Dark Chess Pro vs iChess App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — 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. —— HOW IT WORKS —— Chinese Dark Chess (Banqi) is a classic Chinese board game on a 4×8 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? —— ◆ 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? —— ◆ 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 ◆ 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 ◆ 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 ◆ 52 Achievements • Gameplay milestones: first win, win streaks, difficulty breakthroughs • Story achievements: chapter completions, hidden endings ◆ 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 ◆ 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.
iChess App
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Welcome to iChess, the sleek and modern way to play the world's greatest strategy game! Whether you are a chess grandmaster or just learning how to move the pawns, iChess provides a beautiful and seamless experience. PLAY ONLINE Test your skills against players from around the world in real-time matchmaking. Win games to increase your Elo rating and prove you are the best on the Global Leaderboards! PLAY WITH FRIENDS Add your friends, send them match requests, and battle it out on the board to see who the true chess master is. OFFLINE MODE No internet? No problem! Play offline local matches anytime, anywhere. CUSTOM PROFILES Create your own unique identity. Upload your own custom profile avatar, track your match history, and analyze your past games to improve your strategy. BEAUTIFUL DESIGN Enjoy a clean, ad-free, and natively designed interface that makes playing on your iPhone a breeze. Customize your board settings and enjoy buttery-smooth piece animations. Download iChess today and make your move!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iChess App at none against Dark Chess Pro's 2. iChess App also leads on ads (none vs shown). Dark Chess Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Dark Chess Pro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. iChess App asks for nothing beyond the download.
Dark Chess Pro ships an update every 2 days, iChess App monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dark Chess Pro | iChess App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days — better | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 258 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Reputation Software CO., LTD. | Braj Lal Suthar |
In-app purchases
Dark Chess Pro
- Pro Unlock2 variants$4.99
iChess App
No in-app purchases









