Comparison

Root Board Game vs Hive® Game

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

Hive® Game

Experience the award-winning strategy board game digitally. This app offers a faithful adaptation of the classic game, featuring challenging AI, all official expansions, and customizable visuals. Perfect for both new players and seasoned veterans.

Highlights
  • Official Hive® rules and design
  • Includes all three official expansions
  • Advanced RustyBlade™ AI
  • Adjustable difficulty for beginners
  • Video tutorial by game creator
  • Customizable visual settings
  • Local network play
Features
Read full description

"What impresses me most about this Hive® app is how the AI plays with true strategic depth—enough to challenge even seasoned Hive veterans. The developers have captured the purity of the game beautifully: no clutter, no distractions, just clean design that lets the elegance of Hive shine through. A thoughtful, well-crafted adaptation." – John Yianni, creator of Hive® The award-winning tabletop classic Hive® is now in your pocket. Created with the blessing of the game’s designer, John Yianni, this app delivers a clean, focused, and beautifully polished digital Hive® experience. Hive® is a captivating strategy game often described as “nature’s chess.” There is no board — the game itself is built from the creatures you place. Your goal is simple: surround your opponent’s Queen Bee while keeping your own safe. Easy to learn, endlessly deep to master. OFFICIAL HIVE® EXPERIENCE Faithful to the vision of its original designer, this app captures the award-winning rules and timeless elegance of Hive® without compromise. THE COMPLETE HIVE® Play Hive® exactly as intended. Alongside the base game, all three official expansion pieces are included: Mosquito, Ladybug, and Pillbug. THE RUSTYBLADE™ AI Don’t settle for predictable opponents. RustyBlade™ is a bold, aggressive AI engine that plays with initiative and intent. It doesn’t aim for safe draws — it fights for victory. Expect intense, uncompromising strategic battles. PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS TOO New to Hive®? The fully adjustable difficulty lets RustyBlade™ become a patient training partner. Learn the ropes with a video tutorial by John Yianni (the creator of Hive), while the illustrated rulebook and Undo feature allow you to learn, experiment, and improve without pressure. ELEGANT & FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE A sleek design that adapts to your style. Choose your preferred board orientation (flat or pointy-top), select custom colors, and adjust wood grain intensity. Responsive controls, subtle animations, and haptic feedback ensure a smooth, immersive experience that brings the hive to life. UNIVERSAL PURCHASE Unlock the Elite Edition once and enjoy it on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. ELITE EDITION: - Full access to all official expansions: Mosquito, Ladybug, and Pillbug. - Test your skills against advanced RustyBlade™ AI difficulty levels. - Personalize your experience with premium backgrounds and visual settings. - Detailed player statistics. - Game Center support (friend-invite matches only). - Local network play over the same Wi-Fi network. - Family Sharing: Share the Elite experience with your family at no extra cost. The Hive is humming. The army is ready. Are you? Official Website: https://hivegameapp.com

Screenshots

Root Board Game4 screens
Hive® Game4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Hive® Game at Free against Root Board Game's $9.99. Root Board Game's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (5.4K vs 280). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Hive® Game is free to download; Root Board Game costs $9.99 up front. Root Board Game sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Hive® Game sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Root Board Game holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Root Board Game has 5.4K ratings behind it against 280, 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 63% of Hive® Game's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Root Board Game ships an update every 4 days, Hive® Game every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Root Board Game versus Hive® Game: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRoot Board GameHive® Game
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (5.4K ratings) — better4.5 (280 ratings)
Positive reviews77.1% of reviews — better63.3% of reviews
Number of ratings5.4K — better280
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 11 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#10 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size505 MB11 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperDire Wolf DigitalGiantStep Kft.

Customer experience

Root Board Game

All ratings5,424 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews397 reviews
Positive77.1%
Neutral8.6%
Negative14.4%

Hive® Game

All ratings280 ratings
Positive85.4%
Neutral4.3%
Negative10.4%
Written reviews98 reviews
Positive63.3%
Neutral12.2%
Negative24.5%

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

Hive® Game

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
1 purchases

Hive® Game

One-time1
  • Elite Edition$9.99

Questions

Is Root Board Game free?
Root Board Game costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Hive® Game free?
Hive® Game is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Root Board Game or Hive® Game?
Root Board Game is rated higher. Root Board Game averages 4.9 out of 5 from 5.4K ratings, while Hive® Game averages 4.5 from 280 ratings.
Do Root Board Game or Hive® Game have ads?
Neither Root Board Game nor Hive® Game shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Root Board Game or Hive® Game?
Root Board Game ships an update every 4 days, and Hive® Game every 11 days. Most recently, Root Board Game was updated on October 19, 2026 and Hive® Game on October 20, 2026.

Other comparisons