Comparison

Mini Chess vs Proelium

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mini Chess

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
Read full description

The traditional game of chess made easier and quicker, perfect for iPhone and iPad. Download it now for free and start play in just 1 tap! Mini Chess is a modern simplified version of classic chess, perfect for playing on your phone and tablet, on your own, with 3 level of Artificial Intelligence, or with a friend on the same device (multiplayer). Play on a smaller chessboard (6x6), with less pieces (no knights and bishops) and have fun on more speedy matches than classic chess. Play straight away, with friends, online or solo, and every match takes just minutes. Mini Chess is also perfect for kids to start play the all-time-favourite classic board game. Kids and beginners will find it so easy to learn and to enjoy in just 1 tap and experts will love the new challenge of playing in a different setting. Thanks for playing!

About

Proelium

Features
Read full description

The most minimalist strategy game (with the permission of go). Proelium is a turn-based tactical game inspired by classic board games like checkers, go, and mainly the almost forgotten latrones, played in the Roman Empire. A minimalist gameplay system with very few rules to memorize, yet it offers depth and room to develop your own play style. Arrange your pieces, block your opponent’s pieces, and eliminate them to claim victory. Challenge a friend on the same device (the iPad version is optimal for this mode, but it’s also avalaible on iPhone), play against a friend or stranger over the Internet, or try to defeat the AI at three different difficulty levels. In Proelium, there’s only one type of piece, and it can perform only two actions: move and attack. The key is to position your pieces to flank the enemy from at least two sides, blocking them (while avoiding the same fate). Only blocked pieces can be attacked and removed. The interplay of blocks and counterblocks makes Proelium a game of emergent complexity ―easy to learn, but challenging to master. The rules of Proelium symbolize, in an abstact way, the combat between phalanxes in ancient Greece. The result is a dynamic reminiscent of hoplite warfare ―fundamentally positional and defensive.

Screenshots

Mini Chess4 screens
Proelium4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Proelium at none against Mini Chess's 1. Proelium also leads on ads (none vs shown). Mini Chess's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mini Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Proelium asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Mini Chess versus Proelium: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMini ChessProelium
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (345 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews82.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings345 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOutOfTheBit LtdSERGIO COPETE GARCIA

Bugs and requests

Mini Chess

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

10 requests
  • 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)
Show 5 more
  • Ability to play full traditional chess
  • Create custom board feature
  • Extremely hard difficulty level
  • Physical board version
  • Draw by repetition after 3 moves

Proelium

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Mini Chess

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99
None

Proelium

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mini Chess free?
Mini Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Proelium free?
Proelium is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Mini Chess or Proelium have ads?
Mini Chess shows ads; Proelium does not.
Which is updated more often, Mini Chess or Proelium?
Mini Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Proelium every 2 months. Most recently, Mini Chess was updated on October 1, 2026 and Proelium on October 3, 2026.

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