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Should I Play Slay the Spire 1 Before 2? A Practical Answer
Updated 2026-06-02
You Do Not Need to Play StS1 First
Slay the Spire 2 is a standalone game. You can jump in cold and have a great time. Mega Crit designed it for new players. The tutorial covers the basics. But StS1 is a masterpiece and costs very little on sale. Playing it first gives you context for how StS2 changes things.
| Play StS1 First | Skip to StS2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $10-25 (sales) | $25 (early access) |
| Time investment | 50-200 hours | 0 hours prep needed |
| Story | Minimal — lore is in cards | Same approach, new cards |
| Difficulty curve | Gentle start | Starts slightly harder |
Play StS1 if you want a cheaper entry point and love deckbuilders. StS1 is a complete game with years of polish. StS2 is still in early access. If you finish StS1 and want more, StS2 will be waiting with a bigger content patch by then.
Both games share the Ironclad and Silent characters. The Silent's cards are different in StS2. Playing StS1 first might confuse you on card names.
FAQ
- Will I miss story by skipping StS1?
- No. Slay the Spire has almost no story. The lore is in card flavor text and relics. StS2 adds more lore, but it is self-contained.
- Is StS1 still worth playing in 2026?
- Yes. It is one of the best deckbuilders ever made. It is not outdated. StS2 does not replace it.
- Does progress transfer from StS1 to StS2?
- No. Separate games, separate saves, separate achievements.
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