Mine Tower vs Really Bad Chess
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Mine Tower
A vertical scrolling puzzle game where players uncover cells without detonating mines. Use number clues to reveal safe paths and reach the bottom line to win.
- Vertical scrolling gameplay
- Minesweeper puzzle mechanics
- Tap to flag cells
- Double-tap to open cells
- Number clues for mine locations
- Reach the bottom line to win
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This game is the 17th iOS game for the Web Game Site "DAN-BALL". Vertical scrolling style minesweeper. Mine Tower is a puzzle game where you have to open all the cells of the board without detonating a mine. The numbers indicate how many mines are contained in the 8 neighboring cells. On/Off of a flag is made by carrying out the tap of the closed panel. A panel closed by the double-tap can be opened. When the tap of the number is carried out, and the surrounding number and number of a flag (mine) are the same, the panel except having stood the flag opens. When you tap on the mine, you'll get a penalty. Uncover the cells using the number as a clue. When the un-tapped cells without a mine reach on the bottom line, the game is over.
Really Bad Chess
This app reimagines chess with completely randomized pieces, offering a fresh strategic challenge. It's perfect for both seasoned players seeking a new puzzle and beginners looking to learn the fundamentals in a fun, accessible way.
- Randomized chess piece sets
- AI opponent challenges
- Ranked, Daily, and Weekly modes
- Freeplay practice mode
- Local multiplayer (with IAP)
- Alternate color palettes (with IAP)
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Really Bad Chess is just like chess, but with totally random pieces. Try 8 Knights, 4 Bishops, and 3 pawns — why not? As heard on NPR's Weekend Edition 5 out of 5 Stars "An essential puzzle experience for anyone even remotely interested in strategy games" - TouchArcade Whether you play chess daily, or quit just after learning the rules, this small twist will open the door to an entire new world of chess. ------WHATS IN THE “BOX”? The free version of Really Bad Chess lets you compete vs. an AI in Ranked, Daily, or Weekly Challenges. Improve your skills using the included Freeplay mode. A single in-app purchase unlocks Versus Mode so you can compete against your friends locally! It also removes ads, displays captured pieces, and adds soothing alternate color-palettes to choose from. ------REALLY BAD PRESS "Makes chess fun even if you’re really bad" - The Verge "Feels more modern than chess has ever felt" - Applenapps "Really Bad Chess takes a really bad idea and somehow manages to make it a lot of fun." - Pocket Gamer "Really good fun" - MacLife ------A WORD FROM THE DEVELOPER Chess is one of those games I always wished I enjoyed, but its commitment to beauty, elegance, and perfect balance always turned me away. Really Bad Chess removes these boring restrictions and flips chess on its head. As much as random pieces change the game in some ways, I was really surprised to notice how much the game remains the same, and how powerful some pieces are — you've never truly struggled against a pawn until you've struggled against a pawn in the back row. For chess pros, Really Bad Chess will give you a new type of challenge — the pieces & the moves are the same, but you'll have to throw out your openings and your understanding of normal patterns of play. For novice chess players (like most of us), Really Bad Chess greatly opens up the game. Instead of starting by studying openings, in your first games you'll get to discover the joy (and challenge!) of learning how to checkmate. I hope you have as much fun with Really Bad Chess as much as I did making it. -zach
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Mine Tower at 4.3 against Really Bad Chess's 3.8. Mine Tower also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Really Bad Chess's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 3). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Really Bad Chess sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Mine Tower asks for nothing beyond the download.
Mine Tower holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Really Bad Chess has 1.6K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 35% of Mine Tower's written reviews are positive against 46% of Really Bad Chess's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Mine Tower ships an update every 10 months, Really Bad Chess every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 14, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mine Tower | Really Bad Chess |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (3 ratings) — better | 3.8 (1.6K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 35.3% of reviews | 46.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 1.6K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 125 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | DAN-BALL | Zach Gage |
Customer experience
Mine Tower
Really Bad Chess
Bugs and requests
Mine Tower
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Really Bad Chess
Reported bugs
3 issues- Pieces unable to move as per chess rules
- Game freezes and crashes
- Incorrect checkmate detection
Requested features
5 requests- Add draw conditions and stalemate rules
- Implement online/multiplayer mode
- Provide more difficulty settings
- Allow custom piece arrangements
- Sync progress across devices
In-app purchases
Mine Tower
No in-app purchases
Really Bad Chess
- 100 Undos$0.99
- Full Game Unlock$3.99
Questions
Is Mine Tower free?
Is Really Bad Chess free?
Which has better reviews, Mine Tower or Really Bad Chess?
Do Mine Tower or Really Bad Chess have ads?
Which is updated more often, Mine Tower or Really Bad Chess?
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