Comparison

Root Board Game vs Here Be Dragons

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Root Board Game

Experience a digital adaptation of a popular tabletop board game. Engage in strategic woodland warfare as 2 to 4 players vie for control of a vast wilderness, leading diverse factions to victory.

Highlights
  • Digital board game adaptation
  • Adventure and war gameplay
  • 2-4 player battles
  • Faction control mechanics
  • Wilderness exploration
Features
Read full description

Play the digital adaptation of the beloved tabletop board game. Root is a game of adventure and war where 2 to 4 players battle for control of a vast wilderness. The nefarious Marquise de Cat has seized the great woodland, intent on harvesting its riches. Under her rule, the many creatures of the forest have banded together. This Alliance will seek to strengthen its resources and subvert the rule of Cats. In this effort, the Alliance may enlist the help of the wandering Vagabonds who are able to move through the more dangerous woodland paths. Though some may sympathize with the Alliance’s hopes and dreams, these wanderers are old enough to remember the great birds of prey who once controlled the woods. Meanwhile, at the edge of the region, the proud, squabbling Eyrie have found a new commander who they hope will lead their faction to resume their ancient birthright. The stage is set for a contest that will decide the fate of the great woodland. It is up to the players to decide which group will ultimately take root.

About

Here Be Dragons

Embark on a satirical turn-based strategy adventure as a captain leading a crew of madmen to defeat legendary sea monsters. Utilize a unique dice system and command points to upgrade your fleet and overcome terrifying creatures, all while navigating a living map.

Highlights
  • Turn-based strategy gameplay
  • Unique "living map" graphics
  • Dice Activation System for combat and upgrades
  • Collect and use Command Points
  • Confront legendary sea monsters
  • Satirical narrative and characters
Features
Read full description

Here Be Dragons is a satirical turn-based strategy game featuring unique "living map" graphics, where you lead a group of crazed captains and eradicate legendary monsters in order to allow Christopher Columbus the discovery of the New World. STORY Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492. In 10 weeks. With 100 men. With 3 ships. This is a LIE! Firstly, someone had to defeat kraken and tritons. Someone had to vanquish the Leviathan. Someone had to banish all the ghost ships. The information about these deeds is missing from the archives, and you can’t find it in any great statesmen’s memoir. The knowledge of the “Avant Armada” was completely erased by some bloody officials. The people who took part in the expeditions were not sane people. Maniacs, psychos and common crackpots were forced by royal orders to eradicate Evil in the uncharted seas. “Here Be Dragons” describes these events. GAMEPLAY * Use original Dice Activation System to attack enemies, heal your crew, and upgrade the fleet. * Collect and use Command Points to turn the tide of the encounter. * Cross the seas with an ancient, living map, full of terrible creatures that want to devour you! * Confront the most fierce beasts that ever lived: leviathans and krakens, predatory whales and lustful mermaids. Decimate tritons, awake Dagon, and then erase them from human memory. SATIRE * Meet an extraordinary company of weirdos, madmen and oddballs. Their vices and virtues fuel the journey. * Experience clashes with bureaucratic machine. Don’t lose your mind when confronted by absurdities spewed by authorities and royal advisors. * Sniff at pirates. Ignore the settlers. You are above them. You are a monster hunter traversing through the aqua incognita. Who cares if you are insane?

Screenshots

Root Board Game4 screens
Here Be Dragons4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Root Board Game at 4.9 against Here Be Dragons's 4.0. Root Board Game also leads on ratings volume (5.4K vs 22) and review sentiment (77% vs 53%). Here Be Dragons's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Root Board Game costs $9.99 and Here Be Dragons $4.99 up front. Root Board Game sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Here Be Dragons asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Root Board Game holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Root Board Game has 5.4K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Root Board Game's written reviews are positive against 53% of Here Be Dragons's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Root Board Game ships an update every 4 days, Here Be Dragons every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Root Board Game versus Here Be Dragons: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRoot Board GameHere Be Dragons
Price$9.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.9 (5.4K ratings) — better4.0 (22 ratings)
Positive reviews77.1% of reviews — better52.6% of reviews
Number of ratings5.4K — better22
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#15 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS13.012.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size505 MB705 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperDire Wolf DigitalMarek Panczyk

Customer experience

Root Board Game

All ratings5,424 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews393 reviews
Positive77.1%
Neutral8.4%
Negative14.5%

Here Be Dragons

All ratings22 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral4.5%
Negative22.7%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive52.6%
Neutral10.5%
Negative36.8%

Bugs and requests

Root Board Game

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes and freezes during gameplay
  • Issues with async game notifications and state
  • Bugs with specific faction mechanics (e.g. Vagabond)

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add undo button
  • Implement option to skip/speed up opponent moves
  • Include expansion factions and maps
  • Add match history and player stats tracking
  • Improve async game notifications and stability
Show 1 more
  • Add more customization options for game setup

Here Be Dragons

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Root Board Game

One-time6
  • The Clockwork Expansion$5.99
  • Exiles & Partisans & Vagabonds$7.99
  • The Riverfolk Expansion$9.99
Show 3 more
  • Root: The Underworld Expansion$9.99
  • Root: The Marauder Expansion$9.99
  • Hirelings & Landmarks$9.99
None

Here Be Dragons

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Root Board Game free?
Root Board Game costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Here Be Dragons free?
Here Be Dragons costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Root Board Game or Here Be Dragons?
Root Board Game is rated higher. Root Board Game averages 4.9 out of 5 from 5.4K ratings, while Here Be Dragons averages 4.0 from 22 ratings.
Do Root Board Game or Here Be Dragons have ads?
Neither Root Board Game nor Here Be Dragons shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Root Board Game or Here Be Dragons?
Root Board Game ships an update every 4 days, and Here Be Dragons every 2 weeks. Most recently, Root Board Game was updated on September 26, 2026 and Here Be Dragons on September 8, 2026.

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