Really Bad Chess vs SenSense
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
SenSense
A real-time cooperative puzzle game designed for exactly three players. Work together remotely, communicating and solving challenges where each player has unique limitations. Experience the thrill of shared discovery and quick thinking to achieve 'aha' moments.
- Three-player co-op gameplay
- Real-time puzzle solving
- Remote play via video call
- Unique player limitations (sight, hearing, speech)
- Fast-paced cooperative challenges
- Communication-based clue solving
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Three players. One puzzle. No shortcuts. SenSense is a real-time co-op puzzle game built for three minds working as one. Exactly three players. No more, no less. Not in the same room? No problem. Jump on a video call and play from anywhere. Fast-paced cooperative puzzle-solving. Feel the shared energy as you race the clock to piece together clues, in search of those satisfying "aha" moments when everything clicks into place. True co-op puzzles. In every challenge, each player receives a different part of the same puzzle, and every clue matters. You’ll only solve it by communicating and thinking together. Oh, but one last thing: One of you can’t see. One can’t hear. One may not speak.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SenSense at 4.6 against Really Bad Chess's 3.8. SenSense also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Really Bad Chess's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases 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 SenSense sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
SenSense holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 1.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Really Bad Chess's written reviews are positive against 51% of SenSense's.
Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, SenSense every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Really Bad Chess | SenSense |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (1.6K ratings) | 4.6 (1.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 46.3% of reviews | 50.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 1.2K |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks — better | Every 9 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| 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 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 125 MB | 99 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Zach Gage | JG Southey |
Customer experience
Really Bad Chess
SenSense
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
SenSense
From 1.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fun and addicting
- 👍 Ingenious and unique concept
- 🙌 Great team game and communication builder
- 😊 Enjoyable and rewarding experience
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connectivity issues and inability to play with friends
- 🤔 Unclear instructions and confusing mechanics
- 💰 Paywall for majority of levels
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
SenSense
Reported bugs
3 issues- Constant network errors and inability to connect
- Levels not working as intended
- Compatibility issues on older devices
Requested features
3 requests- More levels and content updates
- Ability to play with friends remotely
- Clearer instructions and tutorials
In-app purchases
Really Bad Chess
- 100 Undos$0.99
- Full Game Unlock$3.99
SenSense
- SenSense - Full Game$2.99
Questions
Is Really Bad Chess free?
Is SenSense free?
Which has better reviews, Really Bad Chess or SenSense?
Do Really Bad Chess or SenSense have ads?
Which is updated more often, Really Bad Chess or SenSense?
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