33 Deck Builder games like Z. Year One that you should try

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Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

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We filtered the 50 games similar to Z. Year One down to the 33 that fit the “Deck Builder” category. G.I.R.L.S. will be Girls, Telltale Texas Hold ‘Em and Infinity Wars: Animated Trading Card Game top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Z. Year One.

iRank69/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

The best deck Builder games like Z. Year One

33 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Z. Year One. Each one has been evaluated across 6 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1G.I.R.L.S. will be GirlsClosest overall match

iRank63

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloDarkHorrorPost-ApocalypticMelee

Steam👍 63%· 263

Year 2015Dev ZooPlaytime ~5hOn PC

✓ Fits the turn-based strategy games cluster, with card game strategy, turn-based strategy and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Its own twist: horror tension, puzzle design and vibe casual

"Are You Ready?" "School Girls Edition" for "Mahjong Pretty Girls Battle" has now appeared! An extraordinary collection of Pretty School Girls is waiting for you! The heated struggle to determine the world's top School Mahjong girl is about to begin!

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone.

Genre100Game mode100Setting71Tone35

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Steam itch.io

#2Telltale Texas Hold ‘EmClosest on setting

iRank50

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloHorrorPost-ApocalypticTacticalCasual

Steam👍 68%· 370RAWG👍 24%· 21

Year 2008Dev Telltale GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Both are turn-based strategy games — sharing card game strategy, turn-based strategy and horror setting

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, adventure storytelling and deep simulation, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Join poker's most outspoken players for a hand of Telltale Texas Hold'em, the card game stacked high with personality. Quips will fly, chips will fall, and you may just end up rolling in the aisles.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone.

It predates Z. Year One by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Setting100Tone0

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Steam

#3Infinity Wars: Animated Trading Card Game

iRank55

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloDarkPost-ApocalypticHorrorPvP

Steam👍 77%· 3.5KRAWG👍 21%· 34

Year 2014Dev Lightmare StudiosPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the turn-based strategy games cluster, with turn-based strategy, card game strategy and dark, oppressive atmosphere

≠ Stands apart with competitive edge, combat tactical and setting scifi

Welcome to a unique trading card game that blends rich lore and artwork with innovative gameplay mechanics that are both simple to learn, and hard to master. Play with fully animated cards in 3D battlefields, and assemble decks from over 800 cards and 8 stylized factions.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: game mode and tone.

Genre100Setting72Tone49Game mode18

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloHorrorCasualNarrativeAnime

Steam👍 93%· 4.0KIGDB86· 5OC83· 19

Year 2015Dev Square Enix Montréal · Square EnixOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Both are turn-based strategy games — sharing turn-based strategy, card game strategy and horror setting

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, adventure storytelling and precision platforming, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone.

Genre100Game mode100Setting53Tone0

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Steam PS

#5Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors

iRank67

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloMeleeFantasyFirst PersonPixel Art

IGDB50· 1OC84· 44

Year 2021Dev DmAndyOn PC

✓ Both are turn-based strategy games — sharing turn-based strategy, card game strategy and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, melee combat and fantasy world, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Become the baron of a new vampire metropolis! Fend off eco-terrorist werewolves and rival vampires, build your wealth, and rise to the top in your empire. In early access until November 30th! Made for the official 2021 Vampire: the Masquerade game jam under Dark Pack.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: setting.

Released 4 years after Z. Year One.

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itch.io

#6Guardians of Graxia

iRank45

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloFantasyIsometricThird Person

Steam👍 38%· 178IGDB60· 1

Year 2010Dev PetroglyphPlaytime ~1hOn PC

✓ Fits the turn-based strategy games cluster, with turn-based strategy, card game strategy and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings fantasy world, visual isometric and visual third person, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Guardians of Graxia takes on the form of a card-based board game set in a floating island environment high in the sky of the Graxia world. Releasing with four powerful Guardians that will guide your armies into battle, charge onto the battlefield by laying out your forces strategically.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: setting.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mostly negative, against mixed for Z. Year One.

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Steam

#7Balatro

iRank93

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloCasualHardcoreNarrativeRelaxing

Steam👍 98%· 191KRAWG👍 86%· 263IGDB91· 5OC92· 64

Year 2024Dev LocalThunk · PlayStackPlaytime ~14hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ Both are turn-based strategy games — sharing card game strategy, turn-based strategy and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: roguelike runs, vibe casual and punishing difficulty, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deck builder all about creating powerful synergies and winning big. Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone.

Released 7 years after Z. Year One.

