# Sparkwarden — Life counter for the table

> Tabletop card game life counter with player-specific rotated panels. (iPhone/iPad app by DANNY BROOK TANNER.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkwarden/id6806156937 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [DANNY BROOK TANNER](https://appshunter.io/developer/6788609425)
- Category: Utilities, Games, Board
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 1 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-08-31
- Data updated: 2026-09-08
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkwarden/id6806156937/reviews.md

## What is Sparkwarden?

Sparkwarden is a life counter for Magic: The Gathering built around one idea: the device lies flat in the middle of the table, and every player's panel is rotated to face their own seat. No passing the phone around, no reading upside down.

TAP, DON'T FIDDLE
Each player gets a big, flat color block. Tap the + half for +1 life, the − half for −1. The running change floats above your total so everyone can see what just happened.

2 TO 6 PLAYERS
Panels line up along the long sides of the device, with the odd player at the end. Works in portrait and landscape, on iPhone and iPad. Rotate any panel a quarter turn to fit an unusual table.

CASUAL AND COMMANDER
Casual starts at 20 (or any life you choose). Commander starts at 40 and adds a commander tax counter and commander damage, which also comes off your life. Tap the shield and your panel becomes a grid of tiles, one per commander at the table in its owner's color; tap the top half for +1, the bottom for −1. Partners get a second tile and tax counter, and your own commander has a tile in case it gets stolen. A poison counter sits on every panel.

WHO GOES FIRST?
When a game starts, tap "Who goes first?" and a light spins around the table, lighting each panel as it passes and slowing down until it stops on the starter. Or dismiss it if last game's loser is going first.

OUT IS OUT
A panel dims when its player is eliminated: 0 life, 10 poison, or 21 combat damage from a single commander.

MADE FOR THE TABLE
• Names, colors, and seating are remembered between games.
• Long-press a panel and drop it on another to trade seats — counters come along.
• The screen stays awake while a game is running.
• End Game asks before it resets anything.

NOTHING ELSE
No ads. No accounts. No analytics. No network access. Sparkwarden is free and open source (MIT).

Sparkwarden is an independent app, not affiliated with or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.

## Key features

- Rotated player panels for shared devices
- Tap interface for life adjustments
- Commander damage and poison counters
- First player determination tool
- Player elimination indicator
- Seat swapping and name/color memory

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sparkwarden/id6806156937/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Perfect in every way

*2026-09-01*

Literally no notes for the developer. They nailed all of the usability things I want out of an MtG life counter

## Frequently asked questions about Sparkwarden

### What is Sparkwarden?

Sparkwarden is a free and open-source life counter application specifically designed for tabletop card games like Magic: The Gathering. It features a unique interface where each player's panel rotates to face them on a shared device.

### How many players does Sparkwarden support?

Sparkwarden supports 2 to 6 players. Panels are arranged along the sides of the device, with an additional panel at the end for an odd number of players.

### Does Sparkwarden have ads?

No, Sparkwarden is ad-free. The app explicitly states 'No ads' and is designed without advertisements.

### What game modes does Sparkwarden support?

Sparkwarden supports casual games starting at 20 life (or a custom amount) and Commander games starting at 40 life. It includes features for commander tax, commander damage, and poison counters.

### Is Sparkwarden available on multiple devices?

Yes, Sparkwarden is available on both iPhone and iPad. It works in both portrait and landscape orientations.

### How often is Sparkwarden updated?

Sparkwarden was last updated on September 2, 2026, with version 1.2.0. This indicates a recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support.

### What is the age rating for Sparkwarden?

Sparkwarden has an age rating of 4+. This means it is suitable for children and adults, with no mature content.

### Can I customize player seats in Sparkwarden?

Yes, you can customize player seats by long-pressing a panel and dragging it to another player's position. The associated counters will move with the panel.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.2.0 — 2026-09-02

Commander damage, redrawn. Tap the shield and your panel becomes one tile per commander at the table, each in its owner's color, so there's no guessing whose damage is whose. Tap a tile like the life panel: top half +1, bottom half −1. Partner players get a second tile and their own second tax counter, and your own commander has a tile for when it gets stolen. Also fixes quarter-turned panels overflowing in Commander mode.

### 1.1.0 — 2026-09-01

No release notes.

## More apps by DANNY BROOK TANNER

- [Song Bits](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/song-bits/id6788609423)
- [The Dew Point](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-dew-point/id6790640101)

All apps by DANNY BROOK TANNER: https://appshunter.io/developer/6788609425

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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 2026-09-08.*
