Mini Chess 5x5 vs Chess Crusade
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Mini Chess 5x5
Experience a unique chess variant on a 5x5 board. Play against AI with adjustable difficulty or use it as a physical board for two players. Enjoy a streamlined chess experience with simplified rules.
- 5x5 chess board variant
- Play against computer AI
- Multiple AI difficulty levels
- Two-player mode
- Simplified chess rules
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A chess variant on 5×5 board, the simplified version of the classic chess. You can play against the computer (several levels of difficulty) or use the app as a chess board when playing with a partner. Exceptions from the standard chess rules: the pawn double-move and castling are not allowed.
Chess Crusade
This game blends traditional chess with deck-building mechanics, introducing powerful fairy pieces and strategic upgrades. Build your battle deck, refine your strategy, and conquer colorful worlds in both casual and ranked matches.
- Fairy chess pieces
- Deck-building mechanics
- Strategic piece upgrades
- Ranked PvP and PvE modes
- Customizable worlds and avatars
- Spectate and learn from top players
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MEET CHESS CRUSADE It’s the game that’s easier than chess and harder than chess at the same time. It’s chess for the curious, and it’s a new challenge for the deck-builders. Wield powerful new character pieces like Nightrider, Archbishop, and Angel to attack or protect the king in stunningly colorful worlds. Checkmate is just the beginning. Even when one game ends, your strategy continues. Refine your deck, experiment with your opening line-up, plot your next character upgrade, redeem your rewards, and win your way to the nearly unstoppable Angel. The more you play, the more powerful you become. GAMEPLAY Gameplay starts with a few pieces; choose wisely or you won’t have long to live. With each turn you survive, earn more Material and spawn a strategic new piece from your battle complement. But watch out, the game can change in a single turn—who will your opponent spawn? If they’re saving their gold, you could get slapped with the Angel, and she’s anything but angelic. DECK-BUILDING Between games, build up your deck. Your deck has four card slots for Chess Crusade pieces—upgrade pawns to Rangers, sanctify your Archbishop, or run the brutal Rook Rush play. WARRIORS AND ROYALTY Chess Crusade springs from traditional chess—you’ll find the bishop, rook, knight, pawns and queen protecting the king. But in Chess Crusade, everyone in the kingdom has counterparts who are biggerbetterfaster. Ranger—Every pawn wishes he were a Ranger: the awesome hat, the damsels, and the freedom to move back and forth. Priest—The Priest sidles in the shadows, following in the bishop’s footsteps for a lower ante. Tower—He’s a rook in training. What he lacks in reach, he makes up for with his willing spirit. Princess—She’s delicate and beautiful, but she’ll send you straight to the gallows if you attack the throne. Nightrider—He’s in the king’s special forces, brave like a knight with sneak-attack range. Crusader—The Crusader is a battle machine. He’s all knight and all rook, balancing long-range straightlines with a hooked-L surprise. Archbishop—The Archbishop is holier and more corrupt, with a staggering 20-position reach. Angel—She’s terrifying. PACE Play ranked PvP games or casual PvE games at your speed; be a Sloth and sleep on your next play for 23 hours of the day, take the calculated approach in 15-minute rounds, or ratchet up the heat in turns once every minute. FRIENDS Crusade with friends or challenge foes from the global leaderboard. You can even spectate live games friends are playing or learn from the top players in the kingdom. WORLDS Earn beautiful new themes to frame your battles. From the lovely Queen’s Meadow to the fiery Lava Flows, you’re far away in an epic landscape plotting a sacrifice or the ultimate endgame. GEMS Customize your world with avatars, card pieces, and taunts (“Bean slouch!”) from the shoppe. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “It’s making me crazy. I cannot stop playing.” —JordyB “I’ve been playing chess for eight years and was skeptical a fun, new version could ever be created. I was wrong. It’s approachable, visually great, and addicting. I’ve played hundreds of games in just a few days.” - 04tuna “This game absolutely ruined me for regular chess. I can’t imagine playing now without Nightrider, Crusader, or Ranger.” - Rank13 “This game will resonate with people who already love chess but are open to new experiences.” - Whom’st
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Chess Crusade at 4.4 against Mini Chess 5x5's 3.5. Chess Crusade also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 12 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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
Both are free to download. Mini Chess 5x5 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chess Crusade sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Chess Crusade holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79 and 88 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of Mini Chess 5x5's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chess Crusade's.
Mini Chess 5x5 ships an update every 12 months, Chess Crusade every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mini Chess 5x5 | Chess Crusade |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (79 ratings) | 4.4 (88 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 43.3% of reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 79 | 88 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 80 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Golmium | Toast - Apps and Software LLC |
Customer experience
Mini Chess 5x5
Chess Crusade
In-app purchases
Mini Chess 5x5
- Mini Chess 5x5 full version$0.99
Chess Crusade
- Gem Pack 1$0.99
- Multi-Game Pass$0.99
- Username Change$2.99
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- Gem Pack 2$4.99
- Gem Pack 3$14.99
- Gem Pack 4$49.99
- Gem Pack 5$99.99
Questions
Is Mini Chess 5x5 free?
Is Chess Crusade free?
Which has better reviews, Mini Chess 5x5 or Chess Crusade?
Do Mini Chess 5x5 or Chess Crusade have ads?
Which is updated more often, Mini Chess 5x5 or Chess Crusade?
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