# Castles of Mad King Ludwig — user reviews > 146 indexed App Store user reviews of Castles of Mad King Ludwig by Bezier Games, Inc., rated 4.50/5 from 355 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castles-of-mad-king-ludwig/id1100292960/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castles-of-mad-king-ludwig/id1100292960.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 253 · 4★ 62 · 3★ 21 · 2★ 9 · 1★ 10 ## What do users think of Castles of Mad King Ludwig? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🎮 Great digital version of the board game - 🏰 Faithful implementation of the original game - 🧠 Challenging and engaging campaign mode - 🕹️ Intuitive and easy-to-use interface - 🕰️ Quick gameplay and AI - 💰 Good value for the price **Cons** - 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches - 📱 UI not optimized for smaller screens - 🕹️ Lack of online/multiplayer functionality - 📚 Insufficient tutorial and rules explanation - 🤖 AI could be more intelligent **Commonly reported bugs** - Bonus card deck depletion not properly indicated - Scoring issues with certain room types - Occasional crashes and freezes - Campaign progress not syncing across devices **Most requested features** - Online/remote multiplayer mode - Adjustable AI difficulty levels - Digital rulebook and more detailed tutorials - Ability to customize game settings (e.g., starting tiles) - Achievements and progression system - Support for newer game expansions ## Newest reviews (19 of 146) ### 3/5 — Update with deluxe edition please. *2025-07-08, version 2.0* This game is good but would be so much better if you could play with all the features of the deluxe edition. ### 3/5 — How do I report scoring errors? *2024-10-27, version 2.0* There does not appear to be a way to message app support. The 500 Basement room (Secret Lair) scoring 2 for each corridor room seems to score for Utility rooms instead (or maybe it’s a misprint 🤔). Also the King’s Favor for Activity room size doesn’t have the area size image. ### 4/5 — Got to grips with it eventually *2024-08-08* I persevered with this as I’d been told the board game is great. However I’d not played that before, and as a newcomer to the game found the tutorial to be insufficient. Anyway, having stuck at it I’ve got to grips with the mechanics now and it’s good, similar to carcassone. ### 4/5 — Great game, needs update *2023-11-06, version 2.0* Love the game, BUT…. UPDATES PLEASE!!!! ### 3/5 — What?! No online play!!? *2023-07-29, version 2.0* This is a great game BUT the whole reason I got it was to play with family online. Not possible. ### 4/5 — Great Campaign mode. Needs multiplayer. *2022-08-06, version 2.0* Campaign mode is worth playing. Lots of entertainment and it is challenging. I was hoping it had an online element. ### 2/5 — Avoid on phones *2022-05-10, version 2.0* Good game, adequate implementation for tablets, but UI and text are absolutely too small to play on a phone. Stick to a tablet. ### 4/5 — BattleHammer *2021-12-17* It’s really good. Only point is the end game scoring is too … flat… unsure of the right word. But take Terraforming Mars, end of the game it goes through each victory point bonus. This could do the same to make the end a bit more fun by breaking it down , like you would on a real board game. Then you can see where you get your points from. Otherwise great fun. ### 3/5 — Great game but some bugs *2021-06-09* I love this game and feel the overall graphics and all that were done beautifully. However, there is a bug where the game occasionally tells me there are no more bonus cards available when we're only on turn two or so which means there absolutely should be bonus cards! This happens while I'm doing campaigns. Restarting the level is the only way to fix it and it's super annoying. ### 4/5 — Decent apaptation *2021-05-21, version 2.0* As of today (5/21/21) there is a bug that was reported on 4/8 with the new set of tiles released in the last update. Until that is updated my below review is still accurate but... Play with the classic tiles for now Good iOS version of one of my favorite board games. Now I can play and not bug my family. The minor differences are so minor you don't notice it. I wish there was a little bit of customization available, ,faster animations, faster ai, and vary the number of cards (I.e. Allow house rules like a lot of people do that allow larger castles). I don't play any game online, so I cannot comment on they part. ### 5/5 — This is how you update an app. More please! *2021-04-03, version 2.0* I love love love the new tiles and opening artwork. Please keep developing this app because it can still be better (multiplayer, more bonus card variations, new music?) but I am very glad to have seen/played this update. ### 4/5 — Great app *2021-03-05, version 1.1* I wish it was possible to play with my friends remotely rather than having to be in person and pass one device around in order to play with multiple humans. Might as well just set up the actual board game at that point. Other than that I love it! Super fun! ### 4/5 — Updates? *2020-11-28, version 1.1* Great app but could change a couple things. 