Comparison

Arimaa Trainer vs Shuffle Chess 960

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

Head to head
About

Arimaa Trainer

Learn and master a deep strategy board game with simple rules suitable for all ages. Explore millions of unique game possibilities and challenge yourself with increasing AI difficulty levels. Features include a video tutorial, score tracking, and the ability to save and replay games.

Highlights
  • Video tutorial for learning rules
  • Multiple difficulty levels
  • Handicap game support
  • High score and rating tracking
  • Pass and play mode
  • Load, save, and email games
  • Replay games from any position
Features
Read full description

Arimaa is one of the fastest growing modern strategy games. Rules are simple and intuitive enough for kids to play easily, yet there is more than enough strategic depth to satisfy the most demanding gamer. If you enjoy challenging games like Chess, Checkers, Go, or Shogi, discover Arimaa and see why it was chosen in the Discovery Channel's list of the Top 10 Mind-bending Strategy Games and also recommended by Scientific American MIND magazine. “The rules are simple enough for kids to learn, and the game was creative and engaging.” —Frederik Joelving; Scientific American Mind magazine With millions of opening setups to choose from, every game requires creative thinking right from the beginning and no need to memorize openings. It's a never ending puzzle, each game is different. In just the first 10 moves of Arimaa there's more possible games than there are atoms in our universe. “Because the number of possible moves in an Arimaa position (roughly 20,000) is much higher than in chess (about 30 or so), even the fastest computers will not be able to search very far into the tree of possibilities.” —R. Wayne Schmittberger; GAMES magazine This Arimaa app includes a video tutorial to teach the rules of the game making it easy to get started. There are increasing levels of difficulty to help you build your skill, and a score to let you know how well you played. Try beating the AI faster or by losing fewer pieces to top your high score. The app is loaded with features and settings to help you learn this addictive new game. Features: • video tutorial to teach the rules • several difficulty levels • ability to play handicap games • keep track of high scores • keep track of ratings • mode to pass and play with a friend • option to auto-rotate the board between moves • option to auto-rotate the game between moves • option to pause between moves • option to play rated games • option to use a move timer • ability to load and save games • ability to email the game • ability to replay a game from any position • dedicated full screen mode for iPad Awards and Recognition: • Scientific American MIND magazine: Brainy gift recommendation • Discovery Channel's HowStuffWorks: Selected as 3rd most mind-bending game • Parents Choice: Approved award • Creative Child magazine: 2010 Game of the Year This app is provided in compliance with Section 2 of the Arimaa Public License. License #100520.

About

Shuffle Chess 960

Experience Fischer Random Chess with a clean, offline interface. Learn the game through interactive tutorials, play solo against an adjustable AI opponent, and analyze your moves. Enjoy a private, distraction-free chess experience with no ads or tracking.

Highlights
  • Fischer Random Chess (Chess960)
  • Interactive 'Learn to Play' tutorial
  • Offline solo play against AI
  • Adjustable AI difficulty
  • Optional move analysis and hints
  • Position tracking and rematching
  • Ad-free and private experience
Features
Read full description

Shuffle Chess 960 brings Fischer Random Chess to your iPhone in a clean and distraction-free interface. In Chess960, the back-rank pieces start in one of 960 valid setups. Less memorized opening theory, more over-the-board thinking from move one. New to the game? Learn to Play walks you through every piece and how to win, by doing. Then play solo against a built-in opponent, anytime — no internet, no account, no sign-up. FEATURES: • Learn to Play: A guided, hands-on tutorial — meet the pieces and learn how to win. • Solo vs Engine: Play Chess960 against a built-in opponent. • Adjustable Strength: Tune the engine to match your level. • Move Analysis: Get a Best-to-Blunder rating on your last move (optional). • Move Hints: Stuck? Pause and the top suggestions appear on the board (optional). • Position Numbers & Stats: Every shuffle has an ID (0–959); track your win/loss record per position and rematch the same one. • 100% Offline & Local: Play anywhere with no internet required. • True Chess960 Rules: Generates valid Chess960 starting positions with castling handled correctly. • Fast, Minimal UI: Smooth board interactions with no clutter. • Lively Animations: Captures and moves glide smoothly across the board. • Private by Design: No ads, no tracking. • Free to Play: No purchase required to play. Tap once for a fresh Chess960 position and start playing.

Screenshots

Arimaa Trainer4 screens
Shuffle Chess 9604 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Shuffle Chess 960 at Free against Arimaa Trainer's $0.99. Shuffle Chess 960 also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 months). Arimaa Trainer's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On ads, in-app purchases 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

Shuffle Chess 960 is free to download; Arimaa Trainer costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shuffle Chess 960 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Arimaa Trainer ships an update every 4 months, Shuffle Chess 960 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Arimaa Trainer versus Shuffle Chess 960: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArimaa TrainerShuffle Chess 960
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.1 (8 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings8 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMartti JuotasniemiONEPIXEL, LLC

Customer experience

Arimaa Trainer

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative20.0%

Shuffle Chess 960

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Arimaa Trainer

No in-app purchases

None

Shuffle Chess 960

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Arimaa Trainer free?
Arimaa Trainer costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shuffle Chess 960 free?
Shuffle Chess 960 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Arimaa Trainer or Shuffle Chess 960?
Shuffle Chess 960 is rated higher. Arimaa Trainer averages 4.1 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Shuffle Chess 960 averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Arimaa Trainer or Shuffle Chess 960 have ads?
Neither Arimaa Trainer nor Shuffle Chess 960 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Arimaa Trainer or Shuffle Chess 960?
Arimaa Trainer ships an update every 4 months, and Shuffle Chess 960 every 4 days. Most recently, Arimaa Trainer was updated on October 20, 2026 and Shuffle Chess 960 on October 12, 2026.

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