Comparison

Hnefatafl vs Pente Go

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

Head to head
About

Hnefatafl

Experience an ancient Scandinavian strategy board game where one army tries to capture the king while the other defends him. Offers deep tactical gameplay with numerous historical and custom variants. Play against AI, friends offline, or other players online with cross-platform support.

Highlights
  • Numerous historical and custom variants
  • Offline play against AI or human opponents
  • Online multiplayer with cross-platform support
  • Ingame chat for online play
  • Match browser and history
  • Achievements and ELO scores
Features
Read full description

Hnefatafl is an ancient Scandinavian board game whose variants were played all over medieval Europe before chess was even invented. In those so called Tafl games two different sized armies fight each other. The invading black army tries to capture the white king, while the defending white army tries to protect their king and help him escape. Often also called the Game of the Vikings Hnefatafl tells many stories, like the Moskowites invasion of Sweden or the Viking hordes pillaging Britain. But no matter what the story is one thing always stays the same: The hunt for the king. Even though the rules aren't complicated the game offers fascinating strategies and rewards tactical play. Try to surround the enemy pieces, plan ahead, lay traps and force your opponent into surrender. Will you capture the king for gold and glory? Can the loyal guards hold back the invading forces and secure the flight of their king? You can create your own custom variants -- with over 200,000 different variants possible! The online multiplayer supports crossplatform play. Play on any supported platform with just a single account*. This game features: - Variant "Hnefatafl" - Variant "Hnefatafl - Copenhagen" - Variant "Hnefatafl - Historical" - Variant "Hnefatafl - Berserk" - Variant "Hnefatafl - Fetlar" - Variant "Old Hnefatafl" - Variant "Simple Tafl" - Variant "Sea Battle 11x11" - Variant "Sea Battle 13x13" - Variant "Tablut" - Variant "Tablut - Historical ("Saami")" - Variant "Linnaeus' Tablut" - Variant "Foteviken Tablut" - Variant "Ard Ri" - Variant "Historical Ard Ri" - Variant "Brandubh" - Variant "Historical Brandubh" - Variant "Magpie" - Variant "Tawlbwrdd" - Variant "Historical Tawlbwrdd" - Variant "Tyr 13x13" - Variant "Tyr 15x15" - Variant "Tyr 19x19" - Variant "Coppergate 15x15" - Variant "Alea Evangelii" - Variant "Historical Alea Evangelii" - Custom variants for offline and Online Play* - Offline play for two humans - Offline play against various computer opponents - Offline play between two computer opponents - Online Play* - Ingame Chat for Online Play* - Crossplatform Online Play* - Achievements* - ELO scores* - Match Browser to find the right opponent - Match History to review your past matches - Annotate and share matches - Tutorial/Rules included *) These features require the creation of a free Fellhuhn account, valid on all supported platforms. This app is supported by advertisement which can be disabled through an one-time purchase of IAP.

About

Pente Go

This is a two-player abstract strategy board game where players aim to create a row of five stones or capture five pairs of their opponent's stones. Played on a 19x19 grid, it requires strategic planning and tactical play.

Highlights
  • Create a row of five stones
  • Capture opponent's stone pairs
  • Played on a 19x19 grid
  • Turn-based strategic gameplay
  • Tactical stone placement
  • Competitive tournament potential
Features
Read full description

Pente is an engaging abstract strategy board game for two players. The objective is to be the first to achieve either of two winning conditions: creating a row of five stones in a straight line (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) or capturing a total of five pairs of your opponent's stones. Played on a 19x19 grid board, Pente offers a rich strategic experience. Players take turns placing stones on the intersections, aiming to create winning patterns while thwarting their opponent's plans. With only one stone placed per turn, each move requires thoughtful consideration and strategic thinking. In addition to stone placement, players can strategically capture their opponent's stones. By sandwiching two of their opponent's stones between two of their own in a straight line, players remove the captured stones from the board. This capturing mechanism adds tactical depth, allowing players to disrupt their opponent's strategy and gain an advantage. Pente combines planning, strategy, and tactical play to create an intriguing and challenging game. Its popularity among board game enthusiasts has led to competitive tournaments where players showcase their skills. Whether you're an experienced strategist or new to abstract board games, Pente provides an immersive experience that keeps you engaged. Pente belongs to a family of abstract strategy board games, including notable titles like Go and Gomoku (Five in a Row). These games share fundamental elements such as turn-based gameplay, stone placement on a grid board, and the pursuit of specific patterns or alignments. Each game offers a unique strategic experience within the world of abstract strategy.

Screenshots

Hnefatafl4 screens
Pente Go4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pente Go at 4.8 against Hnefatafl's 4.1. Pente Go also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Hnefatafl's advantage is review sentiment (68% vs 50%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume 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. Hnefatafl sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pente Go asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pente Go holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 50 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Hnefatafl's written reviews are positive against 50% of Pente Go's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hnefatafl ships an update every 2 weeks, Pente Go every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Hnefatafl versus Pente Go: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHnefataflPente Go
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (31 ratings)4.8 (50 ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3150 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size224 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhilippe SchoberAlias Labs Pty Ltd

Customer experience

Hnefatafl

All ratings30 ratings
Positive73.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive68.0%
Neutral12.0%
Negative20.0%

Pente Go

All ratings35 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Hnefatafl

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$4.99
None

Pente Go

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hnefatafl free?
Hnefatafl is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pente Go free?
Pente Go is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hnefatafl or Pente Go?
Pente Go is rated higher. Hnefatafl averages 4.1 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Pente Go averages 4.8 from 50 ratings.
Do Hnefatafl or Pente Go have ads?
Hnefatafl shows ads; Pente Go does not.
Which is updated more often, Hnefatafl or Pente Go?
Hnefatafl ships an update every 2 weeks, and Pente Go every 2 days. Most recently, Hnefatafl was updated on October 24, 2026 and Pente Go on October 21, 2026.

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