PANDANET(Go) vs Light GO 9x
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PANDANET(Go)
Play, view, and learn the ancient strategy game of Go on your mobile device. Connect with a global community, watch professional matches, and improve your skills with daily challenges and archived games.
- Real-time game viewing and play
- Watch professional Go matches
- Daily Go trivia questions
- Social networking features
- Match history and archives
- Automated opponent matching
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At long last, a free iOS-compatible Go app is now available through Pandanet! Approximately 80 thousand members from more than 150 countries use the Pandanet Go Match website and its world-class online Go Salon. Go is gaining popularity around the world as a "mind game," and now Pandanet brings it to your fingertips to be enjoyed at home or "on the go." == App Features == [Game Viewing] This feature allows you to display a list of users currently in rooms, view matches in real time, etc. If you have a Pandanet account already, you can play games. At least 1,000 members are logged in at all times, allowing you to play or view Go matches 24 hours a day, every day of the year. A perfect way to wile the time during commutes to work or school. Plus a reliable, patented rating system allows you to match up with anyone, regardless of skill differences, under the appropriate handicaps to even out the playing field. -------- [Pro Games] This feature enables you to view live or archived title matches between top professional Go players, including the Qisheng, Meijin, Honinbo, Oza, Gosei, and Judan matches. Various other professional matches, Pair Go championship games, and even amateur tournaments are available for live or archival viewing as well. -------- [News / Streaming] Go has been gaining worldwide popularity as an international "mind game". Pandanet features a stream of relevant, up-to-date Go-related information, including professional title match and amateur match information in real time. -------- [Invitation] Pressing "Invitation" at the bottom of the screen will display a list of potential opponents who you can invite to play in a match. You can also select "Any player", which has the computer automatically match you with an opponent who meets your conditions. Checking the "Received" box shows invitations received from other players, and checking the "Sent" box shows you details for invitations that you've sent out. -------- [Question-a-day] A question is asked each day, covering various genres. Questions are updated on a daily basis, allowing you to answer at your own leisure. Answering a little each day will surely improve your playing skills. -------- [Net Social Plaza] - Pandanet offers a "Social Plaza" (SNS) feature that includes the following services: - The option to view your own match history and records. - The option to join a community that interests you, and to socialize with other community members by posting on a forum and sending messages. -------- [Archive] Every match you've played can be saved to the software. You can also enter your own game records to store them, enter a variation diagram, etc. so that you can look through past matches anywhere at any time. -------- [Settings] You can change the following settings, or check app controls here. == Content unrelated to matches == - Account - Change status - Set info - Move room + Match-related content + - Show coordinates - Change autoplay speed - Confirm moves - Zoom out after move - Adjust volume * Layout features such as stones and boards can be customized in the iPad version. -------- == Intro to Pandanet Events & Tournaments == Pandanet holds a variety of Go tournaments and events. (1) SportAccord-Pandanet Cup Online Go Tournament The "SportAccord Go Online Tournament" and "Pandanet Cup Internet World Amateur Go Tournament" were combined to form this large-scale internet world Go tournament. It's held for classes ranging from indiscriminate to C Class, and awesome prizes are awarded to the champions in each class. Participation is free, so please take advantage of this unique opportunity to compete with Go fans from around the world. (2) Pandanet Go European Team Championship Five players, each representing a European country, play in team competition. (3) Pandanet-AGA City League Five players, each representing an American city, play in team competition. (Many more events are available as well. Check the website for details.) --------
Light GO 9x
This is a simple 9x9 strategy board game that is easy to learn. It offers multiple ways to play, including against a computer, a local opponent, or players worldwide via Game Center. Track your progress with leaderboards and achievements.
- 9x9 game board
- Computer opponent
- Two-player mode
- Online multiplayer via Game Center
- Leaderboards
- Achievements
- Audio on/off switch
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* It is a simple GO game(9 x 9). It is easy to play. It provides Game Center Network Battle. * To avoid the argument, App check the dead stones that not be captured after game over. * The icon below the word "NOW" shows whose turn and the piece used. * To provide the diversified playing methods and different settings below: -Computer- Your opponent is the computer. This is a practice for you. The computer makes the first move. -2 Players- Your opponent is another person. The black player makes the first move. -Network- Game Center matches the two players and computer decides the colors. You can play with all players of the world. (Please join Game Center at first.) -Leaderboards- Game Center saves the result of the games including the wins, draws and defeats of the players, and provides the Leaderboards. -Achievements- Game Center saves the players’ “Points” and provides the achievements. -Audio Switch- Turn on/off audio. * The point formula for Achievements: 1 win=3 score, 1 draw=1 score, 1 defeat=-1 score, ten scores=1 point, points=(wins x 3 + draws - defeats) / 10 * The player who exits game before game over loses the game at the network mode. * The more explanations please refer to the Readme of the app or APP Support.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Light GO 9x at free against PANDANET(Go)'s free with in-app purchases. PANDANET(Go)'s advantage is review sentiment (34% vs 25%) and ratings volume (32 vs 7). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. PANDANET(Go) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Light GO 9x sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 2.9 for PANDANET(Go) against 2.9 for Light GO 9x. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 7 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of PANDANET(Go)'s written reviews are positive against 25% of Light GO 9x's.
PANDANET(Go) ships an update every 2 months, Light GO 9x every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.
| Parameter | PANDANET(Go) | Light GO 9x |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.9 (32 ratings) — better | 2.9 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 34.1% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 32 — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PANDANET Inc. | CHIA HO KUO |
Customer experience
PANDANET(Go)
Light GO 9x
In-app purchases
PANDANET(Go)
- 30 Days Registration$17.99
Light GO 9x
- Record Function$0.99









