Comparison

Really Bad Chess vs Minimalist Chess

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

Minimalist Chess

Enjoy a pure chess experience with no distractions. Play against an engine, watch it play itself, or analyze positions. The app saves your progress automatically and offers a clean interface for reviewing games.

Highlights
  • Play against AI engine
  • Watch engine vs engine
  • Analyze positions
  • Automatic game saving
  • Offline play
  • Ad-free experience
Features
Read full description

Just Chess is a clean, minimal chess app with no distractions. Play against the engine at several difficulty levels or play both sides and work through positions on your own. Rotate to landscape and the move list sits beside the board, giving you a full game review experience. No ads. No subscriptions. Internet connection optional. Your game is saved automatically when you leave and picks up exactly where you left off.

Screenshots

Really Bad Chess4 screens
Minimalist Chess4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Minimalist Chess at 100% against Really Bad Chess's 46%. Minimalist Chess also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Really Bad Chess's advantage is price (Free vs $1.99) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 2). On 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

Really Bad Chess is free to download; Minimalist Chess costs $1.99 up front. Really Bad Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Minimalist Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Minimalist Chess holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Really Bad Chess has 1.6K ratings behind it against 2, 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 100% of Minimalist Chess's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, Minimalist Chess every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
Really Bad Chess versus Minimalist Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReally Bad ChessMinimalist Chess
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating3.8 (1.6K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews46.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.6K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZach GageDarren Holland

Customer experience

Really Bad Chess

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

Minimalist Chess

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Minimalist Chess

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

Minimalist Chess

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Really Bad Chess free?
Really Bad Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Minimalist Chess free?
Minimalist Chess costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Really Bad Chess or Minimalist Chess?
Minimalist Chess is rated higher. Really Bad Chess averages 3.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Minimalist Chess averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Really Bad Chess or Minimalist Chess have ads?
Really Bad Chess shows ads; Minimalist Chess does not.
Which is updated more often, Really Bad Chess or Minimalist Chess?
Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Minimalist Chess every 2 days. Most recently, Really Bad Chess was updated on November 1, 2026 and Minimalist Chess on October 31, 2026.

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