# iGoban — user reviews > 26 indexed App Store user reviews of iGoban by FIVESTAR INTERACTIVE INC., rated 4.40/5 from 12 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/igoban/id411817816/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/igoban/id411817816.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 8 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 1 ## Newest reviews (6 of 26) ### 4/5 — Great...for what it is, *2011-11-19, version 1.1.0* But it would be wonderful if you could save and load games in progress. ### 4/5 — Looks nice *2011-10-13* This app looks nice and it works, but I think a full goban is too large for the ipad screen size, so I wish I had the option to play 9x9 and 13x13 as well. ### 4/5 — Beautiful *2011-05-26* This app is simple and absolutely beautiful. Tapping the bowls makes perfect sense to me, and the sound of placing the stones on the board is nice too. It would be nice if the app could save the games as a sgf file since I'd like to record any games I'm playing. ### 5/5 — Wonderful & きれい *2011-05-14* This app blew me away. No music, no alerts, no forced rule sets. Just a beautiful board and beautiful stones. I LOVE the bowl "tapping". To those who say it's unnecessary or unintuitive, try playing in real life and let me know how well you do without reaching into the bowl for a piece. This is amazingly realistic from the light wood grain, to the bowl lids for placing captured pieces, to the polished white shell and matte slate. Let's not forget the sound of reaching into the bowl for your next piece! Can't wait to try this when I'm out. You did a great job on this! ありがとうございました。 ### 5/5 — I'm not sure... *2011-01-02, version 1.0.1* I love this app! Free and fast downloading. I'm not sure how to play this game, but hey, it's free! I use it for drawing things and love how u can leave, and it still be there. The only thing is that if u can put some simpler directions that my daughter and i can understand, I would give this app 6 stars. Great game even if u can't play! ### 5/5 — Simple and beautiful *2011-01-01, version 1.0.1* Yep it is what it says - just one elegant photorealistic go board complete with quality stones. No problems, no pro games and best of all no crappy computer engines. Before I used this app I didn't realize how much a simple go board can do. Well, just like a real go board you can play all the GO you want - study go books, play with a friend or even play some Gomoku. Probably the simplest iPad app I've used and yet one of the best. Five stars all the way. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Catastrophic flaw *2012-12-25* Board is wiped clean when iPad cover is closed. Seemed to work otherwise, even if primitively, but the absence of ANY kind of persistence is unacceptable. ### 1/5 — Crashes on launch :-( *2011-01-13* I want to like this app- it looks very pretty. But it just plain crashes on launch, even after the latest update. Bummer. ### 2/5 — Nice start *2011-03-23* Agree that tapping a bowl is non-intuitive. Also found stone placement more difficult than necessary. The graphics are lovely and with additional programming this could be a great portable go set. ### 3/5 — Visually stunning, but just no frills virtual board *2012-06-13, version 1.1.0* It is one of the most beautiful go apps, but it doesn't take advantage of the electronic format. You have to manually do everything, like a real board. It would be good if it took care of captured stones automatically, and counting points at the end. You have to manually drag out the dead stones when capturing. I like the tilt board to remove all the stones. ### 3/5 — Obvious flaw *2011-01-19* Very nice graphics, could be useful - if only it had auto color change. Why do I have to tap the bowl EVERY TIME?!? Usually players make turns after each other, you know. Of course the turn should be passed automatically, and bowl taps should be used to override the turn (when placing handicap, for example). Current behavior just doesn't make sense. ### 4/5 — Exactly what I have been looking for! *2014-01-08* This is what I needed, simple virtual game play. Beautifully done. Almost perfect except for the lacking of a function to save an ongoing game. I would be happy if it makes into the paid version. ### 4/5 — Beautiful *2013-05-21* Gorgeous artwork and easy to use. Easily convinced me to buy the full version. ### 4/5 — Gets the job done *2012-11-05* For better or worse, it acts like a real board, no frills. It features some of the best board and piece design in the App Store (especially for free), so it's quite easy on the eyes. It doesn't obey the rotation lock, so be careful of accidental board clearings. It would also be nice if it had a built in clock for timed games, so you didn't have to use a separate iPhone with another app. ### 4/5 — Good app, but... *2012-08-17* As the other reviewers mentioned, iPad screen is a bit small for 19 x 19 goban. I found that Free Go issued by Nihonkiin has larger board, it extends all the way to the boarder of the screen plus it can be configured for 9 x 9 or 13 x 13 goban! That is why I only rate this app with 4 stars. ### 4/5 — Amazing but... *2012-08-14, version 1.1.0* This is a wonderful app and has saved me alot of money in buying a 19x19 board and stones etc. BUT it would be perfect if you could change the size of the board, say to a 13x13 and 9x9 board. Also if there was an option for when you cature something it could go automatically it to lid that would be fantasic. