# Chess Arcana: Hero Chess Game — Blitz, online PvP, hero skills > Blitz, online PvP, hero skills (iPhone/iPad app by YI LIU.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-arcana-hero-chess-game/id6785567686 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [YI LIU](https://appshunter.io/developer/6777746488) - Category: Games, Board, Strategy - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 33 MB - Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish - Released: 2026-07-07 - Data updated: 2026-09-15 - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-arcana-hero-chess-game/id6785567686/reviews.md ## What is Chess Arcana? Chess Arcana brings real chess to life with a fantasy twist. Play full FIDE-rule chess — checkmate, castling, en passant and promotion — against players worldwide through Game Center, then turn the tide with your champion's signature skill. CHOOSE YOUR CHAMPION Six heroes, six playstyles. Freeze the clock as the Chronomancer, leap like a Phantom Knight, shield an ally as the Aegis Queen, and more. Skills are tactical tools layered on top of real chess — never pay-to-win. REAL CHESS, REAL CLOCKS • Full standard rules: checkmate, stalemate, castling, en passant, underpromotion • Two ways to play: pure-chess Blitz (3+2) and hero-battle Wild (8 min) • Live online matchmaking and friend invites via Game Center COLLECT & COMPETE • Unlock Phantom Knight free by finishing your first match • Collector heroes sold separately, or save with the All Heroes Bundle • Climb the rating ladder and track your record • Full localization in ten languages No stat boosts. No ads. Just chess, sharpened. ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Aegis Queen | $0.99 | one-time | | Ember Bishop | $1.99 | one-time | | Tempest Rook | $2.99 | one-time | | Star Oracle | $3.99 | one-time | | All Heroes Bundle | $6.99 | one-time | ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.8 — 2026-09-03 ULTIMATES, UNLEASHED • Every hero ultimate now erupts on the board: storms, lightning, holy pillars, wildfire, falling stars and time ripples • New full-body casting art for all six heroes • Stability and performance improvements ### 1.7 — 2026-09-02 TWO WAYS TO PLAY • Blitz is now pure chess — no skills, just you and the clock • Wild is the hero battle: charge your ultimate and turn the game SIX REWORKED ULTIMATES • Judgment smites the first enemy in any of the queen's eight lines • Inferno ignites all four diagonals at once • Cyclone is called down any clear rook line — the trapped are crushed • Star's Return revives your strongest fallen piece beside the king • Phantom Jump strikes within two knight-leaps, then the knight moves again • Time Stop's bonus move can no longer checkmate SMARTER RIVALS • Computer opponents now unleash their own ultimates — the higher the tier, the sharper they use them LEADERBOARDS • The world top-100 board is now fully populated • Blitz and Wild now have separate ratings and leaderboards SMOOTHER MATCHES • Blitz shows a material panel: captures and who's ahead • One-tap draw offers; replies appear right on the board, no pop-ups • Board-decided endings pause on the final position and explain what happened ### 1.6 — 2026-08-19 NEW SOUNDTRACK • Real recorded music for the lobby and the board, drawn fresh each time you open the game SHARPER ULTIMATES • Phantom Jump now strikes where it lands, taking the piece on that square • Cyclone sweeps every enemy around your rook, and crushes any with nowhere to go A KINDER LADDER • Your rating has a floor — a losing streak can't strand you • Losses cost less the lower you go, so climbing back is quicker • See your record split by Blitz, Rapid and Wild LEADERBOARDS • Tap More for the full top 100 • Real Game Center ranks, with your row pinned when you're outside the top FIXES • Colours are drawn at random, so you no longer open every game • Fixed the shop not opening from the home screen • Fixed a black screen when sharing a result • An ultimate can no longer capture the king ### 1.5 — 2026-08-13 • Leaderboards now show your current rating, so your rank rises and falls with every match • Fixed a black screen the first time you shared a match result ### 1.4 — 2026-08-11 Leaderboards, fixed and front and center: • The ladder now appears right inside Arena — no extra taps • Weekly, monthly and all-time boards in one place • Fixed: scores earned before Game Center signed in are no longer lost Also in this update: • Fixed a rare bug where an ultimate could capture the king • Phantom Knight now unlocks after playing 3 matches, win or lose • Tidied up the home screen and match-result sharing ## More apps by YI LIU - [Speak850: Basic English](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak850-basic-english/id6781350311) - [Brain Recovery: Stroke Rehab](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brain-recovery-stroke-rehab/id6783369392) - [Estora](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/estora/id6791233756) - [Antipode: Dig the Earth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/antipode-dig-the-earth/id6794570049) All apps by YI LIU: https://appshunter.io/developer/6777746488 --- *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 2026-09-15.*