Customer Reviews (500)

sktlzwatermelon • 2025-03-23T03:01:28-07:00

Yahtzee

lesliekmit • 2025-03-23T02:54:42-07:00

Can play for hours!! I don’t like that the tournament games are the same. I don’t like that the ads don’t give more dice, scratchers, and coins. I don’t like that you can be maxed out with plays and you lose the tickets to play.

KChrist777 • 2025-03-22T20:59:46-07:00

However, I really like receiving prizes and I am not playing as much as I uses to. Prizes are not good. Also the game is taking too much memory on my phone and space

Summary of Key Insights

  • Yahtzee with Buddies is a popular game with a generally positive sentiment, but user reviews highlight significant issues, primarily related to excessive ads, perceived unfairness ("rigged" gameplay), and changes to rewards/features that negatively impact the player experience. While users enjoy the core gameplay, social aspects, and variety of game modes, these issues detract significantly from their enjoyment. The app is seen as increasingly pay-to-win, leading to frustration and potential user churn.
  • Strengths: Engaging core gameplay, social features (playing with friends/family, teams), variety of game modes, and a sense of nostalgia.
  • Weaknesses: Excessive and intrusive ads, perceived "rigged" gameplay to encourage spending, decreasing rewards, increasing costs (dice/energy), glitches and bugs, and a feeling that the game is becoming too focused on monetization and childish themes.
  • Overall Sentiment: Mixed. While many users express love for the core game, frustration with the monetization strategies and technical issues is prominent.
  • Quantitative Metrics:
    • Overall Rating (based on review breakdown): Approximately 4.1 stars (weighted average).
    • Score Distribution: 63.6% 5-star, 12.8% 4-star, 5.4% 3-star, 6.8% 2-star, 11.4% 1-star. This indicates a bimodal distribution with a large proportion of very satisfied users, but also a significant group of very dissatisfied users.

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews.
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but based on the review content, the reviews appear to be from late 2023 and early 2024.
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment Analysis: Manual assessment based on review text to determine positive, negative, or neutral sentiment.
    • Keyword Extraction: Identification of frequently used words and phrases related to specific issues, features, and user opinions.
    • Frequency Analysis: Counting the occurrences of specific themes and requests to identify the most prevalent concerns.

Key User Pain Points

  • Excessive Ads: The most frequently mentioned complaint. Users report ads interrupting gameplay, appearing after nearly every roll, and being overly intrusive. Many feel the ad frequency has increased significantly, making the game less enjoyable.
  • Perceived "Rigged" Gameplay: Many users believe the game is rigged to favor players who spend money. They report experiencing consistently bad rolls when not purchasing dice/bonus rolls and suspect the algorithm is designed to make it difficult to win without spending.
  • Decreasing Rewards and Increasing Costs: Users complain that rewards (dice, bonus rolls, etc.) have been reduced, while the cost to play (dice/energy consumption) has increased. This creates a feeling of being constantly pressured to spend money.
  • Glitches and Bugs: Several users report experiencing glitches, freezing, and technical issues that disrupt gameplay, lead to lost rewards, or require restarting the app.
  • Unfavorable Changes to Features/Games: Many users are unhappy with recent updates that have changed the game's look and feel, made tournaments less rewarding, or introduced unwanted new features (e.g., forced "families"). Some feel the game is becoming too childish.
  • Poor Customer Support: Some reviewers mention unhelpful or unresponsive customer support when addressing technical issues or prize discrepancies.
  • Data Privacy Concerns: Some users express concerns about the extensive data mining practices.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Option to Remove Ads with a One-Time Purchase: Many users are willing to pay to remove ads, but prefer a one-time purchase over a recurring subscription.
  • More Generous Free Dice/Reward System: Users want more opportunities to earn free dice and bonus rolls without having to watch excessive ads or spend money.
  • Fairer Gameplay: Users want the game to feel less rigged and more based on skill and luck, rather than financial investment.
  • Option to Opt-Out of Unwanted Features: Some users want the ability to disable new features or game modes they dislike (e.g., forced "families").
  • Improved Stability and Bug Fixes: Users want a smoother and more reliable gameplay experience with fewer glitches and crashes.
  • Better Rewards in Specific Games: Users request better payouts in tournaments and other game modes.
  • Dice Trading: The ability to trade dice or other items with other players.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Engaging Core Gameplay: Users consistently praise the basic Yahtzee gameplay as fun, addictive, and nostalgic.
  • Social Features: The ability to play with friends, family, and other players online is a major draw. Many users enjoy the team aspect and the social interaction within "families."
  • Variety of Game Modes: The app offers a range of different Yahtzee variations and tournaments, keeping the game fresh and interesting.
  • Accessibility and Convenience: Users appreciate being able to play Yahtzee anytime, anywhere on their phones.
  • Mental Stimulation: Some users find the game mentally stimulating and helpful for memory and cognitive skills.
  • Stress Relief: Many players use the game as a way to relax and unwind.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Reduce Ad Frequency and Intrusiveness: Implement less frequent and less disruptive ad formats. Consider offering a one-time purchase option to remove ads entirely. This is the most pressing issue impacting user experience.
  • Re-evaluate Monetization Strategies: Address concerns about perceived "rigged" gameplay and decreasing rewards. Focus on balancing monetization with a fair and enjoyable player experience. Consider increasing the frequency of free dice rewards and re-evaluating the cost of playing different game modes.
  • Improve Stability and Fix Bugs: Prioritize fixing glitches, freezes, and technical issues that disrupt gameplay. Thoroughly test updates before release.
  • Address Customer Support Issues: Improve the responsiveness and helpfulness of customer support. Provide clear channels for reporting bugs and receiving assistance.