1. We would like to be able to choose our starting color. 2. Online multiplayer is why we bought it if you can make that happen. 3. A.I. Difficulty choices. We still like it a lot though. ### 5/5 — Lovely and cosy *2020-11-23* A gentle version of a pleasant, relaxing game. The game mechanics translate well to the app, and the colours that give the physical version its vibrancy come through on the screen. Challenges are a fun way to play solo, though the ai does seem to have a variable gameplay style sometimes. All in all, well worth the download. ### 5/5 — Fun. Great implementation. *2020-11-17, version 1.1* I hope everyone shows their support through some good reviews, because there are so many iOS board game ports that are no longer available, even when purchased, because the developers stopped supporting new updates. ### 5/5 — A nice surprise *2020-10-25* Never played the game before, but it intrigued me so I took a punt and it’s really quite good. Takes some time to get your head around the rules but if you’re a board game fan then you will probably love this! ### 5/5 — One of my favorite games *2020-08-24, version 1.1* I’m a huge fan of Castles and Suburbia. I hope the game creators will make these playable in small groups online. I used to play these games irl with my roommates but now we’re scattered on the wind and we can’t visit each other and play due to the risk (we can’t even play risk!) Creators, I would love to be able to play with distant friends! ### 5/5 — Great transfer *2020-07-28* This is a great computer version of a great board game. Not only do you not need to set it all up, but the single player campaign adds interesting scenarios pitched a a good difficulty level. Only drawback with the board game is difficulty viewing all the opponents boards easily/concurrently, but small price to play. Online multiplayer would be fun too. ### 5/5 — One of our family’s favorite iPad games! *2020-07-03, version 1.1* Worth every penny! We have the tabletop game too, which we love, but this one is so quick to play without all the setup and cleanup that it’s a constant go to. I wish I could give it more stars. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App is great but needs online multiplayer *2022-01-31* This app is great except for one huge issue, it does not have online multiplayer. When I got the app I immediately told my board game group to buy it, we already had a couple other board game apps and I was kinda surprised we didn’t know about this one sooner. I bought this without checking if it had online multiplayer cause it never occurred to me that it wouldn’t, after I found out fortunately my friends hand not bought it yet. If this does get online multiplayer I know at least 4 people that will definitely buy it. The pass and play is a nice feature but in most situations if we are together in person we will just play the physical board game. The main point for my group of getting the board game apps is that we can play online. It’s really unfortunate because we love this game and functionality wise this app is better than some of the other board game apps I have but it’s essentially useless without online multiplayer. ### 1/5 — This app cheats!!! *2020-01-30, version 1.1* I’ve been playing 2-player, trying to build some skill and the AI takes tiles with zero money! Not at beginning of game, but further in. Same on iPhone and iPad. Waste of $8! ### 1/5 — A waste of a great implementation *2019-04-30, version 1.1* How can this game possibly not have online multiplayer in this day and age? A total waste of effort and relegated to the dustbin of history. Guess I’ll go play some Caracassone. ### 1/5 — Save your money! *2018-08-06* It’s a really expensive game considering it has a clunky tutorial and no online playing capabilities. I wish I hadn’t purchased it. ### 1/5 — Do not buy! *2018-05-12, version 1.1* This is a complete waste of money!!! ### 1/5 — I don’t get it. *2017-12-20* The tutorial is as clear as mud and you need a microscope to read the text on the tiles ### 1/5 — Needs to improve graphic/tutorial *2017-11-15* DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS GAME! The tutorial of this game is pretty bad, after going through it, I still had no idea what I am supposed to do. I ended up needing to