# Backgammon NJ HD — user reviews > 572 indexed App Store user reviews of Backgammon NJ HD by Jimmy Hu, rated 4.50/5 from 3,647 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-nj-hd/id371380665/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backgammon-nj-hd/id371380665.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 2,830 · 4★ 378 · 3★ 145 · 2★ 64 · 1★ 230 ## What do users think of Backgammon NJ HD? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 💻 Excellent backgammon app - 🧠 Challenging AI opponent - 🔍 Helpful analysis and stats - 📚 Great for learning and improving **Cons** - 🎲 Questionable dice rolls and randomness - 🤖 AI appears to cheat or have unfair advantage - 🐛 Crashes and stability issues - 💰 Paid app with in-app purchases **Commonly reported bugs** - Frequent crashes - Unreliable online play and matchmaking - Issues with syncing progress across devices **Most requested features** - Manual dice rolling option - Ability to undo moves - Improved online/multiplayer experience - More difficulty levels ## Newest reviews (12 of 572) ### 3/5 — Not truly random *2026-08-18, version 7.0.3* Play enough and you’ll see disappointing patterns. Don’l like to me. ### 3/5 — Quitting *2026-08-10, version 7.0.3* Do not agree with awarding points to players that quit. Overall a good design and game. TY ### 3/5 — Not a BAD AI backgammon game *2026-07-27, version 7.0.3* Well, it still cheats. Yes I have read the statistics, but I also got a set of physical dice and rolled the move for each player. With the manual tools, the win rate between the human and the AI is about 50/50. Without the manual rolls, AI wins all the time, having exactly the needed rolls at exactly the correct time. The interface is fabulous, the piece movement is great. You can’t blame the AI for wanting to win and having a way to make it occur! ### 4/5 — Great version *2026-07-15, version 7.0.3* Discovered recently you can look at future dice rolls for either player. Interesting but don’t use it. The one thing I’d LOVE is a tutorial mode. Telling me when there’s a better move - and maybe why. Even without it’s a great way to learn how to play. ### 2/5 — Cheats *2026-07-13, version 7.0.3* Very frustrating. I love the UI. I am an experienced backgammon player. The dice are not random. This app cheats. ### 2/5 — De pire en pire plus vous jouez *2026-06-18, version 7.0.3* Je ne sais pas comment ils s’y prennent, mais il est évident que le jeu triche. Il y a trop de schémas récurrents qui se répètent après plus de 10 000 parties jouées contre l’ordinateur. La première chose, c’est la chance incroyable du jeu lorsqu’il s’agit de rentrer. Environ 60 % de rentrées, même lorsqu’il n’y a qu’une seule flèche possible. Lorsque les pions du joueur sont exposés, l’ordinateur a une chance incroyable lorsqu’il s’agit de frapper. Certains coups sont presque prévisibles. Mais il y a aussi quelques astuces plus subtiles, comme la tendance du jeu à lancer les mêmes dés deux ou trois fois de suite lorsqu’il y a une chance que le joueur laisse un blot. Ou bien le changement inattendu de l’ordre des dés — le plus faible est joué en premier au lieu du plus fort — de sorte que, si vous jouez vite, il y a de fortes chances que vous vous fassiez avoir. Il y a aussi la soudaine impossibilité de proposer un double, spécialement aux moments ou l’offre serait stratégique et obligerait le jeu à renoncer. Des comportements tellement systématiques que ça finit par vous forcer à déjouer. Quant aux stats de jeux, c'est désormais n'importe quoi, elles ne sont plus d'aucune aide. En comparaison avec d’autres applications, comme True Backgammon par exemple, la malhonnêteté de BGNJ HD est évidente ### 3/5 — Cheats when coming back in *2026-06-08, version 7.0.3* I have played this app thousands and thousands of times. It has an excellent interface, the best, and its general is excellent. But make no mistake, it absolutely cheats. How? When you are knocked out and waiting to get back in, even if there are 4 or 5 points available for you to land, 80% of the time you WILL NOT get back