Zero Below Zero vs Not Chess
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Zero Below Zero
A challenging puzzle game with simple mechanics but extreme difficulty. Achieve a perfect score on free levels to unlock the rest at no cost. No hints are provided, requiring strategic thinking to solve each unique circle-based puzzle.
- Extremely challenging gameplay
- Unique circle-based puzzles
- Free levels unlockable
- No hints provided
- Inspired by math puzzles
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Don’t let the cute graphics deceive you - this game is HARD. It’s so difficult, that if you get a perfect score on the free levels, you get the rest of the levels for free. The goal sounds easy - all you have to do is make each circle at least zero. The trouble is there are gazillions of moves you can make, and just one will give you a perfect score. Oh, and there are no hints. There are also no ads, subscriptions, tracking, or anything else you wouldn’t want. If you can’t achieve a perfect score on the free levels, you can always admit defeat and pay to unlock the other levels ;) This game is inspired by the dollar game maths puzzle as seen on Numberphile. Don’t expect that to help you though - Zero Below Zero has been made much more difficult!
Not Chess
This mind-bending puzzle game uses simplified chess rules. Collect pieces to gain their abilities and strategize your way to the coin. Enjoy a stress-free, offline experience with adjustable difficulty levels and a relaxing soundtrack.
- Piece inheritance mechanics
- Coin collection objective
- 3 difficulty levels
- Zen color palettes
- Relaxing soundtrack
- Offline play
- Haptic feedback
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Wait, if this game is NOT chess, then what is it? It's a mind blowing puzzle game with some simple chess rules and a few special ingredients to make it fun and challenging for everyone! •How to play? You start with one single piece. Across the board, there are a few chess pieces strategically placed. When you take a chess piece, you become that piece and inherit its abilities. The level is complete when you collect the coin. •Who is this for? It doesn’t matter if you have no idea how to play chess or if you are a chess grandmaster. This game is for everyone. The tutorial covers all the required information in a fun, interactive way. •Challenging? While this game is not chess, some levels will have a higher difficulty, requiring careful planning and strategy, making this a great way to put your brain muscle to work. •Features: - 3 Difficulty levels: easy, medium and hard; with limited moves and limited time to complete the levels. - Zen color palettes and relaxing soundtrack - Game Center. - No ads, no in-app purchases; buy it once and enjoy it forever. - Haptic Feedback. - Optimized for all devices; - Simple controls, suitable for any age. - Play Offline, no internet connection required to play - No violence, stress-free; play at your own pace. •Developer notes: Thank you for playing “not chess”. I put a lot of love and effort into making this game. Don’t forget to review the game and share it with your friends. Use #notchess on social media!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Zero Below Zero at Free against Not Chess's $1.99. Zero Below Zero also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and review sentiment (100% vs 70%). Not Chess's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 6 months). 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
Zero Below Zero is free to download; Not Chess costs $1.99 up front. Zero Below Zero sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Not Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.
Zero Below Zero holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Not Chess has 265 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Zero Below Zero's written reviews are positive against 70% of Not Chess's.
Zero Below Zero ships an update every 6 months, Not Chess every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Zero Below Zero | Not Chess |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better | 4.4 (265 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 69.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 265 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #184 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 14.3 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 43 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Omar Fahmy | Tepes Ovidiu |
Customer experience
Zero Below Zero
Not Chess
Bugs and requests
Zero Below Zero
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Not Chess
Reported bugs
3 issues- Levels freezing or becoming unsolvable
- Inconsistent difficulty across levels
- Pieces not functioning correctly in some puzzles
Requested features
5 requests- More levels and increased difficulty
- Option to customize colors and accessibility settings
- Auto-advance to next level after completion
- User-generated puzzles or challenges
- Scoring system and achievements
In-app purchases
Zero Below Zero
- Unlock all levels$3.99
Not Chess
No in-app purchases
