# Arimaa Trainer

> A modern strategy board game with simple rules and deep strategic complexity. (iPhone/iPad app by Martti Juotasniemi.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arimaa-trainer/id378290829 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Martti Juotasniemi](https://appshunter.io/developer/341756138)
- Category: Games, Entertainment, Board, Strategy
- Price: $0.99
- Rating: 4.10/5 from 8 App Store ratings · 15 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 19 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-06-24
- Data updated: 2026-08-12
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arimaa-trainer/id378290829/reviews.md

## What is Arimaa Trainer?

Arimaa is one of the fastest growing modern strategy games. Rules are simple and intuitive enough for kids to play easily, yet there is more than enough strategic depth to satisfy the most demanding gamer. If you enjoy challenging games like Chess, Checkers, Go, or Shogi, discover Arimaa and see why it was chosen in the Discovery Channel's list of the Top 10 Mind-bending Strategy Games and also recommended by Scientific American MIND magazine.

“The rules are simple enough for kids to learn, and the game was creative and engaging.” 
—Frederik Joelving; Scientific American Mind magazine

With millions of opening setups to choose from, every game requires creative thinking right from the beginning and no need to memorize openings. It's a never ending puzzle, each game is different. In just the first 10 moves of Arimaa there's more possible games than there are atoms in our universe.

“Because the number of possible moves in an Arimaa position (roughly 20,000) is much higher than in chess (about 30 or so), even the fastest computers will not be able to search very far into the tree of possibilities.” 
—R. Wayne Schmittberger; GAMES magazine

This Arimaa app includes a video tutorial to teach the rules of the game making it easy to get started. There are increasing levels of difficulty to help you build your skill, and a score to let you know how well you played. Try beating the AI faster or by losing fewer pieces to top your high score. The app is loaded with features and settings to help you learn this addictive new game.
 
Features: 
• video tutorial to teach the rules 
• several difficulty levels 
• ability to play handicap games 
• keep track of high scores 
• keep track of ratings 
• mode to pass and play with a friend 
• option to auto-rotate the board between moves 
• option to auto-rotate the game between moves 
• option to pause between moves 
• option to play rated games 
• option to use a move timer 
• ability to load and save games 
• ability to email the game 
• ability to replay a game from any position
• dedicated full screen mode for iPad

Awards and Recognition: 
• Scientific American MIND magazine: Brainy gift recommendation 
• Discovery Channel's HowStuffWorks: Selected as 3rd most mind-bending game 
• Parents Choice: Approved award 
• Creative Child magazine: 2010 Game of the Year

This app is provided in compliance with Section 2 of the Arimaa Public License. License #100520.

## Key features

- Video tutorial for learning rules
- Multiple difficulty levels
- Handicap game support
- High score and rating tracking
- Pass and play mode
- Load, save, and email games
- Replay games from any position

## Recent user reviews (10 of 15)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arimaa-trainer/id378290829/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Doesn’t work

*2023-09-11*

I bought this app to try and learn Arimaa. However, the basic rules aren’t coded well so there is a lot of confusion and frustration especially as a beginner.

### 5/5 — Excellent Strategy Game

*2021-12-26, version 3.1*

Absorbing and endlessly replayable.

### 4/5 — Love the game, but the app could use improvement

*2021-12-13*

Arimaa is an awesome board game, and the app is good, but it could be improved with some quick updates: 
1) Add a feature to let players toggle moves turn-by-turn to study games and see where they went wrong. 

2) Add a board editor for specific positions

3) Allow for multiple games to be saved

### 5/5 — Very nice!

*2020-11-19*

I spoke with the creator when I was trying to code this game in engine001...This is no small feat to have this as co-op and solo game.  I like the option not to have to keep flipping the phone back-and-forth. To be fair I have to take a look farther to see how well this runs but I’m thrilled to have a two player version of this on the iPhone.

