# Runes of Ardun — Shogi inspired strategy game > Shogi-inspired strategy board game with ancient animal spirit runes. (iPhone/iPad app by Symbolic Software.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runes-of-ardun/id6477489245 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Symbolic Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/613116232) - Category: Games, Board, Strategy - Price: Free (on sale, was $1.99) - Rating: 4.86/5 from 42 App Store ratings · 10 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.6 · 18 MB - Languages: Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and 1 more - Released: 2024-02-07 - Data updated: 2026-09-02 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runes-of-ardun/id6477489245/reviews.md ## What is Runes of Ardun? Awaken the Ancient Spirits of Strategy in Runes of Ardun! Embark on a journey to the forgotten lands of Ardun, where ancient runes hold the power of animals long revered and feared. "Runes of Ardun" reimagines the ancient Japanese strategy game Mini Shogi, transforming it into a strategic duel of wits and cunning on your iPhone and iPad. Each piece, an ancient rune, represents a mighty animal spirit. Your mission is to outmaneuver your opponent and capture their Lion. There can only be one king! Features: - Unique Gameplay: Dive into a rich strategy experience where each rune possesses unique movement abilities. From the wise Owl to the formidable Lion, learn the strengths and weaknesses of each to dominate the game board. - Ancient Runes Theme: Immerse yourself in an "ancient ruins" ambiance, where every piece is a beautifully crafted rune representing animal spirits. This thematic twist adds a layer of intrigue and mystique to the classic strategy game. - Intuitive Controls: Select a rune and instantly see your possible moves highlighted on the board. Whether you're a seasoned strategist or new to board games, "Runes of Ardun" offers a seamless and engaging gameplay experience. - Dynamic Capture and Promotion: Experience the thrill of capturing your opponent's runes, turning them to your side, and strategically placing them back on the board to secure victory. Watch as your runes achieve their full potential through promotion, gaining new abilities to turn the tide of battle. - Customizable Play Settings: Tailor your gameplay experience with adjustable difficulty levels and game settings. Whether you're looking for a casual game or a challenging puzzle, "Runes of Ardun" adapts to your preference. - Stunning Visuals and Sound: With breathtaking graphics and immersive sound effects, "Runes of Ardun" brings the ancient world to life. Each rune, board, and battleground is meticulously designed to enhance your gaming experience. How to Play: - Begin with six ancient runes: Owl, Lion, Bunny, Hedgehog, Elephant, and Rhino. Each rune's movement ability is inscribed upon it, guiding your strategy. - Move runes across the board, capturing opponent pieces by occupying their squares. Remember, the Lion is invincible but must be protected at all costs. - Capture runes switch allegiance, allowing you to place them strategically on the board. Beware of restrictions like the Owl's inability to be dropped on the back row. - Promote your runes by reaching or exiting the opponent's back row, unlocking their strengthened forms and enhancing your strategic options. - Victory is yours when you capture your opponent's Lion. Adjust the game's difficulty and settings to keep the challenge fresh and engaging. Are You Ready to Unleash the Power of the Runes? "Runes of Ardun" is a journey to strategic mastery. With its unique theme, intuitive gameplay, and endless strategic possibilities, this game is a must-have for all who love board games, strategy, and the mystique of ancient legends. Be among the first to play this unique new strategy game, with more features and themes coming soon! ## Key features - Unique rune movement abilities - Ancient runes and animal spirits theme - Intuitive move highlighting - Dynamic capture and promotion system - Customizable difficulty and settings - Stunning graphics and sound effects ## Recent user reviews (10 of 10) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runes-of-ardun/id6477489245/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Weird *2025-07-13, version 1.45* It is look like a chess but i don’t get rules😩 ### 5/5 — This game is incredible! *2024-10-24, version 1.45* As the title says, this game is incredible- simple gameplay, easy to pick up but feels like there’s so much strategy that I’ve barely scratched the surface of it. If you want a quick little game to pass the time, or one to really sit down and enjoy, this is the one to download. ### 1/5 — Help