Narde vs Backgammon Now
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Narde
This app offers a strategic variant of backgammon where luck is removed, focusing on positioning and tactical blocking. Play against AI or global opponents, mastering unique rules and building your legacy through skillful play.
- Pure strategy, no luck
- Solo mode against AI
- Online multiplayer via Game Center
- Authentic Narde rules
- One-tap movement
- In-game rulebook with tips
- Daily leaderboards
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Experience the strategic depth of the beloved backgammon variant! ◆ Pure Strategy, No Luck Unlike traditional backgammon, Narde eliminates the element of chance through hitting. Every checker you place is safe, transforming the game into a thrilling race of positioning and tactical blocking. Master the art of building primes, managing your pieces, and outmaneuvering your opponent in this chess-like twist on a classic! ◆ Game Features Two Ways to Play: ► Solo Mode - Challenge sophisticated AI in matches of 1, 3, 5, 11, or 15 rounds. Perfect your strategy with optional doubling cube! ► Online Multiplayer - Compete globally through Game Center. Start with 2,000 chips and build your fortune one strategic victory at a time! ◆ Authentic Narde Rules: • Strategic "head" rule - only one checker can leave your starting point per turn • No hitting - create blocking positions instead of risky blots • Build powerful primes (but not too powerful - fair play rules apply!) • Both players race in the same direction for unique tactical challenges ◆ Smart Features: • One-tap movement with intelligent die ordering • Advanced random dice algorithm ensures completely fair rolls • Clean, intuitive interface designed for iOS • Comprehensive in-game rulebook with strategy tips • Daily leaderboards to track your dominance ◆ Why Narde? If you love backgammon but crave more strategy and less luck, Narde is your perfect match. Every game is a battle of wits where superior positioning beats fortunate rolls. Whether you're a backgammon master seeking a fresh challenge or a strategy game enthusiast looking for your next obsession, Narde delivers depth, excitement, and endless replayability. ◆ Build Your Legacy • Climb the daily leaderboards • Accumulate chips through skillful play • Master both aggressive racing and patient blocking strategies • Join a global community of strategic thinkers Download now and discover why Narde has captivated players for generations!
Backgammon Now
Experience a fun and relaxing way to play Backgammon. Challenge a computer opponent, track your progress with game stats, and enjoy customizable themes. Learn the game easily with built-in instructions and realistic dice physics.
- Computer opponent
- Game stats tracking
- Customizable board themes
- Adjustable difficulty
- Touch-to-move or drag-to-move
- Random physics-based dice
- Easy 'How to Play' guide
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Experience a quick and awesome new way to play and learn Backgammon! We’ve added a great computer opponent to play against (and beat!) as well as Game Stats to help you keep track of your wins and let you see your performance improve! Enjoy the fun and laid-back challenge of Backgammon and discover the joy of this entertaining and relaxing game like never before! • Awesome board theme's to choose from • Choose your difficulty & improve your game! • Touch-to-move or drag-to-move, you choose! • Track your game stats & see your performance! • Truly random physics based dice throwing! • Get playing quick, with easy "How to Play" • A super smooth, fun and relaxing game! • Looks amazing, plays even better! For note, Backgammon Now's dice rolling algorithm. We use the Mersenne Twister algorithm to generate a lot of random values which we use to throw the dice with (a dice roll is based on many values), so it's only when the dice have rolled and landed that the game knows the outcome. It's as close to a real dice throw as possible! Backgammon Now (v1.6) a perfect entry into the world of Backgammon. _______________________________________________ Backgammon Now Premium monthly subscription also available, $1.49/£1.49/€1.49 monthly. New board themes, adds extended player stats (up to 14 days), adds custom dice, removes adverts from game and more. Subscription payments will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription will automatically renew each month unless you cancel it 24-hours prior to the end of the current term. You can manage your subscription settings and turn off auto-renew at any time from your iTunes Account settings. More Discover more amazing Cobra Mobile games at www.cobramobile.com