### 4/5 — Best arimaa app out there, but that’s not saying much

*2018-09-05*

Pretty glitchy. Often kills games for no reason. No option to review a game right after it’s completed (instead of letting you see the movelist, the app freezes up and forced you to close it as soon as either player scores goal). The normal bot is really susceptible to throwing away its camel on turn 4 or so. No option for human to play as silver? The bot, upon sensing that the human has a goal in 1, will just start suiciding pieces for no reason, instead of trying to hang on. (Once or twice i only won because the bot suicided its elephant, letting me know that I’d overlooked a goal somewhere).

### 4/5 — Annoying feature

*2017-01-28*

When it is two player, i dont like the replay of moves. I can already see them well upside down. Make a option for no replay between turns. Thanks

### 5/5 — Great reinvention of chess, very fun!!

*2016-04-09*

I absolutely love this game, it is a reinvention of chess that is very creative, strategic and fun. I keep trying to teach anyone I can how to play, and the app is a great way to start--highly recommend!! Much more fun and engaging than chess.

### 4/5 — Quite good

*2015-10-11, version 2.8*

The game is interesting, and the bot plays well. However, it took me a while to find out how to turn off sound effects, and they are audible even if device volume is muted, which is annoying.

### 3/5 — Review

*2014-02-01*

Unable to complete a game without a crash that loses the state of the game.

Responsive customer support said they're looking into it. (Didn't want to use this feedback to post the bug but they requested I did)

Rating is tentative...waiting for the bug to be fixed.

### 4/5 — Previous Review Updated from 1 to 4 Stars

*2013-10-28*

After installing the Oct. 28, 2013, update the Menu button is now accessible on an iPad mini running iOS 7. If you are looking for the video tutorial, it can be found by clicking the onscreen link in the Rules section.

## Frequently asked questions about Arimaa Trainer

### What is Arimaa Trainer?

Arimaa Trainer is a mobile application designed to teach and allow users to play Arimaa, a modern strategy board game. It offers features like a video tutorial, AI opponents with adjustable difficulty, and game management tools.

### How much does Arimaa Trainer cost?

Arimaa Trainer is a paid application, priced at $0.99. This one-time purchase grants access to all its features.

### Is Arimaa Trainer suitable for children?

Yes, Arimaa Trainer is rated for ages 4+ and its rules are described as simple and intuitive enough for children to play easily, while still offering strategic depth for adults. It has also received a Parents Choice Approved award.

### Can I play Arimaa Trainer offline?

The description does not explicitly state offline play capabilities. However, the ability to load, save, and replay games suggests that core gameplay against the AI can likely be done without an internet connection.

### Does Arimaa Trainer have ads?

No, Arimaa Trainer does not contain advertisements. It is a paid application that offers an ad-free experience.

### How often is Arimaa Trainer updated?

The app was last updated on December 11, 2023, indicating ongoing support and potential for future updates. Its current version is 4.0.

### What devices support Arimaa Trainer?

Arimaa Trainer is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It also features a dedicated full-screen mode for iPad.

### How does Arimaa Trainer compare to Chess or Go?

Arimaa Trainer offers a game with simple rules but immense strategic depth, comparable to Chess, Checkers, Go, or Shogi. It boasts millions of opening setups and a higher number of possible moves per position than Chess, making it a unique challenge.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.0 — 2023-12-11

Updated to run in the latest iOS devices.

### 3.1 — 2020-06-14

Fixed a bug where bot moves were occasionally rejected as illegal with no reason.

### 3.0 — 2020-06-01

Fixed to work on the latest devices and iOS 13.
No changes to the bot.

### 2.8 — 2015-01-09

Updated for iOS8 and iPhone 6

### 2.4 — 2014-01-07

Bug fixes.

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## More apps by Martti Juotasniemi

- [Arimaa Puzzles](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arimaa-puzzles/id622119427)
- [Curl Shots](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/curl-shots/id1021611979)
- [Three Guys Walk Into a Saloon](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/three-guys-walk-into-a-saloon/id1128180325)

All apps by Martti Juotasniemi: https://appshunter.io/developer/341756138

## Related topics

[arimaa trainer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/arimaa-trainer) · [arimaa puzzles](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/arimaa-puzzles) · [arimaa](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/arimaa)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-12.*