# Quads: Strategy Board Game — Don't hand them the win

> Two-player abstract strategy game where opponents choose your pieces. (iPhone/iPad app by Pickleland LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quads-strategy-board-game/id6788546970 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Pickleland LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769293636)
- Category: Games, Board, Strategy
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.1 · 30 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-07-19
- Data updated: 2026-09-05
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quads-strategy-board-game/id6788546970/reviews.md

## What is Quads?

Quads is a two-player abstract strategy game with a twist: you don't choose your own piece — your opponent hands it to you.

Every one of the 16 pieces is unique across four traits: big or small, dark or light, round or square, solid or hollow. Complete a row, column, or diagonal that shares just one of those traits and you win — but you never place a piece you picked yourself. The tension is entirely in what you hand over, and in noticing the trap the moment before you walk into it.

FIVE LEVELS OF COMPUTER OPPONENT
From Rookie (plays it safe) to Grandmaster (searches deep, plays the endgame near-perfectly), climb through five AI difficulties. Beat the Master to unlock Grandmaster.

PASS & PLAY
No account, no wifi, no wait — hand the phone to a friend and play a full match on one device.

PROGRESSION THAT MEANS SOMETHING
Earn XP for every win, level up, and unlock achievements for streaks, speed wins, trait mastery, and beating higher difficulties.

MAKE IT YOURS
Three board themes — warm Wood, glowing Neon, and minimal Zen — plus haptics and an optional hint that warns you when a line is one move from completion.

No sign-up. No timers. No pressure to spend. Just a clean, replayable game of "give them the piece they can't use."

## Key features

- Opponent chooses your pieces
- Five AI difficulty levels
- Pass & Play offline multiplayer
- XP and achievement progression
- Customizable board themes
- Optional hint system

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Theme Pack | $1.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quads-strategy-board-game/id6788546970/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Lovely

*2026-07-22*

Very lovely, good mind game

### 5/5 — Great Quarto implementation

*2026-07-21*

Love this game, can also play it with friends

## Frequently asked questions about Quads

### What is Quads?

Quads is a two-player abstract strategy game where players win by creating a line of four pieces that share one common trait. The unique mechanic is that your opponent selects the piece you must place on the board.

### How many AI difficulty levels does Quads have?

Quads features five distinct AI difficulty levels, ranging from Rookie to Grandmaster. Players can progress by beating each level, with the Grandmaster level unlocked after defeating the Master AI.

### Can I play Quads offline?

Yes, Quads supports offline play through its 'Pass & Play' mode. This allows two players to enjoy a full match on a single device without needing an account or an internet connection.

### Does Quads have ads?

Yes, Quads contains advertisements. As a free game with in-app purchases, ads are part of the monetization model to support its development.

### What board themes are available in Quads?

Quads offers three visually distinct board themes to customize your experience: warm Wood, glowing Neon, and minimal Zen. These themes can be changed to suit player preference.

### How does progression work in Quads?

Players earn XP for every win in Quads, which contributes to leveling up. Achievements can also be unlocked for various accomplishments, such as winning streaks, speed wins, and mastering traits.

### Is Quads suitable for children?

Quads has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for younger players. The game's abstract nature and simple rules are designed to be accessible.

### When was Quads last updated?

The latest version of Quads, 1.1.0, was last updated on July 22, 2026. The game was initially released on July 19, 2026.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.2.0 — 2026-09-04

The puzzle archive is here. Every daily puzzle you've missed is now playable — today and the last three days are free, and the Puzzle Pack unlocks all 98.

Challenges now travel as a link. Send a friend a position and tapping it opens the board, with no code to retype. Codes are four characters now too, short enough to say out loud.

Also: clearer piece announcements for VoiceOver, correct plurals across all eight languages, and a fix for the Levels list on iPad.

### 1.1.2 — 2026-08-27

Fixed a crash where opening a challenge link while an earlier challenge was still unfinished could blank out the app. Each challenge you accept now starts cleanly on its own.

Small text throughout the app - captions, labels, and the print under headings - is now easier to read on every board theme.

Grandmaster reads endgames two to three times faster, so it plays them out properly instead of settling for a draw it didn't need to take.

### 1.1.1 — 2026-08-17

bug fixes: AI gift-ranking, IAP price catalogue, double-tap guards, badge contrast, tutorial trap.

### 1.1.0 — 2026-07-22

Challenge links now open straight into the game. Send a friend a puzzle and tapping the link takes them to the board instead of a web page.

Also in this release: a new app icon in warm wood tones to match the default board, plus small fixes under the hood.

### 1.0.1 — 2026-07-21

• Rebuilt the How to Play intro: each of the four traits now has its own labelled row, so it's clear at a glance what makes every piece unique.
• Clearer piece wording throughout — traits are now "big/small" instead of the vaguer tall/short.
• Fixed a rare issue where tapping a square twice in quick succession could place a piece on the wrong cell.

## More apps by Pickleland LLC

- [Pickleland](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pickleland/id6698851374)

All apps by Pickleland LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/1769293636

## Related topics

[abstract strategy](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/abstract-strategy)

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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 2026-09-05.*