Comparison

Really Bad Chess vs Hexchess One

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

Hexchess One

Experience a unique chess variant on a hexagonal board with enhanced mobility and strategy. Compete in ranked matches, climb leaderboards, and solve puzzles to master the game and earn rewards.

Highlights
  • Hexagonal board chess variant
  • Ranked matches and leaderboards
  • Daily puzzles and puzzle campaigns
  • Earn rewards through gameplay
  • Multi-platform support
Features
Read full description

Hexagonal chess is a chess variant played on a hexagonal board. The rules are similar to traditional chess, but allows for higher mobility, more aggressive tactics, and more complex strategies. HexChess One is a multi-platform client for hexagonal chess that allows you to compete against other players in ranked matches to climb the leaderboard and solve puzzles to master the game! Earn rewards by playing ranked games, solving the daily puzzle, or completing puzzle campaign levels!

Screenshots

Really Bad Chess4 screens
Hexchess One4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Really Bad Chess at 46% against Hexchess One's 0%. Really Bad Chess also leads on rating (3.8 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 4). Hexchess One's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence 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. Really Bad Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Hexchess One asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Really Bad Chess holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Really Bad Chess has 1.6K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Really Bad Chess's written reviews are positive against 0% of Hexchess One's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Hexchess One every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Really Bad Chess versus Hexchess One: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReally Bad ChessHexchess One
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (1.6K ratings) — better3.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews46.3% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1.6K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZach GageKevin Zhang

Customer experience

Really Bad Chess

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

Hexchess One

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

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

Hexchess One

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Really Bad Chess

One-time2
  • 100 Undos$0.99
  • Full Game Unlock$3.99
None

Hexchess One

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Really Bad Chess free?
Really Bad Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hexchess One free?
Hexchess One is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Really Bad Chess or Hexchess One?
Really Bad Chess is rated higher. Really Bad Chess averages 3.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Hexchess One averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Really Bad Chess or Hexchess One have ads?
Really Bad Chess shows ads; Hexchess One does not.
Which is updated more often, Really Bad Chess or Hexchess One?
Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Hexchess One every 4 weeks. Most recently, Really Bad Chess was updated on September 23, 2026 and Hexchess One on September 18, 2026.

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