Games like Monster Train
Choose by the part of Monster Train you enjoy: unit positioning, a focused deck, party combinations or building an unusual scaling engine.
| Game | Choose it for | Steam desktop platforms | US price | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slay the Spire | One-character deckbuilding and compact tactical decisions. | windows, mac, linux | $24.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Slay the Spire 2 | The newer Spire ruleset; choose it for a different run structure from train defense. | windows, mac, linux | $24.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Across the Obelisk | Party deckbuilding when you want multiple character decks. | windows, mac, linux | $19.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Griftlands | Separate negotiation and combat decks with narrative choices. | windows, mac, linux | $19.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Roguebook | Two-hero combinations and map exploration. | windows, mac, linux | $24.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Inscryption | A card-game mystery with strong narrative surprises. | windows, mac, linux | $7.99 sale · list $19.99 | 1 source · Steam |
| Wildfrost | Unit positioning and attack countdown planning. | windows | $11.99 sale · list $19.99 | 1 source · Steam |
| Cobalt Core | Spaceship positioning and card-driven evasion. | windows, mac | $19.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles | Dice-building instead of standard card attacks. | windows | $24.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Balatro | Poker-hand synergies and score scaling. | windows, mac | $14.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Dungeon Drafters | Grid exploration combined with cards. | windows, linux | $24.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Vault of the Void | A deck you can adjust between battles. | windows, mac | $17.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Fights in Tight Spaces | Tactical positioning and movement-driven cards. | windows | $24.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Dicey Dungeons | Dice allocation with distinct character rules. | windows, mac, linux | $14.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
| Chrono Ark | Party roles, healing and card-driven battles. | windows | $24.99 list | 1 source · Steam |
For unit placement and planning enemy timing, start by comparing Wildfrost and Cobalt Core. For the classic single-character deckbuilding structure, compare Slay the Spire with its sequel. Across the Obelisk is the party option, while Griftlands adds a stronger narrative and negotiation layer. These are editorial fit notes, not a ranking by review count.
Inscryption and Balatro are deliberate departures. Inscryption emphasizes discovering what the card game is hiding, and Balatro builds its engines around poker scoring. Choose either when you want a new form of combo-building rather than more three-floor defense. The direct store links show gameplay, language support and current regional prices before purchase.
FAQ
What is the closest game to Monster Train?
Slay the Spire and its sequel are the comparisons people actually search. The structure is still different: floors and two clans versus one character on a map.
Sources
- Steam — Slay the Spire — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Slay the Spire 2 — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Across the Obelisk — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Griftlands — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Roguebook — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Inscryption — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Wildfrost — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Cobalt Core — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Balatro — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Dungeon Drafters — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Vault of the Void — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Fights in Tight Spaces — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Dicey Dungeons — checked 2026-11-09
- Steam — Chrono Ark — checked 2026-11-09
Related: Monster Train 2 hub · how facts are checked