Really Bad Chess vs Miracle Merchant
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Randomized chess piece sets
- AI opponent challenges
- Ranked, Daily, and Weekly modes
- Freeplay practice mode
- Local multiplayer (with IAP)
- Alternate color palettes (with IAP)
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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
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.
- Solitaire style gameplay
- 41 collectable potions
- Daily tasks
- Daily game with global highscores
- Mix and combine puzzle gameplay
- 2-3 minute playtime per game
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Really Bad Chess | Miracle Merchant |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (1.6K ratings) | 4.4 (1.7K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 46.3% of reviews | 68.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | 1.7K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 125 MB | 250 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +12 |
| Developer | Zach Gage | Arnold Rauers |
Customer experience
Really Bad Chess
Miracle Merchant
User reviews
Really Bad Chess
From 1.6K App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
Really Bad Chess
- 100 Undos$0.99
- Full Game Unlock$3.99
Miracle Merchant
- Character Unlock 5$0.99
- Character Unlock 6$0.99
- Unlock Character 1$0.99
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- 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?
Is Miracle Merchant free?
Which has better reviews, Really Bad Chess or Miracle Merchant?
Do Really Bad Chess or Miracle Merchant have ads?
Which is updated more often, Really Bad Chess or Miracle Merchant?
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