Comparison

Really Bad Chess vs Miracle Merchant

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

Head to head
About

Really Bad Chess

This app reimagines chess with completely randomized pieces, offering a fresh strategic challenge. It's perfect for both seasoned players seeking a new puzzle and beginners looking to learn the fundamentals in a fun, accessible way.

Highlights
  • Randomized chess piece sets
  • AI opponent challenges
  • Ranked, Daily, and Weekly modes
  • Freeplay practice mode
  • Local multiplayer (with IAP)
  • Alternate color palettes (with IAP)
Features
Read full description

Really Bad Chess is just like chess, but with totally random pieces. Try 8 Knights, 4 Bishops, and 3 pawns — why not? As heard on NPR's Weekend Edition 5 out of 5 Stars "An essential puzzle experience for anyone even remotely interested in strategy games" - TouchArcade Whether you play chess daily, or quit just after learning the rules, this small twist will open the door to an entire new world of chess. ------WHATS IN THE “BOX”? The free version of Really Bad Chess lets you compete vs. an AI in Ranked, Daily, or Weekly Challenges. Improve your skills using the included Freeplay mode. A single in-app purchase unlocks Versus Mode so you can compete against your friends locally! It also removes ads, displays captured pieces, and adds soothing alternate color-palettes to choose from. ------REALLY BAD PRESS "Makes chess fun even if you’re really bad" - The Verge "Feels more modern than chess has ever felt" - Applenapps "Really Bad Chess takes a really bad idea and somehow manages to make it a lot of fun." - Pocket Gamer "Really good fun" - MacLife ------A WORD FROM THE DEVELOPER Chess is one of those games I always wished I enjoyed, but its commitment to beauty, elegance, and perfect balance always turned me away. Really Bad Chess removes these boring restrictions and flips chess on its head. As much as random pieces change the game in some ways, I was really surprised to notice how much the game remains the same, and how powerful some pieces are — you've never truly struggled against a pawn until you've struggled against a pawn in the back row. For chess pros, Really Bad Chess will give you a new type of challenge — the pieces & the moves are the same, but you'll have to throw out your openings and your understanding of normal patterns of play. For novice chess players (like most of us), Really Bad Chess greatly opens up the game. Instead of starting by studying openings, in your first games you'll get to discover the joy (and challenge!) of learning how to checkmate. I hope you have as much fun with Really Bad Chess as much as I did making it. -zach

About

Miracle Merchant

Become an alchemist's apprentice in this solitaire-style card game. Mix and combine ingredient cards to brew potions for adventurers. Enjoy a unique, randomly generated challenge with each game and collect a variety of masterfully crafted potions.

Highlights
  • Solitaire style gameplay
  • 41 collectable potions
  • Daily tasks
  • Daily game with global highscores
  • Mix and combine puzzle gameplay
  • 2-3 minute playtime per game
Features
Read full description

Miracle Merchant is a solitaire style potion brewing card game. In Miracle Merchant you become the apprentice of a master alchemist who creates potions for thirsty adventurers. By mixing and combining different ingredient cards you create powerful potions based on the needs of your customers. Each game has a unique, randomly generated set of cards that will test your skills. By successfully completing games you can collect a variety of masterfully crafted potions. Daily tasks will keep you busy and you can compete with other players via online leaderboards. Features + Solitaire style gameplay + 41 collectable potions + Daily tasks + Daily game with global highscores + Mix and combine puzzle gameplay + 2-3mins playtime per game Visit www.tinytouchtales.com & www.miracle-merchant.com

Screenshots

Really Bad Chess4 screens
Miracle Merchant4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Miracle Merchant at 4.4 against Really Bad Chess's 3.8. Miracle Merchant also leads on review sentiment (69% vs 46%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Really Bad Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Miracle Merchant sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Miracle Merchant holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 1.7K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Really Bad Chess's written reviews are positive against 69% of Miracle Merchant's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Miracle Merchant monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Really Bad Chess versus Miracle Merchant: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReally Bad ChessMiracle Merchant
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (1.6K ratings)4.4 (1.7K ratings) — better
Positive reviews46.3% of reviews68.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.6K1.7K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB250 MB
Age rating4++12
DeveloperZach GageArnold Rauers

Customer experience

Really Bad Chess

All ratings1,633 ratings
Positive66.6%
Neutral9.0%
Negative24.4%
Written reviews611 reviews
Positive46.3%
Neutral16.4%
Negative37.3%

Miracle Merchant

All ratings1,674 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral5.3%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews486 reviews
Positive68.5%
Neutral13.8%
Negative17.7%

User reviews

Really Bad Chess

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Addictive and fun gameplay
  • 🤔 Unique and innovative concept
  • 👍 Challenging and engaging
  • ⭐ Great way to learn chess

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes
  • 🕰️ Slow AI response times
  • 💰 Paywalls for essential features
  • 📺 Intrusive and excessive ads
  • 🔁 Repetitive AI moves leading to stalemates

Miracle Merchant

From 1.7K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💎 Gorgeous art style and visuals
  • 🎶 Excellent, soothing soundtrack
  • 🧠 Challenging yet addictive gameplay
  • ⏱️ Quick, bite-sized gameplay sessions
  • 🕹️ Simple but deep card game mechanics

Room to improve

  • 🔁 Repetitive gameplay with limited variety
  • 🤑 Paid features feel essential for full experience
  • 🤔 Unclear scoring system and objectives
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • 💰 High price for the amount of content

Bugs and requests

Really Bad Chess

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Pieces unable to move as per chess rules
  • Game freezes and crashes
  • Incorrect checkmate detection

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add draw conditions and stalemate rules
  • Implement online/multiplayer mode
  • Provide more difficulty settings
  • Allow custom piece arrangements
  • Sync progress across devices

Miracle Merchant

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Game crashes when completing potions
  • Daily tasks and challenges not working properly
  • Inability to restore purchases on reinstall
  • Compatibility issues on newer iOS devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • More game modes and progression systems
  • Ability to customize or upgrade potion shop
  • Clearer tutorial and in-game explanations
  • Synchronization of progress across devices
  • Expanded potion and ingredient variety

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Really Bad Chess

One-time2
  • 100 Undos$0.99
  • Full Game Unlock$3.99
7 purchases

Miracle Merchant

One-time7
  • Character Unlock 5$0.99
  • Character Unlock 6$0.99
  • Unlock Character 1$0.99
Show 4 more
  • Unlock Character 3$0.99
  • Unlock Character 2$0.99
  • Unlock Character 4$0.99
  • Unlock Miracle Merchant$1.99

Questions

Is Really Bad Chess free?
Really Bad Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Miracle Merchant free?
Miracle Merchant is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Really Bad Chess or Miracle Merchant?
Miracle Merchant is rated higher. Really Bad Chess averages 3.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Miracle Merchant averages 4.4 from 1.7K ratings.
Do Really Bad Chess or Miracle Merchant have ads?
Both Really Bad Chess and Miracle Merchant show ads.
Which is updated more often, Really Bad Chess or Miracle Merchant?
Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Miracle Merchant monthly. Most recently, Really Bad Chess was updated on October 23, 2026 and Miracle Merchant on October 26, 2026.

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