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Steam

#8Poker Night at the Inventory

iRank77

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloTacticalCasualFirst Person

Steam👍 90%· 9.7KRAWG👍 59%· 249MC71OC80· 12

Year 2010Dev Telltale GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of turn-based strategy games: card game strategy, turn-based strategy and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings sports simulation, vibe casual and combat tactical, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Four famous characters - Max (Sam & Max game series), RED Heavy (Team Fortress 2 game), Tycho (Penny Arcade webcomic), and Strong Bad (Homestar Runner web series) - just sit around a table in the underground casino called Inventory and play poker.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone.

Genre100Game mode100Tone0

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloCasualNarrativeFirst Person

Steam👍 88%· 7.4KRAWG👍 68%· 220MC75IGDB65· 3

Year 2013Dev Telltale GamesPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Fits the turn-based strategy games cluster, with card game strategy, turn-based strategy and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: sports simulation, puzzle design and adventure storytelling, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Playing poker is good in itself and as an occasion for live communication, a disclosure of communicative talents, a great way to spend time with friends. Especially if these friends know how to play and have fun playing. This poker simulator allows you to spend time in a beautiful company.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone.

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Steam Xbox

#10Abalone

iRank61

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloMultiplayerCasual

Steam👍 61%· 161

Year 2013Dev Asmodee DigitalPlaytime ~5hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Same family of turn-based strategy games: turn-based strategy, card game strategy and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with vibe casual and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Abalone® is an adaptation of the famous multi-million selling board game! Discover - or re-discover - all the fun of Abalone on PC. Play the classic game or try out the different competition boards.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone.

Genre100Game mode86Tone0

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Steam

#11Governor of Poker 2

iRank73

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloCasualHistoricalIsometricFree to Play

Steam👍 73%· 185

Year 2010Dev I Sioux Game ProductionsPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Android

✓ Same family of turn-based strategy games: card game strategy, turn-based strategy and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, deep simulation and puzzle design, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Show them all, the Governor is not to be trifled with! Where have you been all those years? Lots of things have changed. Cities have grown, new people arrived... It’s all good, but some things cannot be accepted just like that! Howdy! Finally it’s there, Governor of Poker 2!

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone and setting.

Genre100Game mode100Tone0Setting0

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloCasualCozyFantasyIsometric

Steam👍 88%· 1.0KRAWG👍 37%· 30

Year 2014Dev LudosityPlaytime ~2hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Same family of turn-based strategy games: card game strategy, turn-based strategy and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, vibe casual and cozy, relaxing feel, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Card City Nights is an adventure through a city filled with card-nuts and lunatics. Battle for the 8 legendary cards to enter the biggest competition this city has seen yet. CCN is not a traditional card-trading game.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone and setting.

Genre100Game mode100Tone0Setting0

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Steam GOG

#137 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat

iRank36

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloCasualNarrativeCozyHistorical

Steam👍 54%· 768RAWG👍 5%· 20IGDB40· 1

Year 2013Dev MousechiefPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of turn-based strategy games: turn-based strategy, card game strategy and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

What Ancients Begat is a complete (~15 hour) game of family generations surviving the rise of western civilization. Survival is the ultimate goal. The sub-goals, you choose, build their story. Experience an abstract telling of the lives of our earliest recorded ancestors.

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: tone and setting.

Genre100Game mode100Tone0Setting0

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Steam

#14Hearthstone

iRank88

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloMultiplayerMagicFantasyLoot

IGDB88· 9

Year 2014Dev Blizzard EntertainmentOn Android · PC · iOS

✓ Same family of turn-based strategy games: turn-based strategy, card game strategy and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: combat magic, fantasy world and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: setting.

Genre100Game mode54Setting0

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#15Legends of Runeterra

iRank86

GenreStrategySubgenreTurn-Based Strategy

SoloMultiplayerFantasyIsometricFree to Play

IGDB83· 3OC88· 12

Year 2020Dev Riot GamesOn Android · PC · iOS

✓ Both are turn-based strategy games — sharing turn-based strategy, card game strategy and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings fantasy world, multiplayer gameplay and visual isometric, while skipping dark, oppressive atmosphere

Where it drifts furthest from Z. Year One: setting.

Released 3 years after Z. Year One.

Genre100Game mode54Setting0

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Epic

Complete list of deck Builder games like Z. Year One

The full catalog of games sharing gameplay DNA with Z. Year One, ordered from highest to lowest similarity score. Use the filters above to narrow down by genre, setting or game mode and find the alternative that best fits your playstyle.