# Sidius Nova vs Almost Chess

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sidius Nova at 84% against Almost Chess's 33%. Almost Chess's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sidius Nova sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Almost Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sidius Nova ships an update every 3 months, Almost Chess monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sidius Nova | Almost Chess |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidius-nova/id585665931/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **49** | — |
| Positive reviews | **84.3% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 190 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stefan Schmitt](https://appshunter.io/developer/585665935) | [hourafter](https://appshunter.io/developer/1792872292) |

## What reviewers say

### Sidius Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sidius-nova/id585665931)

Lead your species to survival after a homeworld destruction. Collect resources, build ships, and engage in epic space battles. Choose to play as humans or an alien armada, unlocking new ships and strategies as you conquer galaxies.

**Highlights:** Resource collection, Ship building, Epic space battles, Playable factions (humans/aliens), Unlockable ships, Galactic conquest

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Genius (RP earned x2) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Laboratory (8,000 RP) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Singularity (Unlock Everything) | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Amazing soundtrack/music
- 🎨 Beautiful/great graphics/art
- 🎮 Addictive/fun gameplay
- 🧠 Deep strategy/gameplay
- 👍 Polished/well-designed

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Repetitive gameplay loop
- 🐌 Slow gameplay/pace
- 📉 Lacks strategic depth
- 🤖 AI can be unfair/cheats
- 🤷‍♂️ Bland gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashing
- Repeated crashing during combat
- Crashing when fighting mothership
- Game progress not syncing between devices
- App leaves residual files after uninstallation

**Requested features**

- Add multiplayer/hot seat/skirmish
- Add longer single player campaign
- Add more frequent dialogue
- Add meaningful player-driven plot choices
- Add 'back' button for dialogue


### Almost Chess

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/almost-chess/id6741071027)

Experience chess with a randomized board layout, offering a fresh tactical challenge for all skill levels. Adapt to new puzzles daily and test your strategic thinking in this unpredictable version of the classic game.

**Highlights:** Randomized board layouts, Single player AI challenges, Two player local mode, Daily puzzling positions, Valid move highlighting, ELO rating system

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sidius Nova free?

Sidius Nova is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Almost Chess free?

Almost Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Sidius Nova or Almost Chess have ads?

Neither Sidius Nova nor Almost Chess shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sidius Nova or Almost Chess?

Sidius Nova ships an update every 3 months, and Almost Chess monthly. Most recently, Sidius Nova was updated on October 6, 2026 and Almost Chess on October 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*