy groups and rewards
Tactical enemy intentions
Solo play and optional online co-op
My Verdict: HELLCARD is especially appealing now that Slay the Spire 2 has introduced cooperative play. Its circular battlefield and range mechanics distinguish it from other deckbuilders, while AI companions ensure that the complete experience remains accessible to solo players.
8. Banners of Ruin

Genre | Tactical roguelike deckbuilder |
Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch |
Release Year | 2021 |
Developer / Publisher | MonteBearo / Goblinz Publishing and Maple Whispering Limited |
Banners of Ruin takes place in a grim medieval city inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. You assemble members of House Blackfoot and lead them through the City of Dawn, fighting the forces of House Ender while expanding a shared deck of attacks, defensive actions, movement abilities, and character skills.
Your party is divided between front and rear positions. Heavily armored characters can protect fragile allies, while weapons and abilities may only target enemies occupying particular rows. Managing stamina and willpower across several party members also creates a different resource structure from the single energy pool used in Slay the Spire.
Characters can equip weapons and armor, unlock class talents, and gain cards as the party advances. Losing a character removes their abilities from the group, potentially destroying combinations on which the entire deck depended. Each decision therefore affects both the immediate encounter and the party you will carry into later battles.
Why It’s Similar:
Dark fantasy roguelike structure
Deck expanded throughout each campaign
Branching routes through hostile territory
Character classes and equipment
Turn-based combat with enemy intentions
Permanent consequences for failed decisions
My Verdict: Banners of Ruin is a strong alternative for players who want darker fantasy and party positioning. Its shared deck can become difficult to control as the group expands, but that complexity makes building a balanced party particularly rewarding.
Buy Banners of Ruin on GameBoost
9. Trials of Fire

Genre | Tactical deckbuilding roguelite |
Platforms | PC |
Release Year | 2021 |
Developer / Publisher | Whatboy Games / Whatboy Games |
Trials of Fire takes fantasy deckbuilding into the post-Cataclysmic wasteland of Ashe. You choose three heroes and guide them across a procedurally generated overworld where limited supplies, narrative encounters, and difficult battles shape each expedition.
Combat takes place on a hex-based battlefield, with every hero contributing cards to your available options. Movement and positioning are essential, allowing you to surround enemies, protect vulnerable party members, escape danger, or create better opportunities for an attack.
Weapons, armor, and other equipment add cards to your heroes’ decks, meaning that every useful piece of loot can reshape your strategy. Controlling three characters makes the game more complex than Slay the Spire, but its randomized runs, difficult decisions, and constant deck refinement create a similarly compelling structure.
Why It’s Similar:
Fantasy roguelite expeditions
Card-based turn-based combat
Procedurally generated overworld
Three heroes with interconnected decks
Equipment that changes available cards
Difficult decisions and limited resources
My Verdict: Trials of Fire is an excellent choice for players who want Slay the Spire’s deckbuilding with more emphasis on positioning, exploration, and party management. Its three-character team and hex-based battles add another tactical layer without abandoning run-based progression.
Buy Trials of Fire on GameBoost
Best Games Like Slay the Spire on Each Platform
Best Games Like Slay the Spire on PC
PC players can access all nine games included in this list. Monster Train 2 is the closest overall alternative, while Chrono Ark, Gordian Quest, and Across the Obelisk provide stronger party-based role-playing systems.
Players interested in expanding their deckbuilding collection can browse PC game keys for additional roguelikes, strategy games, and fantasy RPGs.
Best Games Like Slay the Spire on PS5
Monster Train 2, Across the Obelisk, Roguebook, and Gordian Quest are the strongest choices for PS5 players. Monster Train 2 offers the most traditional run-based experience, while Across the Obelisk includes optional cooperative play.
The wider PlayStation game keys category includes other turn-based strategy games, fantasy adventures, and roguelikes available for PS4 and PS5.
Best Games Like Slay the Spire on Xbox
Xbox players can choose from Monster Train 2, Wildfrost, Across the Obelisk, Roguebook, Gordian Quest, HELLCARD, and Banners of Ruin. Wildfrost and Roguebook are also available on Xbox One, while newer releases increasingly focus on Xbox Series X|S.
Players should check platform and regional compatibility within the Xbox game keys selection before purchasing.
Best Games Like Slay the Spire on Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch players can choose from Monster Train 2, Wildfrost, Across the Obelisk, Roguebook, Gordian Quest, and Banners of Ruin. Their turn-based structure makes them particularly suitable for portable play, since runs can be paused without requiring constant attention or precise real-time controls.
The Nintendo Switch game keys category can be used to find more card games, roguelikes, and turn-based fantasy releases.
FAQs About Games Like Slay the Spire

Final Words
Monster Train 2 is the best overall choice for players who want another deep fantasy deckbuilder after Slay the Spire. Its clan combinations and multi-floor battles create a familiar cycle of experimentation while adding a tactical structure that feels entirely its own.
Wildfrost and Trials of Fire are excellent choices for focused single-player runs, while Across the Obelisk and HELLCARD are better suited to groups. Chrono Ark provides the strongest narrative, and Gordian Quest offers the most extensive RPG progression.
Every game on this list captures a different part of the Slay the Spire formula. Some emphasize positioning, others expand character progression, and several introduce multiple heroes or cooperative play, but all nine understand the satisfaction of turning an uncertain collection of cards into a strategy powerful enough to defeat an entire fantasy dungeon.
GameBoost Products
“ Filip Premuš is a seasoned gaming content writer specializing in titles like Steal a Brainrot, Old School RuneScape, and other popular online games. With a sharp focus on accuracy, updates, and in-game strategy, he creates comprehensive guides that help players stay ahead of the meta and make informed decisions.”