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — great app but not works on new operating systems *2021-01-09* The best GOBAN I have ever seen, Please upgrade it for the new iOS 64bit, I am ready to buy this app, mjttnetworkmusic ### 5/5 — Glenn Fiedler *2013-04-23* This is the most beautiful go board app. It has just one flaw: you cannot play in bed or on the move because the stones fall off the board when the app is tilted to the side. Provide a way to lock the stones in place or undo and the app will be much more useful. ### 5/5 — Portable Goban *2012-08-30* I like this app very much. I have just two requests. 1. Please make the star point markings bigger, even 1 pixel larger would be better. 2. Please add the ability to import SGF files and navigate them, so that we could use this app for replying games. Overall, very nicely done. ### 5/5 — its very fun *2012-06-08* good for practicing ### 5/5 — Wonderful GO App *2012-02-27* This app does exactly what is says, it's a go board that lets you play with whatever rules you see fit. The only addition i would request is the same that many others have asked for as well. When playing go you can cover up part of the board to make a 9x9 or 13x13 board for quicker games. The ability to do so on this app would make it the greatest replacement for an actual table that you can get. Thanks! ### 5/5 — Fantastic Go Application *2012-01-01* As the description says, it's not an app that allows one to play against the computer; it's simply a digital board. And in this aspect, it excels. If you want to play go wherever you want, this is the best app to get. There are only a few things that could make it better: 1. Instead of tapping on the bowl to place pieces, it would be more efficient and make more sense to drag stones onto the board. 2. Online support would be much appreciated, so that people would not be forced to play just locally. 3. A very useful addition to the board would be numbering each intersection (like A1 and B16). This would make recreating problems from books and real games much easier. 4. Different board sizes would be nice, even if one could just play in the corner of the board for 9x9, 13x13, or whatever dimensions are desired. Anyway, regardless of whether these suggestions are implemented, this is still a fantastic app. Thanks a lot, W RAINBOW CO., LTD.! ### 5/5 — Like a real board *2011-09-29, version 1.1.0* Simple and beautiful, like having a real board. Ideal for just playing out a puzzle, illustrating a point where you just want to place some stones on a board without worrying about reverting moves, turns, rules (especially when placing initial stones of a puzzle). It's a refreshingly different Go app to have among the other features filled ones, for times you just want a fuss free board. This is a really simple app. You cannot load games, save games, calculate scores, generate sgf etc. Think of it as just a more mobile version of the real Go board and nothing more, and that is a good thing. It is wonderfully tactile too. Well done! Just a small request: will be nice to have the option of different board sizes. ### 5/5 — Almost perfect! *2011-07-04* I like the simplicity. Others that in force rules usually do so incorrectly. The only think I don't like is clearing the board by tilting the iPad sideways. Too much risk of clearing the board accidentally while passing it. Multiple boards sizes would also be nice but there is beauty in the simplicity of this app. ### 5/5 — Awesome *2011-07-01* Just what I needed, instead of carrying my go board and stones around I have an app that will let me and my friends friends play baduk! (igo, wei qi) simple, I haven't had any problems like it crashing so far! ### 5/5 — Beautiful, simple, elegant *2011-05-18* Portable playing is aesthetically pleasing with this app. When you need something simpler than Smartgo Kifu, the iPad standard for Go, this app will do, especially for the price. The sound is great as well. The only thing I could wish for are 9x9 and 13x13 options. --- *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 2026-06-10.*