Comparison

Shogi Master vs Tabletop Mini Shogi

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

Head to head
About

Shogi Master

Features
Read full description

Shogi Master is a fun and easy way to learn Shogi (Japanese Chess), even if you have never played before. [Piece Collection] Learn how to move all 8 types of pieces through fun challenges. Complete challenges and collect every piece! [Battle Mode] Play Shogi against the computer. Choose from 3 difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, and Hard — perfect for beginners and experienced players alike. [Skill Rank] Earn experience by collecting pieces and winning matches. Start at Pawn rank and work your way up to the highest King rank! No experience needed. With friendly guides and furigana (reading aids), anyone can enjoy learning Shogi.

About

Tabletop Mini Shogi

Features
Read full description

Put your iPhone or iPad on the table and play shogi face to face. ABOUT MINI SHOGI Mini shogi (5×5 shogi) is a compact variant of Japanese chess played on a 5×5 board with six piece types: King, Rook, Bishop, Gold, Silver, and Pawn. The rules are the same as standard shogi, so a full game takes only a few minutes. Great for beginners and shogi fans alike. FEATURES • Two Players: place the device between you and play on one screen • Play vs AI: four levels – Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert • How to Play: a hands-on tutorial and a piece-movement guide • Game review: spot mistakes on the evaluation graph, compare your move with the best move on the board, try alternative moves, flip the board • Undo the last move • Japanese and English. Choose kanji or letter pieces (K, R, B, G, S, P) in Settings • iPhone and iPad, with a wood-grain board and a dark Japanese-style design HOW TO PLAY 1. Choose Two Players or Play vs AI from the menu 2. Put the device on the table and play face to face 3. After the game, open Review to step through the moves and the evaluation graph ABOUT THE AI A fast search engine reads several moves ahead. Advanced thinks for up to 3 seconds per move; Expert searches deeper for up to 8 seconds.

Screenshots

Shogi Master4 screens
Tabletop Mini Shogi3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tabletop Mini Shogi at weekly against Shogi Master's every 3 weeks. On price, 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shogi Master ships an update every 3 weeks, Tabletop Mini Shogi weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Shogi Master versus Tabletop Mini Shogi: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShogi MasterTabletop Mini Shogi
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMIZOU, CO., LTD.NIJIZO

In-app purchases

None

Shogi Master

No in-app purchases

None

Tabletop Mini Shogi

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shogi Master free?
Shogi Master is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tabletop Mini Shogi free?
Tabletop Mini Shogi is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Shogi Master or Tabletop Mini Shogi have ads?
Both Shogi Master and Tabletop Mini Shogi show ads.
Which is updated more often, Shogi Master or Tabletop Mini Shogi?
Shogi Master ships an update every 3 weeks, and Tabletop Mini Shogi weekly. Most recently, Shogi Master was updated on October 24, 2026 and Tabletop Mini Shogi on October 16, 2026.

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