Comparison

Dark Chess Pro vs Halfchess

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

Head to head
About

Dark Chess Pro

Features
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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. —— HOW IT WORKS —— Chinese Dark Chess (Banqi) is a classic Chinese board game on a 4Ɨ8 grid: • 32 pieces start face-down — 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 — the wildcard • Win when your opponent has no pieces or no legal moves —— NEW TO BANQI? —— ā—† Learn in One Game • Interactive tutorial — learn to flip, move, and capture • Start with the easiest AI while you learn • Post-game review marks your best moves and mistakes —— EXPERIENCED PLAYER? —— ā—† Five AI Levels That Push You • Easy → Novice → Knight → Master → 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 — The Veiled Path • From apprentice to grandmaster — 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 — captures distant pieces along an open rank or file regardless of rank • Diagonal Knight — moves diagonally and captures regardless of rank • Cannon Jump toggle — standard or no-jump mode • Blind Capture — attack face-down pieces and see what happens • Chain Capture — keep capturing if your piece can strike again • Equal Exchange — 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 — 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 — a beloved Chinese board game where strategy, hidden information, and sharp tactics make every game unique.

About

Halfchess

Features
Read full description

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

Dark Chess Pro4 screens
Halfchess4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
Dark Chess Pro versus Halfchess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDark Chess ProHalfchess
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size258 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperReputation Software CO., LTD.naval saini

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Dark Chess Pro

One-time1
  • Pro Unlock2 variants$4.99
3 purchases

Halfchess

One-time3
  • Extra Attempts$0.99
  • Halfchess Pass — 30 Days$1.99
  • Halfchess Pass — 1 Year$4.99

Questions

Is Dark Chess Pro free?
Dark Chess Pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Halfchess free?
Halfchess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Dark Chess Pro or Halfchess have ads?
Dark Chess Pro shows ads; Halfchess does not.
Which is updated more often, Dark Chess Pro or Halfchess?
Dark Chess Pro ships an update every 2 days, and Halfchess every 3 weeks. Most recently, Dark Chess Pro was updated on October 31, 2026 and Halfchess on November 9, 2026.

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