Medium Priority:

  • Reconsider Recent Feature Changes: Evaluate the impact of recent updates and feature changes on user satisfaction. Consider reverting unpopular changes or offering options to customize the game experience.
  • Increase Transparency: Clearly communicate the odds and mechanics of different game modes and reward systems.
  • Offer More Customization Options: Allow users to customize their game experience, such as opting out of unwanted features or choosing their preferred game modes.

Low Priority:

  • Explore New Social Features: Consider adding new social features, such as dice trading or more robust team-based challenges.
  • Enhance Graphics and Visuals: While not a primary concern, improving the graphics and visual appeal could further enhance the user experience.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Fair and Transparent Mobile Games Platform: A platform that prioritizes fair gameplay and transparent monetization practices, avoiding the "pay-to-win" model.
  • Nostalgia-Focused Mobile Games: A studio specializing in creating authentic and faithful adaptations of classic board games, avoiding excessive monetization and unnecessary features.
  • Community-Driven Mobile Game Development: A development process that actively involves players in the design and testing of new features and updates, ensuring that changes align with player preferences.
  • Ad-Free Mobile Gaming Subscription Service: A subscription service that provides access to a library of high-quality mobile games without any ads or in-app purchases.

Trends and Observations

  • Increasing Frustration Over Time: Reviews suggest a growing level of frustration with the game's monetization strategies and technical issues over time.
  • Negative Impact of Updates: Recent updates seem to have negatively impacted user sentiment, particularly regarding changes to rewards and the introduction of unwanted features.
  • Polarization of User Opinions: The score distribution reveals a bimodal distribution, indicating a significant divide between very satisfied and very dissatisfied users.
  • Monetization vs. User Experience: There's a clear tension between the developer's desire to monetize the game and users' desire for a fair and enjoyable experience.

Conclusion

Yahtzee with Buddies has a strong foundation with its engaging core gameplay and social features. However, the app's monetization strategies, technical issues, and recent feature changes are significantly detracting from the user experience. To retain existing players and attract new ones, the developer needs to prioritize addressing the identified pain points, particularly those related to excessive ads and perceived unfairness. A more balanced approach that prioritizes player satisfaction over aggressive monetization is essential for the long-term success of the game. A focus on stability, fairness, and player choice is recommended.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yahtzee-with-buddies-dice/id1206967173?uo=2