on. The dice will land on the blocked points, often for multiple turns. Turn it round - when the computer is on the bar, 80% of the time it will get back in FIRST THROW, even if there are only 2 places open. Take my word for it. ### 3/5 — Bon jeu mais statistiques improbable *2026-03-17* C’est un bon jeu de backgammon au niveau du fonctionnement et de la fluidité. Cependant contrairement à ce qu’annoncent les éditeurs, le jeu contre l’IA semble truqué. Les séries de dés lorsque joués correctement par l’humain donne un avantage à l’IA à des moments clés. Comme si le scénario de ce que vous allez joué était écrit par l’avance tout comme la chance folle de l’IA qui arrive toujours à point. Ça enlève le plaisir du jeu, et peut sur le long terme induire des stratégies de jeu inadaptées pour celui qui veut s’entraîner avec cette application. L’IA joue à sa manière en comptant sur les dés qui arriveront au bon moment pour la sauver, donc ce n’est pas représentatif d’un jeu avec un humain expérimenté. Je comprends la difficulté des développeurs, il faut rendre le jeu intéressant. Mais face à un humain, soit le jeu peut paraître trop facile, soit le jeu va sembler privilégier l’IA statiquement. À moins que ma perception soit tronquée. La resultante est la même, le jeu lasse ou dégoûte, situation que je n’ai jamais ressentie en jouant avec un humain quel que soit son niveau. Peut être que les développeurs trouveront la solution. En attendant, c’est une application qui peut avoir son intérêt à condition d’en connaître les limites. PS: il semble que les développeurs aient apporté un correctif. Vous êtes toujours souvent prisonnier d’un “scénario” mais c’est un peu moins flagrant. Parfois pour gagner, il faut jouer de manière moins rationnelle, ce que je vous déconseille d’intégrer dans votre logique de jeu hors application, parce que dans la vraie vie cette stratégie peut vous coûter. Le jeu reste un bon divertissement et un entraînement au backgammon mais il faut garder à l’esprit ses limites. ### 1/5 — Rigged! *2026-01-27, version 7.0.3* Ignorant developer thinks experienced players will not notice how rigged this pathetic app is. Gives itself many doubles to win and always lands on your stone. Absolutely do not purchase this travesty against backgammon. ### 1/5 — CHEATING GAME…. *2026-01-23, version 7.0.3* THE MOST CHEATING APP EVER. AND THE STUPID DEV STILL TRIES TO SAY ITS FAIR. WE HAVE ALL THE PROOF IT CHEATS TO. AND HE IGNORES IT. FUMMY!!! ### 1/5 — Finally deleted it *2026-01-02, version 7.0.3* While this app has its positives, I am finally tired of my opponent whether it is the computer or a person, always getting the exact roll they need. Done. It’s not even funny anymore. And spare your bs response. ### 1/5 — Totally biased dice!!! *2025-12-31, version 7.0.3* I have played this game across all skill levels and it always seems to find a way to beat you. The dice are totally biased in favour of the game. Don’t bother. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — The computer cheats *2026-07-22, version 7.0.3* I’ve put it to the test. It’s not random or coincidence. ### 1/5 — Cheats *2026-07-22, version 7.0.3* Regularly pulls high odd roles out of it’s pocket. ### 1/5 — Completely rigged *2026-07-17, version 7.0.3* Game is so rigged you can predict the rolls. Total joke. ### 1/5 — Cheats *2026-05-07, version 7.0.3* Consistently gives itself almost always the exact rolls it needs to win, and gives the challenger useless rolls or disadvantageous rolls. ### 1/5 — Great until it wasn’t *2026-05-04, version 7.0.3* I’ve played this game for years. It’s always worked great until recently. I’ve lost the ability to play against my friend. I can no longer do turn based games. I’ve contacted the app creator for support. And receive no reply. ### 1/5 — Malo malo *2026-04-26, version 7.0.3* Me pone enfermo jugar contra los dobles permanentes del software. Simplemente lo voy a eliminar ### 1/5 — Online play with friends didn’t work *2026-04-05, version 7.0.3* Bought this for myself and a friend specifically to play together online