Comparison

Railroad Ink Challenge vs Patchwork Game

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

Head to head
About

Railroad Ink Challenge

Roll dice and draw routes to build a transportation network. Connect exits and expand your railways and highways to score points. Avoid open connections to prevent penalties and aim for the highest score in solo or multiplayer modes.

Highlights
  • Dice rolling and route drawing
  • Network building with railways and highways
  • Connecting exits for points
  • Avoiding open connections for penalties
  • Solo play for high scores
  • Online multiplayer challenges
  • Leaderboards
Features
Read full description

In Railroad Ink Challenge, you have 7 rounds to make as many points as possible. Roll the dice and draw the routes to connect the exits around your board. Expand your network with railways, highways, and stations to collect points, but you will be penalized for any open connections, so plan carefully! Play solo to improve your best score, or challenge players from all over the world! HOW TO PLAY Each round you will have to roll the dice and use the available routes to build your transportation network and connect as many exits as possible. Expand your network to collect points. You’ll also score bonus points for your longest highway and railway, for building into the central spaces of your map, and for completing optional, time-dependent goals before they expire. You can also connect special structures to your network to trigger their special effects, such as duplicating routes, unlocking powerful special routes, and more. But beware: Try to not leave any open connections, as each one will cost you points at the end of the game. EXPANSIONS Forest and Desert expansions add special dice and rules to create even more intricate landscapes for your highways and railways. MODES Play solo with random objectives and join the online rankings or challenge players from all over the world with custom game configurations! The online leaderboards (Daily, Monthly, and All-Time) are completely cross-platform! • The wonderful art of the roll and write game by Marta Tranquilli, fleshed out and digitally enhanced • Network planning gameplay: try to make the best use of the available routes each round to create the perfect transportation network • Try to conquer the top of the online leaderboards (Daily, Monthly, and All-Time)! • Cross-platform, asynchronous multiplayer challenges with your friends! 100% Asynchronous multiplayer challenges Don’t like to wait while your opponents complete their turn? Fear not! With the 100% asynchronous multiplayer challenges, that is an issue of the past! Play a full game on your own, then post the challenge online! Players from all over the world will be able to play with the same dice and goals you had and try to beat your score! Who’s gonna get the best score? Railroad Ink Challenge is the official adaptation of the critically acclaimed roll and write game created by award-winning designers Hjalmar Hach & Lorenzo Silva and illustrated by artist Marta Tranquilli. To find more information about Horrible Guild, please go to https://www.horribleguild.com Having an issue? Looking for support? Please contact us: https://www.horribleguild.com/customercare/ You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/horribleguild/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/horribleguild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/horribleguild/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@horribleguild YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/horribleguild Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/horribleguild *IMPORTANT* Railroad Ink Challenge requires iPhone 6s, iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro, iPad (2017) or later.

About

Patchwork Game

Strategically arrange fabric patches on a board to create the most complete and visually appealing quilt. Compete against others or an AI opponent in this digital adaptation of a popular two-player board game.

Highlights
  • Two-player board game adaptation
  • Strategic patch arrangement
  • Compete against AI or other players
  • Time-based scoring system
  • Solo mode for high score challenges
  • Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
Features
Read full description

Patchwork is a popular two-player board game that challenges players to strategically arrange colorful fabric patches on a game board to create the most complete and visually appealing quilt. In the digital version of the game available on the Apple Store, players can compete against each other or against an AI opponent, taking turns to select and place patches on the board. The game features a simple yet intuitive interface, allowing players to easily drag and drop patches onto the board with a touch of their finger. Players earn points by completing patches, with larger and more complex patches providing higher point values. The game also features a unique time-based scoring system that rewards players for completing their quilt faster than their opponent. In addition to the classic two-player mode, the digital version of Patchwork offers various game modes and difficulty levels, including a solo mode where players can challenge themselves to beat their best score. With beautiful graphics and soothing background music, Patchwork is a relaxing and enjoyable game that will keep players engaged for hours on end. Whether you're a seasoned board game enthusiast or new to the world of quilting, Patchwork is a game that's sure to provide hours of fun and entertainment.

Screenshots

Railroad Ink Challenge4 screens
Patchwork Game4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Railroad Ink Challenge at 48% against Patchwork Game's 0%. Railroad Ink Challenge also leads on rating (4.2 vs 2.5) and ratings volume (205 vs 2). Patchwork Game's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). 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

Patchwork Game is free to download; Railroad Ink Challenge costs $3.99 up front. Railroad Ink Challenge sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Patchwork Game asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Railroad Ink Challenge holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Railroad Ink Challenge has 205 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Railroad Ink Challenge's written reviews are positive against 0% of Patchwork Game's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Railroad Ink Challenge ships an update every 2 months, Patchwork Game every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Railroad Ink Challenge versus Patchwork Game: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRailroad Ink ChallengePatchwork Game
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (205 ratings) — better2.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews48.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings205 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 9 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#74 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size283 MB115 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHorrible GuildTECH GO DESIGN AND PROGRAMMING LLC

Customer experience

Railroad Ink Challenge

All ratings197 ratings
Positive81.2%
Neutral5.6%
Negative13.2%
Written reviews125 reviews
Positive48.0%
Neutral17.6%
Negative34.4%

Patchwork Game

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative75.0%

Bugs and requests

Railroad Ink Challenge

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • Resume game feature freezes app
  • Apple ID login loop and authentication errors
  • App crashes during gameplay and tutorial
  • Game locks up after iOS updates
  • Crashes on older devices (iPad Mini 2)
Show 13 more
  • Desert expansion white screen on purchase
  • In-app purchase restoration not working
  • Server connection errors during scoring
  • Game Center account sync issues
  • Daily Challenge timeout and crashes
  • Scoring not saved to server
  • Exit scoring bug deletes game from history
  • Friend list navigation broken
  • Mountains challenge unplayable
  • Tutorial freezes at first dice placement
  • Crashes when using too many factories
  • Offline game results interfere with leaderboard
  • Password recovery impossible on iPad

Requested features

11 requests
  • Local pass-and-play multiplayer mode
  • All expansion dice sets (Rivers, Lakes, Future, Engineers, Lava, Meteor)
  • Optional tile placement mechanic
  • Personal score history and ranking
  • Larger maps with more turns
Show 6 more
  • Offline play without server dependency
  • Timer option for rounds
  • Randomized special square placement
  • View opponent boards after game completion
  • Better expansion rules reference in-game
  • Russian language support

Patchwork Game

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Railroad Ink Challenge

One-time2
  • Forest Expansion$1.99
  • Desert Expansion$1.99
None

Patchwork Game

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Railroad Ink Challenge free?
Railroad Ink Challenge costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Patchwork Game free?
Patchwork Game is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Railroad Ink Challenge or Patchwork Game?
Railroad Ink Challenge is rated higher. Railroad Ink Challenge averages 4.2 out of 5 from 205 ratings, while Patchwork Game averages 2.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Railroad Ink Challenge or Patchwork Game have ads?
Neither Railroad Ink Challenge nor Patchwork Game shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Railroad Ink Challenge or Patchwork Game?
Railroad Ink Challenge ships an update every 2 months, and Patchwork Game every 9 months. Most recently, Railroad Ink Challenge was updated on October 29, 2026 and Patchwork Game on October 19, 2026.

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