Comparison

Root Board Game vs Proelium

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

Proelium

Features
Read full description

The most minimalist strategy game (with the permission of go). Proelium is a turn-based tactical game inspired by classic board games like checkers, go, and mainly the almost forgotten latrones, played in the Roman Empire. A minimalist gameplay system with very few rules to memorize, yet it offers depth and room to develop your own play style. Arrange your pieces, block your opponent’s pieces, and eliminate them to claim victory. Challenge a friend on the same device (the iPad version is optimal for this mode, but it’s also avalaible on iPhone), play against a friend or stranger over the Internet, or try to defeat the AI at three different difficulty levels. In Proelium, there’s only one type of piece, and it can perform only two actions: move and attack. The key is to position your pieces to flank the enemy from at least two sides, blocking them (while avoiding the same fate). Only blocked pieces can be attacked and removed. The interplay of blocks and counterblocks makes Proelium a game of emergent complexity ―easy to learn, but challenging to master. The rules of Proelium symbolize, in an abstact way, the combat between phalanxes in ancient Greece. The result is a dynamic reminiscent of hoplite warfare ―fundamentally positional and defensive.

Screenshots

Root Board Game4 screens
Proelium4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Proelium at Free against Root Board Game's $9.99. Proelium also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6). Root Board Game's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and chart position (#12 vs unranked). On ads 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

Proelium is free to download; Root Board Game costs $9.99 up front. Root Board Game sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Proelium asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Root Board Game ships an update every 4 days, Proelium every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Root Board Game versus Proelium: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRoot Board GameProelium
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (5.4K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews77.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings5.4K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#12 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size505 MB4 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperDire Wolf DigitalSERGIO COPETE GARCIA

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

Proelium

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

Proelium

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Root Board Game free?
Root Board Game costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Proelium free?
Proelium is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Root Board Game or Proelium have ads?
Neither Root Board Game nor Proelium shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Root Board Game or Proelium?
Root Board Game ships an update every 4 days, and Proelium every 2 months. Most recently, Root Board Game was updated on September 25, 2026 and Proelium on September 11, 2026.

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