Star Realms similar games & best alternatives

Star Realms - Trailer
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Star Realms

Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac • 2016

Should you play it?

Star Realms is a hugely popular space combat deckbuilding game. Download and play today (note: base set is required to play online) to find out why Star Realms is the winner of SXSW 2014 Board Game of the Year, 7 Golden Geek Awards from BoardGameGeek, and 2 Dice Tower awards!

What works

  • Fast and engaging deckbuilding gameplay
  • Cross-platform account and dlc sharing
  • Challenging ai and multiplayer modes
  • Affordable price and expansions
  • Quick matches suitable for casual play

Things to keep in mind

  • Limited social and cooperative features
  • Some ui and campaign mode criticisms
  • Ai can feel unfair or 'cheaty' at times
  • Lack of extensive customization or expression
  • Free version is essentially a demo

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

Less dominating

Games that feels like Star Realms but with less domination over others

Less violent

Games that feels like Star Realms but with less combat and destruction

More expressive

Games that feels like Star Realms but with more self-expression and customization

More social

Games that feels like Star Realms but with more teamwork and cooperation

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to compare these games

Compare nearby games

Each card is a nearby game on the similarity map, compared with Star Realms. Swipe sideways to move between games. Titles already listed in What to play next are left out.

  • Cover and title: open that game’s page.
  • What works / keep in mind: the same highlights as the desktop comparison panel.
  • Bars: the main motivational differences versus this game.
How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Swipe to compare nearby games with Star Realms. These titles are not in What to play next.

Star Realms: Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Status, Fellowship, Domination. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Cooperation, Expression, Leadership.

Last update: 22/08/2026