read the rules of the board game to know how to play. The graphics is subpar for the price, (unless you buy it for a $1) overall it feels like a game built in excel. Very disappointing for the efforts to migrate this to digital platform. ### 1/5 — No multiplayer *2017-11-13* No multiplayer mode at all. ### 1/5 — Complicated, pointless, boring *2017-06-19, version 1.1* I love eurogames: Catan, Carcassone, Ticket to Ride... This one is nowhere near them. Complex scoring and unsatisfying gameplay mechanics make this a complete #fail in my book. Too bad, because the castle-building premise sounded great. ### 1/5 — Too many bugs for a $7 game *2017-02-10* I love the board game castles, but this version is lacking. I do enjoy playing the campaigns, but there are so many bugs. There is no indication of when the bonus card deck is out of cards, but then I see that my opponent after me gets a bonus card. One of the campaigns wouldn't end. A different campaign glitches causing you to have to restart. And on it goes. Very annoying and disappointing to have paid so much for a game that functions so poorly. I was also disappointed that playing against the computer is easy. It makes poor choices in laying out the pieces, making all of them easy to beat. I do like that the campaign is more difficult to beat. That's fun! But, I wouldn't recommend the game as it is due to the glitches that continually happen. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Update please? *2025-09-08, version 2.0* I’d love to see an update; especially if it gives you more options. Would pay a few bucks for it. ### 5/5 — Human Players? *2025-06-02, version 2.0* I bought this so I could play it with another person next to me (not online) but I’m unable to launch anything other than myself versus the AI. Several reviews say it’s pass-and-play. What’s up? ### 5/5 — Update? *2024-02-05, version 2.0* I love this game, have for years and my family just recently got out deluxe edition board game with twice as many rooms, secret passages, moats and swans. I really hope you guys are planning a major update of the app with all of these new game options being available. ### 5/5 — Great Digital Version *2023-02-12, version 2.0* Greetings from Feb 2023 - Castles of Mad King Ludwig features fantastic game play! I was rusty on the rules after not playing for a few years and the tutorial was very helpful! Get ready to have fun! Well worth $8! ### 5/5 — Excellent app (and game); needs updates/expansions *2022-09-26* Great virtual version of an excellent board game. I love this for solo play, especially when I’m doing chores or other things (as turns can take awhile when playing against 3 AIs). I’m a daily player as I find it both interesting and relaxing. The developers are missing great opportunities for paid expansions. Happy to have the new tiles, but would love to have additional tiles from the new collectors edition) which could be released in 2-3 paid expansions). Additional ideas: 1) ability to customize the number of starting tiles in options/settings when you want to play a longer game (this is my #2 wish after new tile sets), 2) achievements, 3) AI opponents who differ in play style, 4) free play mode where you can just design a castle for fun. TLDR: Keep up the good work, Bezier, but add more to the game! ### 5/5 — Update? *2022-09-22, version 2.0* I love this game, have for years and my family just recently got out deluxe edition board game with twice as many rooms, secret passages, moats and swans. I really hope you guys are planning a major update of the app with all of these new game options being available. ### 5/5 — Great game, but a couple of misprints... *2022-02-25* This is an excellent implementation of the physical board game and I’ve enjoyed many hours playing it. However, I have noticed two instances of mislabeled tiles; one being the Secret Lair (it shows a bonus of 2 points for each Hallway when it should show 2 points for each Utility Room) and the other being the King’s Favor tile for Activity Room Size (it’s missing the icon indicating total area size). Other than that, and the AI often making suboptimal tile placements, the game is an awesome way to kill 20-30 minutes! ### 5/5 — Good game *2021-10-22* I really like this game it’s relaxing and fun and no in app purchases exactly what I was looking for a ### 5/5 — Great adaptation. *2021-08-29, version 2.0* This game works well in the digital medium, the campaign is well designed to give you puzzles/challenges. ### 5/5 — Love the board game, love the app! *2021-04-06, version 2.0* This is my hands down favorite board game and the app does it total justice! Love it! --- *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 2026-08-28.*