# Mini Chess vs Chessplode

Mini Chess and Chessplode both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Mini Chess's written reviews are positive against 61% of Chessplode's. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mini Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chessplode sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Mini Chess against 4.5 for Chessplode. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 345 and 573 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Mini Chess's written reviews are positive against 61% of Chessplode's.

Mini Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Chessplode every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mini Chess | Chessplode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (345 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-quick-chess/id1048990809/reviews)** | [4.5 (573 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessplode/id1439047052/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 345 | **573** |
| Positive reviews | **82.9% of reviews** | 61.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OutOfTheBit Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/286210012) | [Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo](https://appshunter.io/developer/391953849) |

## What reviewers say

### Mini Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-chess-quick-chess/id1048990809)

Enjoy a simplified, faster version of chess on your mobile device. Play against AI or a friend on a smaller board with fewer pieces. Ideal for beginners and quick matches.

**Highlights:** Simplified 6x6 chessboard, Fewer pieces (no knights/bishops), Play against 3 AI levels, Local multiplayer mode, Quick matches, Beginner-friendly

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast-paced, quick gameplay
- 👍 Easy to learn and beginner-friendly
- 🎮 Addictive and fun
- 💡 Innovative simplified chess concept
- ⚙️ Multiple difficulty levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Check notification animation interrupts gameplay flow
- 😴 Gets repetitive and stale quickly
- 🤖 AI makes too many mistakes, even on hard mode
- 📺 Excessive and intrusive ads
- ⚖️ Unfair perpetual check mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- Checkmate declared incorrectly with viable moves available
- Queen positioned on wrong color
- AI allows illegal moves to prevent player from winning
- Stalemate not handled correctly
- Perpetual check rules unfairly favor opponent

**Requested features**

- Add Knights and Bishops to piece options
- Alternative piece combinations (2 Rooks + 2 Bishops)
- Randomized starting positions
- Landscape mode for iPad
- Random color assignment (white/black alternation)


### Chessplode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chessplode/id1439047052)

This app offers a unique twist on chess where capturing a piece causes others in the same line and column to explode. It's designed to be fun and accessible, even for those who aren't skilled at traditional chess, offering both single-player and multiplayer modes.

**Highlights:** Exploding pieces on capture, Real-time multiplayer battles, User-created levels, Local multiplayer mode, AI opponent practice, Customizable color themes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| +100 Undos | $0.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Massive Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| INFINITE UNDOS | $1.99 | one-time |
| Amazing Tip | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick gameplay
- 👍 Beautiful and fun game
- 👍 Fantastic and great fun twist on chess
- 👍 Lovely little game
- 👍 Chess with a new challenge

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Won't open or get stuck
- 🐛 Issues with king movement and checkmate detection
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 AI issues with thinking and repeating moves
- 🐛 Overly difficult, even at easy levels

**Reported bugs**

- Won't open or get stuck on certain screens
- Issues with king movement and checkmate detection
- Crashes and freezes, especially when AI is thinking
- AI issues with thinking and repeating moves

**Requested features**

- Add local multiplayer mode
- Add classic chess mode
- Add more basic puzzles
- Add ability to go back to previous levels
- Add option to remove explosions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mini Chess free?

Mini Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Chessplode free?

Chessplode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mini Chess or Chessplode?

Mini Chess is rated higher. Mini Chess averages 4.6 out of 5 from 345 ratings, while Chessplode averages 4.5 from 573 ratings.

### Do Mini Chess or Chessplode have ads?

Both Mini Chess and Chessplode show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mini Chess or Chessplode?

Mini Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Chessplode every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mini Chess was updated on October 1, 2026 and Chessplode on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*