Support Having problems? Visit www.cobramobile.com/support to see if we can help License Agreement www.cobramobile.com/eula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Narde at 51% against Backgammon Now's 31%. Backgammon Now's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Narde sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Backgammon Now sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Backgammon Now holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 362 and 346 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Narde's written reviews are positive against 31% of Backgammon Now's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Narde ships an update every 2 months, Backgammon Now every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Narde | Backgammon Now |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (362 ratings) | 4.4 (346 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.8% of reviews — better | 31.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 362 — better | 346 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 144 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Adikus | Cobra Mobile Limited |
Customer experience
Narde
Backgammon Now
User reviews
Narde
From 362 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎮 Engaging and addictive gameplay
- 🎨 Good visual design and interface
- 🧠 Requires strategic thinking and skill
- 🌐 Online multiplayer functionality
- 📱 Works well as a mobile game
Room to improve
- 🎲 Dice rolls appear non-random and biased
- 🤖 Suspected rigged algorithm favoring opponents
- ⏳ Long wait times for online opponents
- 💰 Requires payment to continue playing
- 🔗 Connection loss issues and exploits
Backgammon Now
From 346 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy navigation
- 🎨 Visually appealing graphics and presentation
- 🔊 Good sound effects and audio design
- 📊 Tracks win/loss statistics and match history
- 🎮 Suitable for beginners learning backgammon
Room to improve
- 🎲 Dice rolls appear biased toward AI opponent
- 🤖 AI makes illogical moves and poor strategy
- 📺 Excessive ads disrupt gameplay experience
- ⚙️ Inconsistent game rules and mechanics
- 🐢 Game moves slowly with required confirmations
Bugs and requests
Narde
Reported bugs
10 issues- Dice roll #5 does not allow piece movement
- Game refuses to allow valid moves
- Doubles cannot be used when spaces are blocked
- Possible movements not underlined after update
- Rule changes for first roll (3:3, 4:4, 6:6)
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- Piece placement position incorrect in some versions
- Color contrast too neutral making game hard to see
- Accept/Reject buttons swapped in dialogs
- Rules link does not work
- Game lag and performance issues
Requested features
10 requests- Publish dice rolling algorithm for peer review
- Implement doubling cube in live play
- Add difficulty levels for computer opponents
- Display opponent statistics and skill levels
- Persistent scoring system across sessions
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- Better rule explanations and tutorials
- Music alert when opponent joins waiting game
- Option to change color skins/themes
- Real player matching instead of bots
- Improved online matchmaking system
Backgammon Now
Reported bugs
10 issues- Game freezes and becomes unresponsive
- App locks and prevents access to home screen
- Stuck on ad screen with no way to close
- Cannot connect to real players
- Unauthorized clipboard pasting on app switch
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- Incorrect piece placement and board setup
- Cannot execute standard opening moves
- AI takes pieces off board before collecting them all
- Glitch allowing 16 counters in play
- Inconsistent counter counting on takeoff board
Requested features
10 requests- Auto-finish option when both sides are clear
- Ability to initiate doubling cube independently
- Hot seat/pass-and-play multiplayer mode
- Game save functionality for longer durations
- Adjustable difficulty settings
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- Undo button for move corrections
- Larger board display for better visibility
- Replay feature for past matches
- Turn-based gameplay mode
- Faster game progression without confirmations
In-app purchases
Narde
- Remove Ads$1.99
Backgammon Now
- BACKGAMMON NOW PREMIUM 1 MONTH$1.491 Month
- UNLOCK BOARDS of the WORLD$0.99
- REMOVE ALL ADVERTS$1.99
Questions
Is Narde free?
Is Backgammon Now free?
Which has better reviews, Narde or Backgammon Now?
Do Narde or Backgammon Now have ads?
Which is updated more often, Narde or Backgammon Now?
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