slow and crashes app *2024-10-15* The more you use the suggestion, the slower it gets until it crashes the app and then you lose your game. I give up. Deleted it. It was almost a good idea. **Developer response:** Dear Eriptron, Thank you very much for your feedback. You’re right to report the issues present in version 1.41. As of the latest update (version 1.44), these issues have been addressed. Please consider updating your copy of Runes of Ardun and giving it another try. If you find that the update fixes the issues that you have encountered, we would sincerely appreciate it if you could update your review. Thanks again! ### 2/5 — There is no ‘real’ game here w/AI *2024-08-25* Other than who displays the worst naked aggression wins. You can’t protect pieces ss the AI attacks everything. It becomes a fast game of recycling pieces. I guess there would be a strategy to that, but not anything I would find enjoyable. Too bad. I liked the compact chess like design. It’s anything ut but chess. Disappointing **Developer response:** Have you tried higher difficulties? ### 5/5 — Fun little game! *2024-03-05* We need more games like this! Saw on WAN show and haven’t left since. **Developer response:** Thank you so much for your review! ### 5/5 — Very enjoyable game *2024-03-05, version 1.20* I came from wan show since I thought the game looked cool and I wasn’t disappointed, unique concept with a cool take on a board game. I enjoy how fast paced it can be as well as all the cute characters. ### 5/5 — LTT *2024-03-04* Great game. Easy to get. Better than chess in some ways. **Developer response:** Thanks so much for your review! ### 5/5 — Super fun! *2024-03-03* Great quick strategy game. Like chess but quicker and simpler. Thank you the WAN Show and LTT for showing me this game! **Developer response:** Thank you so much for your review! We're big fans of the WAN Show and have been watching it every weekend for years. We're super happy to see people enjoying our new game. We hope you continue to enjoy Runes of Ardun — stay tuned for new features, themes and other fun additions! ### 5/5 — It reminds me of chess *2024-03-02* Fun, no ads. Fairly simple **Developer response:** Thank you very much for your review! At Symbolic Software, we pride ourselves on making games that you pay for once and then truly own, without ads, tracking or other invasive practices. We have a high standard for software quality and sincerely care for you to have an enjoyable experience with our games. Please don't hesitate to be in touch if you have any feature requests or would like to report any issues. ### 4/5 — Not a bad game *2024-02-25, version 1.14* The game itself is quite fun. However, I struggle to tell which pieces are mine and which are the opponents ## Frequently asked questions about Runes of Ardun ### What is the objective in Runes of Ardun? The primary objective in Runes of Ardun is to capture your opponent's Lion piece. This requires strategic movement and utilization of each rune's unique abilities to outmaneuver your opponent on the board. ### How does capturing work in Runes of Ardun? When you capture an opponent's rune, it switches allegiance to your side. You can then strategically place this captured rune back onto the board on your subsequent turns, adding a dynamic layer to gameplay. ### Can I play Runes of Ardun offline? The provided description does not explicitly state offline play capabilities. However, as a strategy board game, it is likely designed to be playable without a constant internet connection, focusing on single-player or local multiplayer. ### What devices does Runes of Ardun support? Runes of Ardun is available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, offering a versatile gaming experience across Apple devices. This ensures accessibility for a wide range of users within the Apple ecosystem. ### How often is Runes of Ardun updated? The game was last updated on October 17, 2024, indicating active development and support. This suggests that players can expect ongoing improvements and potential new content or features. ### What is the age rating for Runes of Ardun? Runes of Ardun has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a broad audience. This rating suggests that the game's content is appropriate for young players and families. ### Does Runes of Ardun have ads? No, Runes of Ardun is ad-free. This allows for an uninterrupted and immersive strategic experience without any advertisements interrupting gameplay. ### What makes Runes of Ardun's gameplay unique? Its uniqueness stems from reimagining Mini Shogi with ancient animal spirit runes, each possessing distinct movement abilities. The dynamic capture and promotion system, where captured pieces join your side, also adds a fresh strategic dimension. