- What is it? An original strategy game inspired by Chess
- Who is it for? Tactical thinkers who need a quick fix
- How much does it cost? Free to play, with optional premium features for $7/£7
- What makes it special? It’s easy to pick up with lots of depth and ways to play
Chess fans – or anyone who loves a quick, tactical challenge – will find plenty to enjoy with kingbit, a minimal, strategic turn-based game that’s just received a major upgrade to version 2.0. At its core, kingbit retains chess’s familiar objective: eliminate your opponent’s king. But it introduces fresh elements including pieces with unique sizes, movement ranges, hit points, and even ranged attacks. See the graphic below for a quick overview from the developer.
Matches typically take under ten minutes, making kingbit ideal for short breaks. You can dive into quick sessions against human opponents through Game Center or challenge yourself against AI bots for a solo challenge. The game was already featured by Apple on first release, but version 2.0 improves things across the board with more vibrant colors, smoother animations, clearer icons, and intuitive swipe controls. It’s a lovely effort, especially as a solo developer’s passion project.
Other notable additions in this latest update include a helpful tutorial and onboarding flow – perfect if you’ve never played before – as well as local pass-and-play multiplayer, a premium classic chess theme, and some practical features like haptic feedback and turn notifications. It’s an engaging, accessible, and skill-based game that’s free to play and crucially not pay-to-win. If you like one-on-one strategy games, give it a shot.