# ChessCraft — Chess Variant AI Sandbox

> Chess sandbox for creating and playing custom chess variants with AI and online multiplayer. (iPhone/iPad app by Stuart Spence.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscraft/id6739758339 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Stuart Spence](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786889107)
- Category: Games, Education, Board, Puzzle
- Price: $5.99
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 8 App Store ratings · 10 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 166 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2025-01-18
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscraft/id6739758339/reviews.md

## What is ChessCraft?

Never play the same game of chess again! ChessCraft is a chess sandbox with an AI computer opponent. Customize chess boards, rules, and pieces. Share your creations online. Play your friends online, or play the computer, or choose from one of 75 built-in chess boards in adventure mode. ChessCraft is also the world's largest chess variant database. 

https://www.chesscraft.ca

Many chess AI mobile games already exist, but only ChessCraft allows the player to create such wacky boards and pieces and immediately play a decent computer opponent.

Create new pieces with any combination of the 8 bishop or rook slides, plus a 7x7 grid of knight-like hops. Pieces can also enhance or restrict nearby pieces. Create new boards with any enabled or disabled tile up to 16x16. Place promotion rules for any piece, anywhere. Place tile rules like witch windows (teleporters), sanctuaries, and more. The computer AI opponent then uses concepts from computer science and graph theory to understand your creations and play against you.

When you share a board, your friends can play the AI too. Sharing creates a new web page just for you, like this:

https://www.chesscraft.ca/design?id=shape-variant1

Visit the website and send me an email if you have any feedback or questions. If you like the game, please rate it!

## Key features

- Customizable chess boards and pieces
- AI computer opponent
- Online multiplayer with friends
- Adventure mode with built-in boards
- Chess variant database
- Create new pieces and tile rules

## Chart rankings

- #131 in Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 10)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chesscraft/id6739758339/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Stuff you should add

*2026-08-09*

I think you should make it so that you can draw your own design for pieces and there should be a different colored tile that can do something special like maybe there could be a water or lava tile but overall 11/10 game

### 3/5 — 不具合

*2026-07-07*

Hello.

I purchased ChessCraft on iOS.

Device:
iPhone 14
iOS 18.6.2
ChessCraft version: 1.16.31

I found an issue with the Garb Editor.

When I create a new Garb and press the image import button, nothing happens.
No photo selection screen appears and ChessCraft does not request photo permission.

I cannot use my own images for custom pieces.

Could you please check this issue?

Thank you.

### 5/5 — Great fun to create own variants

*2026-05-27*

Used it for a ton of time on my old phone and had to get it again here too :D

### 5/5 — Amazing! but could be better.

*2026-04-04*

I love this game but I wish this app was free. Also I would like 2 new ways to make new chess pieces. Way 1 is to use the images the player has in his/her photo gallery. Way 2 is to draw pieces, also I wish in the way to draw you could probably copy pieces or the images you have made to make pieces. I would also recommend if you added a team maker for the game where can choose the color of a team and it's lightness and darkness. Also I would reccomend if you deleted the feature when you add The description of this piece and the way it moves is hidden during play turns your piece into a ghost icon. I would also like if you added a way to add shapes of board tiles. What about the color and/or shape of the tiles? With barriers that remove the ability for players to cross the barriers and make it so you can make a certain amount of teams win from a game on default would be 1. I would also with the ability to make the board as big as infinity. And also a feature where you can make the board have more tiles every move. Also add ghost spaces where if you put your piece there you lose that piece. I also think it shouldn't crash a lot. I also want a feature where you draw with multiple colors or use 1 solid color to make a team and for the draw feature I would like to change the appearance depending on what type of piece it is. I want a feature to make custom advantages and disadvantages for a piece. I also want multiple pieces to go at one turn in the same team as a setting in the chess maker that has a default of 1. I also want a feature where you can make a custom piece move across a gap in the thing where you can make advantages and disadvantages for the piece. I also want a feature where you make pieces be able to capture someone from the same team. For chess custom movements, I want them to be in a board that goes forever. I want custom features for a part of the board.

