Backgammon Tutor vs Northsense
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Backgammon Tutor
This app serves as a comprehensive tutor for learning and playing backgammon. It offers various game modes, including against AI or other players, with features like progressive undo, move suggestions, and detailed statistics. Customize your experience with extensive settings and enjoy enhanced graphics on multiple devices.
- AI Tutor for learning
- Play against computer or players
- Progressive undo and move suggestions
- Game Center achievements and leaderboards
- Local network and pass-the-device modes
- Detailed statistics tracking
- Customizable settings
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* MOST User Friendly BACKGAMMON App * - Tutor for Computer games, helps you learn how to play. - Invite players or play with random opponents. - Rematch option at the end of a match. - Game Center achievements and leader boards. Highlights include: - Look for Game Center auto-match opponents while playing a local game - Option to switch board home position and swap color. - Text chat feature for all network games (Game Center, Local Network). Can be turned OFF. - Play a Local Network game (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi), against the computer, or a pass-the-device game. - Skill rating, won games, won match points and experience scores for completed Game Center matches. - Progressive undo, replay last move, PIP values, doubling cube, human powered random rolls. - Checkers are easy to select and move, with variable animation speed. - Optionally show all possible moves for any piece, or use "one-tap" moves. - Play 1, 3, 5 or unlimited-point matches. - Resignation with 1, 2, 3 and unlimited times multiplier. - Universal App: enhanced graphics for iPad and retina displays. - Neural Network based advanced computer algorithm. - Extensive settings screen allows users to customize their experience (see screen shots). - Multiple dice rolling algorithms. - Statistics screen: tracks games won, matches points won, as well as dice roll statistics. - If the losing player disconnects from the game the winning player gets awarded the win. - 60-second time limit per move for Game Center Auto-Match games.
Northsense
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Northsense is a daily exercise for your sense of direction. A Daily Quest takes about 90 seconds. Each round, the app names a bearing — north, southwest, 47 degrees — and asks you to point your iPhone at it. Tap to lock when you think you are aimed right. Northsense measures your error in degrees and scores the round out of 100. A Daily Quest is five rounds by default, and you can choose anything from 3 to 10 in Settings. Keep a quest's average error at 30° or less and your streak counts up. It is a training game, not a navigation tool — for hikers, orienteers, sailors, geocachers, kids learning geography, or anyone who likes a small daily warm-up for the mind. HOW A ROUND IS SCORED • Bullseye within 3°, Great within 10°, Good within 25°, then Off, Way off and Other side. • Haptic feedback marks each result: success for a close lock, a warning or an error for a far one. Haptics can be switched off in Settings. FOUR MODES • Daily Quest — new bearings every quest, once a day. Build a streak. • Free Practice — pick north, east, south or west, or any bearing from 0° to 359°, and try as many times as you like. • No-eyes Quest (Pro) — the screen hides the compass and a voice names the bearing. Close your eyes, point, tap anywhere to lock, and the voice reads your result. The voice speaks the language of the app and can be switched off in Settings. • Memory Walk (Pro) — face a direction, tap Start, walk anywhere for 30 to 200 steps, then point back to where you started, from memory. Your steps are counted with the iPhone's motion sensors. SEE YOUR PROGRESS • Stats tab: your day streak, your best score for each of the last seven days, how your quests split between modes, and your recent quests. TRUE NORTH (OPTIONAL) By default Northsense uses your iPhone's compass heading. Turn on "Use true north" in Settings and the Daily Quest also asks for your approximate location, only while a quest is running, to correct the compass for magnetic declination. The location is not stored. FREE AND PRO Daily Quest, Free Practice and Stats are free. Northsense Pro, a one-time in-app purchase, unlocks No-eyes Quest and Memory Walk. Unlock and Restore Purchase are in Settings. PRIVATE No account and no ads. Your scores and history stay on your iPhone, and the compass heading is read on the device. Purchases go through the App Store. WORKS WITH WHAT YOU HAVE • iPhone with a built-in compass (magnetometer). iPhone only. A daily minute. A sharper compass instinct.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Northsense at none against Backgammon Tutor's 2. Northsense also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Backgammon Tutor's advantage is iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). On price and device support 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. Backgammon Tutor sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. Northsense asks for nothing beyond the download.
Backgammon Tutor ships an update every 2 months, Northsense fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Backgammon Tutor | Northsense |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (314 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 27.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 314 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Quatrian Inc. | Ilia Filiaev |
Bugs and requests
Backgammon Tutor
Reported bugs
12 issues- App crashes and restarts
- Computer rolls too many doubles
- Computer rolls specific numbers to win
- Computer cheats
- Dice rolls are not random
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- Game is rigged
- Computer always wins initial roll
- Computer gets doubles more often
- Computer rolls 6 more frequently
- Skill ratings not kept
- Does not work on older phones
- Not compatible with older iOS versions
Requested features
7 requests- Increase customization options
- More step-by-step instructions
- Auto-roll option
- Auto-select knocked out piece
- Option to re-roll dice
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- Recognize when game has limited moves and notify player with auto-complete option
- Market better to increase online players
Northsense
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Backgammon Tutor
- No Ads Subscription$1.991 Year
- No Ads$4.99
Northsense
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Backgammon Tutor free?
Is Northsense free?
Do Backgammon Tutor or Northsense have ads?
Which is updated more often, Backgammon Tutor or Northsense?
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