Dark Chess Pro vs Halfchess
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Dark Chess Pro
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Offline Banqi with 5 AI levels from Easy to Grandmaster. New Wuxia Story Mode: 23 lessons, 13 opponents, visual-novel dialogue. Review every match move by move. No coins, no gambling. āā HOW IT WORKS āā Chinese Dark Chess (Banqi) is a classic Chinese board game on a 4Ć8 grid: ⢠32 pieces start face-down ā flip one to reveal it ⢠Pieces follow a rank hierarchy: General > Advisor > Elephant > Chariot > Horse > Cannon > Soldier ⢠Higher rank captures lower, but Soldiers can capture the General ⢠The Cannon jumps over pieces to capture ā the wildcard ⢠Win when your opponent has no pieces or no legal moves āā NEW TO BANQI? āā ā Learn in One Game ⢠Interactive tutorial ā learn to flip, move, and capture ⢠Start with the easiest AI while you learn ⢠Post-game review marks your best moves and mistakes āā EXPERIENCED PLAYER? āā ā Five AI Levels That Push You ⢠Easy ā Novice ā Knight ā Master ā Grandmaster ⢠Stronger AI makes sharper decisions in complex positions ⢠Precise endgame verdicts show win, draw, or loss at a glance ⢠Move-by-move review finds what you missed ā Story Mode ā The Veiled Path ⢠From apprentice to grandmaster ā a wuxia journey through the art of Dark Chess ⢠23 lessons, 13 matches, 3 endings ⢠13 unique opponents with visual-novel style dialogue ā Six Variant Rules ⢠Chariot Charge ā captures distant pieces along an open rank or file regardless of rank ⢠Diagonal Knight ā moves diagonally and captures regardless of rank ⢠Cannon Jump toggle ā standard or no-jump mode ⢠Blind Capture ā attack face-down pieces and see what happens ⢠Chain Capture ā keep capturing if your piece can strike again ⢠Equal Exchange ā same-rank pieces destroy each other ⢠Mix and match all six for free to create fresh challenges ā 52 Achievements ⢠Gameplay milestones: first win, win streaks, difficulty breakthroughs ⢠Story achievements: chapter completions, hidden endings ā Polished Experience ⢠Satisfying flip animations with haptic feedback ⢠Sound effects and clear status cues ⢠Detailed rules include perpetual-chase restrictions ⢠Adaptive phone and tablet layouts ⢠Offline, no account ā just open and play ā Free / One-Time Pro Unlock ⢠Free with ads ⢠Pro: remove ads and unlock the full story, stronger AI, unlimited hints and undo, precise endgame guidance, and unrestricted review Dark Chess is also known as Banqi or Half Chess ā a beloved Chinese board game where strategy, hidden information, and sharp tactics make every game unique.
Halfchess
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Halfchess is real chess on a smaller board. Fewer squares to scan means the winning idea is easier to spot, and a puzzle fits in a spare minute. The puzzles are derived from real grandmaster games. We take the sharpest moments and rebuild them on smaller boards, most often 6x6, keeping only the pieces that matter. WHAT'S INSIDE ⢠Checkmate puzzles, from mate in 1 up to mate in 3 ⢠Tactics and endgame positions built around a few key pieces ⢠A daily challenge against the computer, and a streak to keep going ⢠Practice that adjusts to how you're solving ⢠Works offline ⢠Every piece stays in view, with the same rules you already know Solve as many puzzles as you like, and take on one daily challenge each day. It fits a bus ride or the gap between meetings. Free to download and start. https://halfchess.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Halfchess at none against Dark Chess Pro's shown. Dark Chess Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Dark Chess Pro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Halfchess sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Dark Chess Pro ships an update every 2 days, Halfchess every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dark Chess Pro | Halfchess |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days ā better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | Yes | No ā better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 ā better | 15.1 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 258 MB | 49 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Reputation Software CO., LTD. | naval saini |
In-app purchases
Dark Chess Pro
- Pro Unlock2 variants$4.99
Halfchess
- Extra Attempts$0.99
- Halfchess Pass ā 30 Days$1.99
- Halfchess Pass ā 1 Year$4.99
Questions
Is Dark Chess Pro free?
Is Halfchess free?
Do Dark Chess Pro or Halfchess have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dark Chess Pro or Halfchess?
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