Astraware Board Games App Reviews

Please!!! for iPad and retina display!!!!!!!!!

I bought this app primarily for backgammon, and I didnt balk at the price because as a long-time Palm PDA user I enjoyed many Handmark apps and always found them worth the money. But unfortunately all theyve done here is a straight port of the game from a stylus-driven platform, plus an accelerometer dice roller thrown in to look like theyve done something. The result is very poorly adapted to iPhone/Touch. The backgammon game is unplayable because the pieces are far, far too hard to pick up and place accurately with human fingers (and no I do not have fat fingers - Im a tiny little fine-boned person - and Im not a dumb n00b who cant figure out the interface either). Its incredibly frustrating. The piece movement mechanics need a complete overhaul, and the game should be playable in the roomier landscape screen mode. The AI might be OK, but youd never know because the game isnt even playable. Im very, very disappointed in Astraware/Handmark. I did try out the chess game a couple of times and it is playable, but the AI seems kind of dumb: Im a terrible chess player (thats why I play backgammon :) so there is no way I should be able to take both of my opponents bishops consistently in the first seven moves on medium difficulty. If *I* need to crank up the difficulty to the highest level in order to get a challenging game, a real chess player will be quite disappointed.

A great collection of games for the price. Perfect for casual game playing.

This is a great game with a very true-to-life board game feel. Seems like I am actually picking up the pieces and moving them. The multiplayer is great to play with the kids. Definitely worth the $5 for the best board games in the store.

Im no chess expert but this thing attacked me with its rook pawn for its opening move (yes, it was set at the highest setting). Im guessing this program would be a lot more fun for a younger crowd, or for two players. Overall nice graphics, and lots of games packed in (I like that...saves icon space). Just...not really challenging for 1 player.

They made fancy glass pieces and shdows, but forgot about gameplay. The chess pieces are too hard to distiguish and are so close together they almost seem to overlap. Id rather have smaller pieces that I can see clearly. Similarly, they put shadows on the chess pieces to look "cool" and "3d" buy the shdiws just make the black pieces look oblong. Overall Im very disappointed. I expected better from Astoware.

Backgammon games get out of sync over wifi. Very frustrating.

This is great to play against one another any of these games. Good AI for kids to learn the games. Not good AI if your looking for a challenge. Get this for the wifi 2 player mode. They did in recent update flip the board for chess so player 2 (black) isnt looking at board reverse. Id say only thing left is to make an optional 2D chess mode and we got ourselves a winner.

I waited till this went on sale, and Im glad I did. In its current form its closer to $2.99 in value. Dont get me wrong it has a lot if replay value and I love all the games. Even if I dont know how to play them all yet. My problem Is there are too many steps to just replay a game. Tic-tac-toe is a quick game, when you finish you shouldnt have to go through a couple steps just to play again, slows the fun factor. The games should assume your continuing the same setup and not forced to verify after each round. Also, as a small issue, it would be nice to be able to add a female character face for when my daughter wants to play. Overall Im happy with my purchase. I hope the developers care enough to consider these suggestions to improve the app.

They waste a great interface with a terrible game engine. A 6-year can beat the game in the "hardest" chess and backgammon settings. Waste of money, dont buy. PS: I am no genius... Neither an expert on these games...

Graphics & sounds are nice. Plus the instructions on each game is very straight forward.

This is one of the worst apps Ive seen, at any price. I bought it for Backgammon. The computer just makes random moves, without any particular strategy. It is no challenge whatsoever. I would be better off playing against my 5 year old. For example, if it rolled a 6-1 on its opening roll, it would move from 13 into its home board (6) instead of making its bar point would know. I wrote to Astraware about it, but got no response. Dont waste your money.

It get stuck every time i try to play over wifi

I havent encountered any bugs with this app, but I did find the AI to be way too easy to beat. Yes I had the difficulty at HARD on each game, but it made no difference.

Wow--Ive never wasted money on an app with this many bugs before. I highly recommend you pass on this one.

I offered to QA for them via direct email a few months ago, but never heard back from them. Dont waste your money. As of their last update, I can no longer even open the app.

8 games included: chess, backgammon, checkers, ludo, nine mens morris, reversi, tic tac toe, and snakes and ladders. The computer player is so dumb it manages to lose tic tac toe multiple times. It poses no challenge whatsoever even at hard level. Multiplayer is supposed to work between two iphone/ipad/ipod touch, but when you try to connect, the app just exits.

I have this on my nook color At least there I can figure out how to play the computer I only have the option to wait for another player.