### 5/5 — Amazing! but could be better.

*2026-01-24*

I love this game but I wish this app was free. Also I would like 2 new ways to make new chess pieces. Way 1 is to use the images the player has in his/her photo gallery. Way 2 is to draw pieces, also I wish in the way to draw you could probably copy pieces or the images you have made to make pieces. I would also recommend if you added a team maker for the game where can choose the color of a team and it's lightness and darkness. Also I would reccomend if you deleted the feature when you add The description of this piece and the way it moves is hidden during play turns your piece into a ghost icon. I would also like if you added a way to add shapes of board tiles. What about the color and/or shape of the tiles? With barriers that remove the ability for players to cross the barriers and make it so you can make a certain amount of teams win from a game on default would be 1. I would also with the ability to make the board as big as infinity. And also a feature where you can make the board have more tiles every move. Also add ghost spaces where if you put your piece there you lose that piece. I also think it shouldn't crash a lot.

### 4/5 — Lovely, Yet Buggy

*2025-08-07*

ChessCraft is a truly amazing app and has been a great source of joy for me. There aren’t many other chess applications that support customized variants, and none make it as intuitive or fun. It really goes all out, with features such as special board tiles, tons of piece rules, an Adventure mode, and custom piece images. 

Unfortunately, ChessCraft is very buggy and you’ll very often come across some pretty major bugs. The aforementioned custom piece images don’t work, the screen clips sometimes when you play as black, and many others that hold it back from being truly perfect.

With that being said, I absolutely recommend this app if fairy chess is your thing. It’s well worth the price.

### 5/5 — YAAAY!!!

*2025-07-20*

I love this game so much, worth every cent. The possibilities are literally endless! So much fun to play with your friends!

### 5/5 — Amazing! but could be better.

*2025-03-29*

I love this game but I wish this app was free. Also I would like 2 new ways to make new chess pieces. Way 1 is to use the images the player has in his/her photo gallery. Way 2 is to draw pieces, also I wish in the way to draw you could probably copy pieces or the images you have made to make pieces. I would also recommend if you added a team maker for the game where can choose the color of a team and it's lightness and darkness. Also I would reccomend if you deleted the feature when you add The description of this piece and the way it moves is hidden during play turns your piece into a ghost icon. I would also like if you added a way to add shapes of board tiles.

### 5/5 — Amazing! but could be better.

*2025-03-21*

I love this game but I wish this app was free. Also I would like 2 new ways to make new chess pieces. Way 1 is to use the images the player has in his/her photo gallery. Way 2 is to draw pieces, also I wish in the way to draw you could probably copy pieces or the images you have made to make pieces. I would also recommend if you added a team maker for the game where can choose the color of a team and it's lightness and darkness. Also I would reccomend if you deleted the feature when you add The description of this piece and the way it moves is hidden during play turns your piece into a ghost icon.

### 4/5 — Amazing! but could be better.

*2025-03-15*

I love this game but I wish this app was free. Also I would like 2 new ways to make new chess pieces. Way 1 is to use the images the player has in his/her photo gallery. Way 2 is to draw pieces, also I wish in the way to draw you could probably copy pieces or the images you have made to make pieces. I would also recommend if you added a team maker for the game where can choose the color of a team and it's lightness and darkness.

## Frequently asked questions about ChessCraft

### What is ChessCraft?

ChessCraft is a chess sandbox application that allows users to create custom chess boards, rules, and pieces. It features an AI computer opponent and online multiplayer capabilities for playing with friends.

### How much does ChessCraft cost?

ChessCraft is a paid application priced at $5.99. This one-time purchase grants access to all its features.

### Does ChessCraft have ads?

No, ChessCraft does not contain advertisements. As a paid application, it offers an ad-free experience for all users.

### What devices is ChessCraft available on?

ChessCraft is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices, supporting iOS operating systems.

### What is the age rating for ChessCraft?

ChessCraft has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of players.

### How often is ChessCraft updated?

The latest version of ChessCraft is 1.16.31, and it was last updated on October 22, 2025. Updates typically include new features and improvements.

### Can I play ChessCraft offline?

Yes, ChessCraft can be played offline against the AI computer opponent. The online multiplayer features require an internet connection.

### What makes ChessCraft's AI unique?

ChessCraft's AI opponent utilizes concepts from computer science and graph theory to understand and play against custom board and piece creations, offering a unique challenge.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.16.31 — 2025-10-22

Mushrooms! They leave behind a copy of themselves whenever they move.
Several bug fixes (profile restore, rename folder, bleeding heart, think crash)
Mandatory security update and billing update.

### 1.16.30 — 2025-01-13

No release notes.

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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 2026-08-26.*