Root Down vs WizMiz
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Root Down
An original abstract strategy game for two players with unique movement rules. Figure out how to move your pieces to capture your opponent's and win. Offers AI play and pass-and-play modes with variable setups.
- Abstract strategy gameplay
- Unique piece movement rules
- AI opponent
- Pass-and-play mode
- Variable game setups
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Root Down is an original abstract strategy game designed by Martin Grider for 2-players. It's rules about which pieces you can move are a little quirky, but once you figure it out, it's very quick to play, and has some interesting gameplay mechanics. In Root Down, you have two types of pieces. There are "kicker" pieces that must be next to a "root" piece to move. (Root pieces cannot move.) Kickers can only move exactly as far as the number of kickers next to the root. After a kicker moves, it "kicks" all of the neighboring pieces, then settles down into a new "root" piece. If you kick one of your own root pieces, it becomes another "kicker"! Kicking an opponent's root does the same, and if you kick it again before it has a chance to move, you'll to capture it! The game features an AI player, as well as pass-and-play options. There are several variable setups to chose from. Each one plays slightly different. Please use the "send feedback" button to send me your input, or email me: rootdown@abstractpuzzle.com
WizMiz
A fast-paced, two-player abstract strategy board game. Players move colored dots across the board to reach the opposite row, with two distinct win conditions. It's a simple yet challenging game of tactical movement and capture.
- Two-player abstract board game
- Strategic dot movement
- Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal moves
- Capture opponent's dots
- Two win conditions
- Fast-paced gameplay
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WizMiz is an Abstract Board Game for two players. A strategy game of 18 red dots vs 18 blue dots that is simple, fast & challenging. Each dot may move one or more squares at a time: vertically, horizontally, or diagonally – but not backward. The object of the game is to move your color dots across the board to the last opposite row. Two ways to win: 1. The first player to fill the last opposite row with 8 dots wins, or 2. The first player that has all of their remaining dots on the last opposite row, and none of their other dots left on the play field. You move by touching your dot then an empty square, or touching your dot then your opponents dot, removing It from the play field. A fast-moving strategy game for all to play. WizMiz was created by Jack Boasberg in 1986. Updated in 2019 at Lightorium.com, LLC. Developed by Juggleware.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: WizMiz at every 3 weeks against Root Down's every 27 months. WizMiz also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.4). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
WizMiz holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 5 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Root Down ships an update every 27 months, WizMiz every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Root Down | WizMiz |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (3 ratings) | 4.4 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 27 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 122 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Martin Grider | lightorium.com LLC |
Customer experience
Root Down
WizMiz
In-app purchases
Root Down
No in-app purchases
WizMiz
No in-app purchases









