Comparison

Castles board game vs Chessnut Next

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

Head to head
About

Castles board game

Build a map by placing tiles and score points by strategically placing your pieces. Compete against friends or AI in this engaging tile-based strategy game. Your progress is automatically saved, allowing for seamless continuation of your games.

Highlights
  • Tile-based map building
  • Scoring with peasant placement
  • Local multiplayer (pass and play)
  • Online multiplayer
  • Computer AI opponents
  • Automatic game saving
Features
Read full description

Castles Board Game is a tile-based board game for two to four players. In the game, players build a map by placing castle, road or church tiles. Points are scored by placing 'peasants' on the tiles. The player with the highest score at the end wins. You can play this game against real people (pass and play or online) or against a 'computer' player. The game is automatically saved when you close the app, so it is easy to resume when you open the app the next time. Features: - Local Multiplayer - Computer players DISCLAIMER This app has no connection to the game "Carcassonne". Neither Klaus-Jürgen Wrede nor Hans im Glück Verlag GmbH have issued any licence or approval of the use of the game "Carcassonne". Parties stated above are not related nor responsible for the contents of this app.

About

Chessnut Next

Enhance your chess experience by connecting a smart board to digitally record, analyze, and practice your games. Play against AI, review your moves with detailed reports, and train your skills with puzzles and human-like engines.

Highlights
  • Smart board connection
  • Play against chess engines
  • Online chess support
  • Automatic game recording
  • Local Stockfish analysis
  • Tactical training
  • Game review reports
Features
Read full description

Chessnut Next is the companion app for Chessnut smart chessboards, bringing physical chess and digital tools together in one seamless experience. Connect a compatible Chessnut board to play naturally with real pieces while the app synchronizes positions, records moves, and saves your games automatically. Whether you are playing against a computer, practicing tactics, reviewing a finished game, or playing face-to-face, Chessnut Next helps you get more from every move. Key Features • Smart Board Connection Connect a compatible Chessnut electronic chessboard and synchronize physical positions with the app in real time. • Play Against Chess Engines Challenge computer opponents with different strengths and playing styles using either a physical board or the on-screen board. • Online Chess Support Use a compatible physical board with supported online chess platforms for a more natural playing experience. • Automatic Game Recording Create and save complete PGN records, including moves, players, results, and time information. • Local Stockfish Analysis Review games with on-device Stockfish analysis to explore evaluations, recommended moves, and critical mistakes. • Maia and Personalized Practice Train against human-like chess engines designed to provide realistic play across different skill levels. • Game Review Reports Generate easy-to-understand reports that highlight strong moves, mistakes, turning points, and opportunities to improve. • Puzzles and Tactical Training Improve calculation, pattern recognition, and practical decision-making with chess puzzles and focused exercises. • Board Editor and Position Recognition Create custom positions manually or use supported image-recognition features to extract a chess position from a photo. • Voice Moves In supported game modes, speak origin and destination squares to enter moves hands-free. • Chess Clock and Over-the-Board Play Record face-to-face games and manage player time with compatible Chessnut devices. • Game Library and Sharing Browse saved games, filter records by source, refresh game data, and share games or review results. • Multiple Languages Choose from a range of interface and content languages. From your first move to detailed post-game review, Chessnut Next combines smart-board connectivity, game recording, engine analysis, and training tools in one app.

Screenshots

Castles board game2 screens
Chessnut Next4 screens

Verdict

The call

Castles board game and Chessnut Next both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Castles board game's written reviews are positive against 0% of Chessnut Next's. Castles board game also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.6). Chessnut Next's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Chessnut Next is free to download; Castles board game costs $0.99 up front. Castles board game sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chessnut Next asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Castles board game against 5.0 for Chessnut Next. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 25 and 28 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Castles board game's written reviews are positive against 0% of Chessnut Next's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Castles board game versus Chessnut Next: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCastles board gameChessnut Next
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (25 ratings)5.0 (28 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2528 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS8.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size256 MB369 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBastiaan ModderkolkXenx Technology Limited

Customer experience

Castles board game

All ratings25 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Chessnut Next

All ratings27 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Castles board game

One-time1
  • Computer Player Difficulty Hard$0.99
None

Chessnut Next

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Castles board game free?
Castles board game costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Chessnut Next free?
Chessnut Next is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Castles board game or Chessnut Next?
Chessnut Next is rated higher. Castles board game averages 4.8 out of 5 from 25 ratings, while Chessnut Next averages 5.0 from 28 ratings.
Do Castles board game or Chessnut Next have ads?
Neither Castles board game nor Chessnut Next shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Castles board game or Chessnut Next?
Castles board game ships an update every 3 weeks, and Chessnut Next every 3 weeks. Most recently, Castles board game was updated on October 21, 2026 and Chessnut Next on October 31, 2026.

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