# Catchup - Abstract Strategy > Abstract strategy board game with hex connections and group size objectives. (iPhone/iPad app by Martin Grider.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catchup-abstract-strategy/id718429890 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Martin Grider](https://appshunter.io/developer/309543466) - Category: Games - Price: Free (on sale, was $2.99) - Rating: 4.73/5 from 11 App Store ratings · 17 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.6 · 5 MB - Languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Chinese - Released: 2014-08-07 - Data updated: 2026-06-19 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catchup-abstract-strategy/id718429890/reviews.md ## What is Catchup? Catchup is a simple game of surprising turnarounds. "Catchup is as elegant as a game can reasonably be, presented in a marvelously user-friendly way.” -Pocket Tactics (5-star review) "If you're even a little bit into strategy games, you need to get some Catchup all over your mobile device." -Touch Arcade (4 & 1/2 star review) Can you have the largest group at the end of the game? Connect your hexes to master this beautiful abstract strategy game. Features: - an interactive tutorial to teach you how to play - a challenging AI opponent whose difficulty changes as you play - online turn-based multiplayer via Game Center - two-player pass-and-play on the same device - beautiful and haunting music by Tori Kamal - minimalist graphics with customizable colors - Game Center Leaderboards & Achievements - simple and easy to learn rules and gameplay - difficult to master strategy Here are all the rules: 1. One player plays all the hexes of one color and the other player plays all the hexes of the other color. The first player begins by claiming 1 empty hex for their color. 2. Starting with the second player, each player must claim 1 or 2 hexes on their turn. 3. If the largest group of hexes at the end of a turn is larger than the largest group of hexes at the beginning of that turn (regardless of color), the next player may claim up to 3 hexes on their turn. (This does not apply after the first player claims a single hex in step 1 above.) 4. The game ends when the board is full. The player with the largest group wins. If the players’ largest groups are the same size, compare their second-largest groups, and so on, until you come to a pair which aren’t the same size. Whoever owns the larger of the two wins. Catchup is an original Board Game designed by Nick Bentley. ## Key features - Interactive tutorial - Challenging AI opponent - Online turn-based multiplayer - Two-player pass-and-play - Minimalist graphics - Customizable colors - Leaderboards & Achievements ## Recent user reviews (10 of 17) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/catchup-abstract-strategy/id718429890/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Exceptional *2026-06-17* strategy/board game featuring clean and customizable visuals, seemingly simple but strategic gameplay, and online multiplayer. ### 5/5 — My favorite quick strategy game *2020-03-09* I’m so glad I stumbled upon this! It’s super easy to learn, and the strategy is accessible even for a casual gamer, but it’s very challenging, without being frustrating. This is one of the few abstract strategy games I actually find fun! And the AI is super well done here. The design is minimalistic and gorgeous. The UI is perfect. And the premium price is fair, with no ads or IAP. I heartily support developers like this. Thank you for a fantastic game! ### 5/5 — Great game! *2019-02-12* Really like this game. AI is challenging and the gameplay is great. Would love to see support for irregular boards as well. ### 5/5 — Exceptional *2018-02-27, version 1.2* strategy/board game featuring clean and customizable visuals, seemingly simple but strategic gameplay, and online multiplayer. ### 3/5 — Great game, Weak multiplayer integration *2015-05-02* I dig this game! I found it via boardgamegeek. 1 and 2 player modes are great, multiplayer modes are buggy and confusing. Game Center is a little broken anyway and I think the integration with the Game Center might be a little wonky on top of that. Some real time multiplayer upgrades would make this game fantastic. Anyway, great game. Nicely implemented too! ### 5/5 — A fun, quick and increasingly challenging game! *2015-01-09* This seemingly simple game is really fun. If you like strategic thinking and increasingly challenging games, this one is for you. Great game! ### 5/5 — Fun *2014-10-02* Fun but it's too easy for me ### 5/5 — Fun variation of Go *2014-08-25* I thought this was a simple little game until the first time the AI beat me! It is well done, with turn-based online games. It does allow Spotify (and other music apps?) to play during games. One area for improvement is notification when online opponents have moved - it doesn't seem to update reliably quite yet. Overall a great game! ### 1/5 — Great potential *2014-08-25* Great abstract strategy game. Wonderful soundtrack. Could someday be worth the $2.99 price, but it's not there yet. Nowhere close. As soon as the developers fix about a gazillion bugs, this could be a great game. Very difficult to play when the names appear wrong on some of the games, so your tiles are marked as your opponent's and vice versa. And the "next game" feature only works sporadically. Frustrating to go back to the current turns menu. An asynchronous turn-based game should streamline the process of taking you to your next available turn, not make it a source of frustration. ### 5/5 — Wonderful game *2014-08-24* Catchup is an abstract strategy game with extremely simple rules(place one or more stones on a board) that turns out quite deep and challenging. It is simpler than Go, but is quite complex and challenging. Run to your nearest app store and buy it. ## Frequently asked questions about Catchup ### What is Catchup? Catchup is an abstract strategy game where players connect hexes to create the largest group. The game is designed by Nick Bentley and offers simple rules that are difficult to master. ### How do you win Catchup? The game ends when the board is full. The player with the largest group of hexes wins. If group sizes are tied, the second-largest groups are compared, and so on. ### Can I play Catchup offline? Yes, Catchup offers a challenging AI opponent that changes difficulty as you play, allowing for offline gameplay. It also supports two-player pass-and-play on the same device. ### Does Catchup have multiplayer? Yes, Catchup features online turn-based multiplayer via Game Center. You can compete against other players from around the world. ### What devices does Catchup support? Catchup is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It is designed for iOS devices. ### Is Catchup suitable for all ages? Catchup has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for younger players and families. The game's rules are simple to learn. ### How often is Catchup updated? The latest version of Catchup is 1.3, which was last updated on March 7, 2018. The game has been available since August 7, 2014. ### What is the user sentiment for Catchup? Catchup has received highly positive reviews, including a 5-star review from Pocket Tactics and a 4.5-star review from Touch Arcade, praising its elegance and user-friendliness. ## Version history (last 2 releases) ### 1.4 — 2026-06-17 updated for the latest iOS and App Store APIs ### 1.3 — 2018-03-07 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. Version 1.2 iOS 11 and iPhone X screen support. Version 1.3 Bug fix for game board layout in iOS 9 and 10, minor typo fix in popup for new catchup rule. ## Apps similar to Catchup | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Chess Game Expert](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-game-expert/id1377135280) | 1.0 (3) | Free | Games | | [SUBURBIA City Building Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/suburbia-city-building-game/id681966300) | 3.2 (22) | $7.99 | Games | | [Network6](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/network6/id529707960) | — | $0.99 | Games | | [Fanorona for iPad](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fanorona-for-ipad/id642363480) | 1.3 (3) | $0.99 | Games | | [Jewel Match Blast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jewel-match-blast/id1458071820) | 5.0 (101) | Free | Games | | [Pocket Wars Protect or Destroy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-wars-protect-or-destroy/id1118130200) | 4.5 (2) | Free | Games | ## More apps by Martin Grider - [Root Down](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/root-down/id772166474) - [Thrive Board Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thrive-board-game/id1528236222) - [Blither](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blither/id1640511367) - [Hexagon Grid Generator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hexagon-grid-generator/id6445898427) All apps by Martin Grider: https://appshunter.io/developer/309543466 --- *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 2026-06-19.*