and it doesn’t work. Total waste of money. ### 1/5 — Questionable intelligence *2026-03-18, version 7.0.3* Beautifully constructed game, but the higher competitive levels are harder to beat (playing against the app) only because the app gets 4 out of 5 of the rolls it needs every time it gets an advantage, and competitor rolls go to 1s , 2s and 3s. In these situations, the app gets high doubles in 3 of 5 rolls. There's something wrong with higher level play modes. Update: I’ve continued to play this game despite the obvious advantages it gives itself when needed and the obvious useless rolls it grants its opponent in similar situations (e.g., double 4s, 5s, and 3s when a 3 roll is needed), but I’m reclassifying the game’s methods a flat out cheating. ### 1/5 — Absolutely not worth it *2026-03-07* I have paid additionally twice to be able to play online and it doesn’t work! Furthermore if you play on expert level against the app you will loose 80% of the time because it gives you the lousiest dice and itself the most incredible numbers. ### 1/5 — Dice roll *2026-02-13, version 7.0.3* The computer gets the exact role they need when they need it. It is not random. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — My brother *2026-08-07, version 7.0.3* I love Joseph. ### 5/5 — Not Random *2026-07-24, version 7.0.3* The rolls are not true. I play all the time with a board and other apps. ### 5/5 — Been playing this a long time *2026-06-30, version 7.0.3* I am a very good backgammon player and have played ever since I was a kid. I started playing backgammon NJ several years ago and have I gotten play regularly on expert level. It has definitely improved my game over time and I have learned new strategies, some of which are almost counterintuitive. Specifically it has taught me to be more aggressive and take appropriate risks. Great game. ### 5/5 — I was wrong *2026-05-31, version 7.0.3* I gave this game a bad review once. I was wrong. I hadn’t checked the dice while playing the game (to see if indeed the computer was using the pre-rolls) and it was. I apologize to the designer if I gave anyone a reason for not downloading the game. ### 5/5 — Fun but Frustrating *2026-05-14, version 7.0.3* I’ve been playing this app for years and keep coming back to it for the rapid pace, no advertising and helpful hints. I enjoy the online play w others. But it is obvious the dice are not random. Very obvious and at times frustrating ### 5/5 — I’ve tried them all (including the free ones) and this is the best I’ve found. *2026-05-05, version 7.0.3* The game dev put a lot of appreciated effort into making games *fast* eliminating all the places where the decisions are easy and focusing you on where the decisions are more tricky. The few themes are each beautiful - I like to alternate. The clicking is intuitive and this is available on all the major platforms. I use it on mobile and on my MBP. You can use it to analyze past games and play online. Can’t really ask for more from a bkg game imho. ### 5/5 — A really great app, but *2026-03-08, version 7.0.3* it’s not that it cheats, but that it cheats so predictably. ### 5/5 — Best Backgammon I Know Of *2026-01-07, version 7.0.3* I have tried out about 10 other apps and I prefer this one because of features such as repeating the dice rolls. This app does not cheat that I know of. You can always write down the roll number and repeat it. ### 5/5 — Top, top backgammon game *2025-11-11, version 7.0.3* I have been playing this game NJ HD for quite a few years now. I’ve sampled other backgammon games and this is the best by a country mile. Love the layout. I always play in expert mode and definitely find it challenging to stay well ahead. A class act that certainly keeps me on my toes. Brilliant! ### 5/5 — Comically Flawed! *2025-11-04, version 7.0.3* “Random Rolls” cannot be printed in advance. When the user plays with actual dice rolls the bot’s win rate predictably decreases. No surprise the developer has never explained this. --- *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 2026-09-04.*