Comparison

Backgammon NJ HD vs Darkball

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

Head to head
About

Backgammon NJ HD

Play backgammon against a powerful AI, a friend on the same device, or players worldwide. Improve your skills with tutor mode and detailed analysis. Offers customizable options and supports all iOS devices.

Highlights
  • Neural network AI
  • Online multiplayer (real-time & turn-based)
  • 2-player mode on one device
  • Tutor Mode & Hints
  • Customizable board and checkers
  • Match play and single games
  • Game Center integration
Features
Read full description

● GAME CENTER -- Play online, chat, invite friends, auto-match with random players { Real-time } Play online in real-time { Turn-based } Play online at your own pace ● VERSATILE -- Play offline vs. computer or against another person in 2-player mode ● CUSTOMIZABLE -- More options than any other backgammon app ● UNIVERSAL -- Supports iPad, iPhone, & iPod touch Play & learn backgammon at skill levels from beginner to world-class! Backgammon NJ HD is a full-featured game which uses an advanced, neural network-based, artificial intelligence. Play against a computer AI, another person in 2-player mode on one device, or online against friends & others. Using Tutor Mode & Hints, Backgammon NJ HD can show you how to improve your game. Discriminating players will appreciate how well the AI plays. It uses a neural network trained on millions of positions, a bearoff database, & a match equity table to achieve strong gameplay that will challenge even expert players. REVIEWS "[I] know strong bg play when I see it. This app is the strongest iPhone bg app I've played with by far. It does not cheat period. ...Analyzing these matches with eXtreme Gammon confirms a world class level of play with normal luck factors. If you are losing, get over it. So would 99.9% of the other backgammon players in the world. It is just that good. Learn from it." -Richard Munitz, Giant of Backgammon, #21 world ranking in 2009 "Backgammon NJ plays at an extremely high level with an excellent interface, and I often use it to practice on my iPhone when I am traveling. I recommend it highly to my students & friends." -Phil Simborg, Professional Backgammon Teacher & Player, www.mindgamescenter.com "I've played over 500 games now; I've checked about 5% of these against World Class Desktop programs (GNU, BGBlitz); and I've actually used some of the competition. NJ has the best interface & has more useful functions than any other backgammon apps out there." "For serious backgammon players, Backgammon NJ is the way to go." -Macworld.com, May 2012 IS THIS GAME RIGHT FOR YOU? This game is best for people: • Who recognize the strength of neural network backgammon bots • Who want to improve their game by playing against a world-class level AI • Who will use the in-depth, technical features included in the app to prove that it is honest (https://www.njsoftware.com/note.html) • Who won't expect to win consistently on the higher skill levels FEATURES • Neural network-based AI • 2 game types: Standard Backgammon or Nackgammon • 4 skill levels: Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert • Customizable board design & checker colors • Mersenne Twister algorithm for random number generation • Doubling cube • Single games or match play up to 25 pts • Crawford rule for match play • 1-player mode vs. computer • 2-player mode on one device • Game Center: Play real-time or turn-based online matches with friends & other players • Chat with your online opponent • Online Elo & Experience leaderboards • Block list for auto-match • Tap-to-move interface • Highlighted checker movement options • Hint & Undo • Learn with Tutor Mode • Game & dice stats, including Elo rating & ER • Match info: GnuBG ID, win chances, equity, top 10 moves, cube decisions • Email match files • Practice mode with unlimited undo (1-player vs. computer) • Manual match recording mode with unlimited undo & speed mode option • Options to reverse board direction, resign, use one-tap moves, auto bearoff, auto finish, use Jacoby rule, & much more • Match analysis (in-app purchase): Analyze past match files, view moves & errors for match, step through match, jump to position, play from position, save match files permanently IMPORTANT • If an online match ends for any reason, you'll receive the Elo pts you deserve. FAQ: https://gamecenter.njsoftware.com • Contact us for help: https://contact.njsoftware.com

About

Darkball

Test your predictive abilities by tapping the screen at the precise moment a ball enters a target area. This game challenges your brain's capacity to anticipate events based on subtle cues, similar to how athletes predict ball trajectories.

Highlights
  • Predictive ball interception gameplay
  • Tests brain's anticipation skills
  • Simple tap-to-intercept mechanic
  • Challenges timing and prediction
  • Minimalist visual cues
Features
Read full description

Tap the screen when you think the ball will appear in the target. The ball will only flash twice. The first flash happens when the ball drops and the second flash happens on the line. You’re goal is to tap the screen when you think the ball will appear in the orange target area. Cristiano Ronaldo can famously volley a corner kick in total darkness. The magic behind this remarkable feat is hidden in Cristiano’s brain which enables him to use advance cues to plan upcoming actions. Darkball challenges your brain to do the same, distilling that scenario into its simplest form - intercept a ball in the dark. All you see is all you need. One of the brain’s fundamental functions is to use information from the past and present to predict the future. This function is key to how animals, from dragonflies to humans, navigate a dynamic and uncertain world. To make predictions, the brain must have an “internal model” of the system it interacts with. A basic form of this function is at play when we move our body. For example, to reach for a cup, the brain must have a model to predict how the hand would respond to various motor commands. Internal models are also thought to play a crucial role when we mentally predict future states of the environment, for example when we track a ball as it moves behind another object. Here, we have designed a simple task to understand how the nervous system makes such predictions. In this task, subjects have to intercept a ball when it reaches its final position. By changing the speed of the ball, the intervals when it is invisible, and the target position, we will test various hypotheses about the algorithms that are used to integrate information about past and present to make predictions about future.

Screenshots

Backgammon NJ HD4 screens
Darkball2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Backgammon NJ HD at 56% against Darkball's 0%. Backgammon NJ HD also leads on update cadence (every 5 months vs every 68 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.1). Darkball's advantage is price (Free vs $7.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Darkball is free to download; Backgammon NJ HD costs $7.99 up front. Backgammon NJ HD sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Darkball asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Backgammon NJ HD holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Backgammon NJ HD has 3.6K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Backgammon NJ HD's written reviews are positive against 0% of Darkball's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Backgammon NJ HD ships an update every 5 months, Darkball every 68 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Backgammon NJ HD versus Darkball: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBackgammon NJ HDDarkball
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (3.6K ratings) — better4.1 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews55.5% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3.6K — better15
Update frequencyEvery 5 months — betterEvery 68 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB0 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJimmy HuCW&T

Customer experience

Backgammon NJ HD

All ratings3,647 ratings
Positive88.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews578 reviews
Positive55.5%
Neutral8.0%
Negative36.5%

Darkball

All ratings15 ratings
Positive73.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Backgammon NJ HD

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent crashes
  • Unreliable online play and matchmaking
  • Issues with syncing progress across devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Manual dice rolling option
  • Ability to undo moves
  • Improved online/multiplayer experience
  • More difficulty levels

Darkball

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Backgammon NJ HD

One-time3
  • Analysis Package$2.99
  • Online VIP$2.99
  • Power User$4.99
None

Darkball

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Backgammon NJ HD free?
Backgammon NJ HD costs $7.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Darkball free?
Darkball is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Backgammon NJ HD or Darkball?
Backgammon NJ HD is rated higher. Backgammon NJ HD averages 4.5 out of 5 from 3.6K ratings, while Darkball averages 4.1 from 15 ratings.
Do Backgammon NJ HD or Darkball have ads?
Neither Backgammon NJ HD nor Darkball shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Backgammon NJ HD or Darkball?
Backgammon NJ HD ships an update every 5 months, and Darkball every 68 months. Most recently, Backgammon NJ HD was updated on October 14, 2026 and Darkball on October 7, 2026.

Other comparisons