# Hardwood Backgammon vs Murdered by Midnight

The clearest difference is rating: Hardwood Backgammon at 4.3 against Murdered by Midnight's 3.0. Hardwood Backgammon also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 26 months) and review sentiment (63% vs 33%). Murdered by Midnight's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hardwood Backgammon sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Murdered by Midnight sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hardwood Backgammon holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hardwood Backgammon has 166 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Hardwood Backgammon's written reviews are positive against 33% of Murdered by Midnight's.

Hardwood Backgammon ships an update every 2 months, Murdered by Midnight every 26 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hardwood Backgammon | Murdered by Midnight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (166 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardwood-backgammon/id897715914/reviews)** | [3.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/murdered-by-midnight/id1576426093/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **166** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **62.5% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 26 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 105 MB | 94 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Silver Creek Entertainment](https://appshunter.io/developer/493710735) | [Appracatappra, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/389034119) |

## What reviewers say

### Hardwood Backgammon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardwood-backgammon/id897715914)

Experience the classic board game with this digital adaptation. Play against a strong AI, challenge friends locally, or compete with players worldwide. Features include full match play, a doubling cube, and engaging achievements.

**Highlights:** Single player vs AI, Online multiplayer, 2 player local mode, Full match play, Doubling cube, Achievements

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Plus Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Plus Membership | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| Plus Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| 12 Month Plus Membership | $29.99 | per year |
| Pack of 80 Tokens | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 165 Tokens | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 425 Tokens | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1 Month Plus Membership | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plus Membership | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 High-quality graphics and visual design
- 🎵 Relaxing sound effects and audio
- 👍 Clean, intuitive interface
- 🎮 Multiple game modes (single and multiplayer)
- ⚡ Minimal ads and non-intrusive monetization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎲 Perceived unfair/rigged dice rolls favoring AI
- 😤 Computer gets excessive doubles and perfect rolls
- 🔒 Paywall features and token-based progression
- 📱 Game board too small on large screens
- 🐢 Game performance issues and slowness

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to load on some devices
- Apple TV version blocks legal moves
- Controls unresponsive on Apple TV
- Unclear how to enable local multiplayer between devices
- Game becomes unresponsive during gameplay

**Requested features**

- Acey-Deucey game variant
- Larger, scalable game board for tablets
- Better difficulty settings based on strategy, not just dice manipulation
- More multiplayer players available
- Customizable game rules and settings


### Murdered by Midnight

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/murdered-by-midnight/id1576426093)

Engage in a thrilling murder mystery game set in the 1920s. Deduce the killer, weapon, motive, and time of death by following clues and interrogating characters. Play solo or with friends globally.

**Highlights:** Deduce murderer, weapon, motive, and time of death, Set in a 1920s Art Deco mansion, Highly replayable with over 483,000 possible outcomes, Single-player against AI or multiplayer with friends, Achievements and scoreboard, Immersive period-specific graphics and characters

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Murdered By Midnight Deluxe | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hardwood Backgammon free?

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

### Is Murdered by Midnight free?

Murdered by Midnight is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Hardwood Backgammon or Murdered by Midnight?

Hardwood Backgammon is rated higher. Hardwood Backgammon averages 4.3 out of 5 from 166 ratings, while Murdered by Midnight averages 3.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Hardwood Backgammon or Murdered by Midnight have ads?

Hardwood Backgammon shows ads; Murdered by Midnight does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hardwood Backgammon or Murdered by Midnight?

Hardwood Backgammon ships an update every 2 months, and Murdered by Midnight every 26 months. Most recently, Hardwood Backgammon was updated on November 1, 2026 and Murdered by Midnight on November 3, 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.*