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.45 — 2024-10-17 - Sharper, More Tactical AI We've fine-tuned the AI’s tactical engine to better exploit weaknesses and capitalize on opportunities. Expect to face a more strategic and cunning opponent in every match! - Massive AI Performance Boost with Multithreading! We’ve integrated multithreading using the LazySMP algorithm, significantly enhancing the AI’s speed and sophistication. The AI can now evaluate moves faster and smarter by leveraging multiple CPU cores. This upgrade delivers a noticeably stronger and more responsive opponent across all difficulty levels. - Streamlined AI Cache for Improved Efficiency The AI cache now consumes much less memory without sacrificing performance. This optimization allows the game to run more smoothly, even during long sessions. - Significantly Faster AI Cache Performance In addition to reduced memory usage, the AI cache has been supercharged for much faster retrieval times, making the AI even more responsive in critical moments of the game. Download the latest version and experience the new and improved Runes of Ardun today! ### 1.44 — 2024-10-17 - Sharper, More Tactical AI We've fine-tuned the AI’s tactical engine to better exploit weaknesses and capitalize on opportunities. Expect to face a more strategic and cunning opponent in every match! - Massive AI Performance Boost with Multithreading! We’ve integrated multithreading using the LazySMP algorithm, significantly enhancing the AI’s speed and sophistication. The AI can now evaluate moves faster and smarter by leveraging multiple CPU cores. This upgrade delivers a noticeably stronger and more responsive opponent across all difficulty levels. - Streamlined AI Cache for Improved Efficiency The AI cache now consumes much less memory without sacrificing performance. This optimization allows the game to run more smoothly, even during long sessions. - Significantly Faster AI Cache Performance In addition to reduced memory usage, the AI cache has been supercharged for much faster retrieval times, making the AI even more responsive in critical moments of the game. Download the latest version and experience the new and improved Runes of Ardun today! ### 1.43 — 2024-10-15 - Sharper, More Tactical AI We've fine-tuned the AI’s tactical engine to better exploit weaknesses and capitalize on opportunities. Expect to face a more strategic and cunning opponent in every match! - Massive AI Performance Boost with Multithreading! We’ve integrated multithreading using the LazySMP algorithm, significantly enhancing the AI’s speed and sophistication. The AI can now evaluate moves faster and smarter by leveraging multiple CPU cores. This upgrade delivers a noticeably stronger and more responsive opponent across all difficulty levels. - Streamlined AI Cache for Improved Efficiency The AI cache now consumes much less memory without sacrificing performance. This optimization allows the game to run more smoothly, even during long sessions. - Significantly Faster AI Cache Performance In addition to reduced memory usage, the AI cache has been supercharged for much faster retrieval times, making the AI even more responsive in critical moments of the game. Download the latest version and experience the new and improved Runes of Ardun today! ### 1.41 — 2024-10-14 Added a “Hint” button. ### 1.36 — 2024-10-09 Added a “Hint” button. ## Apps similar to Runes of Ardun | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [World Of Chess 3D (Pro)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/world-of-chess-3d-pro/id1114381452) | 4.6 (22) | $0.99 | Games | | [Defending Earth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/defending-earth/id1585522128) | 4.9 (13) | Free | Games | | [Pocket Wars Protect or Destroy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-wars-protect-or-destroy/id1118130200) | 4.5 (2) | Free | Games | | [Madaba Match](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/madaba-match/id1598843708) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Games | | [Cuppy Ball](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cuppy-ball/id1565793121) | 5.0 (7) | Free | Games | | [HackEm](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hackem/id1667095744) | 3.6 (5) | $1.99 | Games | ## More apps by Symbolic Software - [Piccolo: Othello](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piccolo-othello/id1561230039) - [Drain Brain](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drain-brain/id6758406110) All apps by Symbolic Software: https://appshunter.io/developer/613116232 --- *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 2026-09-02.*