# Really Bad Chess vs Dicey Elementalist

The clearest difference is rating: Dicey Elementalist at 4.7 against Really Bad Chess's 3.8. Dicey Elementalist also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 46%) and ratings volume (5.1K vs 1.6K). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Really Bad Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Dicey Elementalist sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dicey Elementalist holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 5.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Really Bad Chess's written reviews are positive against 70% of Dicey Elementalist's.

Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Dicey Elementalist monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Really Bad Chess | Dicey Elementalist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess/id1109751921/reviews) | **[4.7 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dicey-elementalist/id1494424699/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **5.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 46.3% of reviews | **70.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 125 MB | 193 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zach Gage](https://appshunter.io/developer/294263418) | [兆万 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509363614) |

## What reviewers say

### Really Bad Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/really-bad-chess/id1109751921)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Undos | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full Game Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces unable to move as per chess rules
- Game freezes and crashes
- Incorrect checkmate detection

**Requested features**

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


### Dicey Elementalist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dicey-elementalist/id1494424699)

Engage in a strategic RPG combining dice rolling with deck building. Roll dice up to three times to score, then use those results to activate elemental cards. Build your deck wisely to overcome challenges and become the Dice Master.

**Highlights:** Dice rolling with Yahtzee-like scoring, Deck building mechanics, Rogue-lite random variables, Unique hero characters, Elemental card activation, Strategic deck construction

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Chanter | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hoard of Diamond | $0.99 | one-time |
| The Prophet | $1.99 | one-time |
| The Telepathic | $1.99 | one-time |
| The Greedy | $1.99 | one-time |
| Super Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Diamond | $4.99 | one-time |
| Character Gift Box | $5.99 | one-time |
| Big Wagon of Diamond | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lost Crown | $9.99 | one-time |
| SVIP | $19.99 | one-time |
| Luxurious Character Gift Box | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Super fast, responsive gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful, unique art style
- 👍 Highly replayable and addictive
- 🕹️ Fun gameplay loop
- 💰 Reasonable in-app purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (e.g. freezing, crashes)
- 📢 Increasing number of ads
- 🔒 Lack of option to permanently remove ads
- 🤯 Overpowered enemies and unbalanced gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Tavern and daily challenge bugs
- Enemies with broken abilities (e.g. Blizzard, Joker)
- Crashes and freezes during gameplay

**Requested features**

- More content and updates
- Ability to pay to remove ads permanently
- Improved balance and difficulty scaling
- Better explanation of game mechanics and status effects


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Really Bad Chess free?

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

### Is Dicey Elementalist free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Really Bad Chess or Dicey Elementalist?

Dicey Elementalist is rated higher. Really Bad Chess averages 3.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Dicey Elementalist averages 4.7 from 5.1K ratings.

### Do Really Bad Chess or Dicey Elementalist have ads?

Both Really Bad Chess and Dicey Elementalist show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Really Bad Chess or Dicey Elementalist?

Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dicey Elementalist monthly. Most recently, Really Bad Chess was updated on October 12, 2026 and Dicey Elementalist on October 16, 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.*