Comparison

Chess Royal vs Cold War Chess

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

Head to head
About

Chess Royal

Experience classic chess with a magical twist. Pieces come alive in cinematic combat, adding visual spectacle to strategic gameplay. Perfect for those who enjoy intellectual challenges and fantasy themes.

Highlights
  • Cinematic combat animations
  • Pure chess logic preserved
  • Fantasy atmosphere
  • Intellectual challenge
  • Visual spectacle
Features
Read full description

Every move is more than a calculation — it is a clash. Your pieces awaken, attack, and shatter in cinematic combat while preserving the pure logic of chess. Wizard Chess is designed for players who: Love strategy and intellectual challenge Want deeper emotion from classic chess Enjoy fantasy atmosphere and visual spectacle Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Cold War Chess

Experience chess with a twist in a fog of war setting. Strategize by building your army, concealing your intentions, and uncovering your opponent's hidden forces. Engage in 63 missions inspired by the Cold War era across six unique factions.

Highlights
  • Fog of war gameplay
  • Army building and customization
  • Six distinct factions
  • 63 strategic missions
  • Story campaign inspired by Cold War
  • Hidden enemy back rows
Features
Read full description

The board is set. But half of it is hidden. Cold War Chess takes the strategy of chess and throws it into the fog of war. The enemy's back two rows are concealed until your pieces are close enough to see them. You don't know what's coming. Neither does your opponent. Before the first move, you build your army. Spend your resources, place your pieces where you choose, keep your intentions secret. Misdirection is a weapon. Sometimes fewer pieces are more powerful. This isn't checkmate chess. Reduce the enemy to a lone king and the war is over. Any piece — including your own king — can walk into danger without knowing it. The Cold War plays by different rules. PICK YOUR SIDE USA. USSR. The Alliance. Iron Curtain. Third Way. Dead Hand. Six factions, each with distinct resource budgets and initiative traits. Your faction shapes how you fight before a single piece moves. 63 STRATEGIC MISSIONS Berlin. Cuba. The Pacific. Southeast Asia. Central Asia. Play through fictional flashpoints across a full story campaign inspired by the Cold War era. FOG OF WAR Scout your enemy. Find, fix, and finish their king. The fog lifts only when you're close enough to act. BUILD YOUR ARMY No fixed positions. Spend your budget. Set your trap. Surprise them before the opening move. Start free. Berlin is on us. Unlock the full Cold War when you're ready. Cold War Chess is inspired by historical events. Characters, factions, and dramatized scenarios are fictional. The game does not represent the views of any government, organization, or individual.

Screenshots

Chess Royal4 screens
Cold War Chess4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Cold War Chess at Free against Chess Royal's $4.99. Cold War Chess also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases, 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

Cold War Chess is free to download; Chess Royal costs $4.99 up front. Chess Royal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and Cold War Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cold War Chess holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cold War Chess has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chess Royal ships an update every 4 weeks, Cold War Chess weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Chess Royal versus Cold War Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChess RoyalCold War Chess
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating2.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings16 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.417.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB193 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperYerkinbekov NurdauletMICHAEL LAWRENCE STANLEY

Customer experience

Chess Royal

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Cold War Chess

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Chess Royal

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly1 Month trial$8.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly1 Year trial$19.991 Year
1 purchases

Cold War Chess

One-time1
  • Full Deployment$4.99

Questions

Is Chess Royal free?
Chess Royal costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Cold War Chess free?
Cold War Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chess Royal or Cold War Chess?
Cold War Chess is rated higher. Chess Royal averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Cold War Chess averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do Chess Royal or Cold War Chess have ads?
Neither Chess Royal nor Cold War Chess shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chess Royal or Cold War Chess?
Chess Royal ships an update every 4 weeks, and Cold War Chess weekly. Most recently, Chess Royal was updated on October 31, 2026 and Cold War Chess on October 24, 2026.

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