Comparison

Really Bad Chess vs Henerals

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

Henerals

Features
Read full description

Henerals brings the Filipino Game of the Generals to iPhone and iPad. Command a hidden army, protect your Flag, and read your opponent one move at a time. PLAY AT YOUR OWN PACE Practice offline against Luna without an account. Learn the ranks, try guided lessons, and choose Blitz, Rapid, or Classic clocks. TAKE THE FIELD ONLINE Sign in to find an opponent, challenge friends, and play live matches. Keep your account, rating, and record across supported devices. BUILD YOUR ARMY Arrange all 21 pieces, save formations, and choose a favorite for quick deployment. Review moves and captured pieces as the match unfolds. MAKE THE FIELD YOUR OWN Choose Flat or Metal 3D boards with native touch controls, sound, haptics, larger text support, and accessibility labels that keep enemy ranks concealed. Field Command and Habi are permanent complete cosmetic collections, each with a board finish, piece material and back sticker. Qualified referrals earn exclusive Vanguard cosmetics in order: piece material, back sticker, then board finish and flair. OPTIONAL HENERALS PRO Monthly and annual Pro include ad-free play, Walnut, the Night Watch skin set and richer statistics while your membership is active. Explore your results, rating changes and own recorded turn times over 30 or 90 days, with filters and timing coverage. Older games may lack tracked timing summaries; unrecorded duration is shown as unavailable. CORE PLAY STAYS FREE Offline practice, online play, game history, replay, rating graphs and move-timing rows remain free. Permanent Walnut, Remove Ads Forever, Field Command and Habi purchases stay owned independently after Pro ends. Purchases offer no competitive advantage. Sign in to buy or restore for your Henerals account. Free players may see lobby banners and occasional video ads between games; no ads interrupt deployment or active play. Pro renews automatically unless cancelled. Manage or cancel with the store where your membership began. Prices are shown in your local currency. No free trial is included. Henerals is an independent adaptation of Game of the Generals, also known as Salpakan. Privacy: https://henerals.com/privacy/ Terms: https://henerals.com/terms/ Apple Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Really Bad Chess4 screens
Henerals4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Henerals at daily against Really Bad Chess's every 3 weeks. Really Bad Chess's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and Henerals sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Really Bad Chess versus Henerals: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReally Bad ChessHenerals
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (1.6K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews46.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.6K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksDaily — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB17 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperZach GageANTONIO MANUEL MARTINEZ

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

Henerals

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
10 purchases

Henerals

Subscriptions2
  • Henerals Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Henerals Pro Annual$24.991 Year
One-time8
  • Capture FX$1.99
  • Move Sounds$1.99
  • Walnut Board$1.99
Show 5 more
  • Jade Pavilion$3.99
  • Ember Foundry$3.99
  • Field Command Collection$3.99
  • Habi Collection$3.99
  • Remove Ads Forever$10.99

Questions

Is Really Bad Chess free?
Really Bad Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Henerals free?
Henerals is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Really Bad Chess or Henerals have ads?
Both Really Bad Chess and Henerals show ads.
Which is updated more often, Really Bad Chess or Henerals?
Really Bad Chess ships an update every 3 weeks, and Henerals daily. Most recently, Really Bad Chess was updated on November 1, 2026 and Henerals on October 31, 2026.

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