# The Othello vs Piccolo

The clearest difference is rating: Piccolo at 4.7 against The Othello's 3.5. Piccolo also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). The Othello's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Othello sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Piccolo sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Piccolo holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Piccolo has 658 ratings behind it against 40, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of The Othello's written reviews are positive against 77% of Piccolo's.

The Othello ships an update every 3 months, Piccolo every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Othello | Piccolo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-othello/id785097678/reviews) | **[4.7 (658 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piccolo-othello/id1561230039/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 40 | **658** |
| Positive reviews | 55.3% of reviews | **76.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 63 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [UNBALANCE Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/358617691) | [Symbolic Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/613116232) |

## What reviewers say

### The Othello

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-othello/id785097678)

Experience a visually stunning Othello game with 30 difficulty levels for all skill sets. Challenge the computer to unlock special boards and stones, or play with friends on a single device. Save your progress, get hints, and even share game records via email.

**Highlights:** 30 difficulty levels, Unlockable special boards and stones, Human vs Computer play, Human vs Human play (single device), Handicap game option, Save/Load game records, Email game record transmission

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ad | $2.99 | one-time |


### Piccolo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piccolo-othello/id1561230039)

Experience the classic strategy board game with a powerful AI and a polished interface. Customize your game with beautiful themes, play online with friends or strangers, and enjoy a seamless experience across devices. Includes fun iMessage stickers.

**Highlights:** Strong, customizable AI engine, Polished native user interface, Variety of beautiful themes, Local and online multiplayer, Automatic game saves and move undo, iMessage stickers

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Theme Pack: Around the World | $2.99 | one-time |
| Theme Pack: Great Painters | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Beautiful and simple UI
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases
- 👍 Challenging AI opponents

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Difficulty balancing issues (too easy or too hard)
- 🤔 Lack of online multiplayer
- 🤔 No option to undo moves
- 🤔 Unclear win/loss indication at the end of games

**Reported bugs**

- AI getting extra moves in certain situations
- Settings button not functioning properly
- Game freezing or crashing on some devices
- Inconsistent piece size on different screen sizes

**Requested features**

- Add online multiplayer mode
- Implement an undo move feature
- Add a tutorial or tips section for new players
- Introduce a 'watch AI vs AI' mode
- Allow customization of game board and piece themes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Othello free?

The Othello is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Piccolo free?

Piccolo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Othello or Piccolo?

Piccolo is rated higher. The Othello averages 3.5 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Piccolo averages 4.7 from 658 ratings.

### Do The Othello or Piccolo have ads?

The Othello shows ads; Piccolo does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Othello or Piccolo?

The Othello ships an update every 3 months, and Piccolo every 4 days. Most recently, The Othello was updated on October 23, 2026 and Piccolo on October 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*