Comparison

Penrose stairs vs TriLevelChess

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Penrose stairs

A two-player board game inspired by impossible stair designs. Players strategically stack and eliminate opponent's blocks by jumping on them. Offers both turn-based and real-time gameplay, with online multiplayer and single-player training modes.

Highlights
  • Chess-like strategy gameplay
  • Paradoxical board designs
  • Block stacking and elimination
  • Turn-based and real-time modes
  • Online multiplayer via Game Center
  • Single-player training modes
Features
Read full description

*PenroseStairs* is a "chess-like" board game for two players. The game boards are paradoxical scenes of impossible stairs, similar to the drawings of M. C. Escher. Animatable representations of these optical illusions open up the possibility for a new, unique board game: --- The 2 players try to stack their blocks and eliminate their opponent's blocks by jumping on them --- The strategy can be to block the other player's moves first. You can play a turn-based or a non-turn-based game. PenroseStairs supports Game Center, so you can play online with friends. Two different 1-player training modes allow you to improve your skills: - In the first mode you try to follow an arrow, the race continues as long as you are fast enough and don't make a wrong move. - In the second mode you'll try to stack a marked block in a specific position, a stacking exercise.

About

TriLevelChess

Features
Read full description

EXPERIENCE CHESS IN THREE DIMENSIONS Tri Level Chess reimagines the classic game with a revolutionary vertical twist. Play on three stacked boards where pieces can move up and down between levels, creating entirely new tactical possibilities and strategic depth. MASTER VERTICAL STRATEGY - Move pieces across three parallel chess boards - Rooks ascend and descend vertically like elevators - Knights leap between levels with devastating effect - Bishops cut diagonal paths through multiple planes - Every piece gains new attacking angles and escape routes MANY EXCITING VARIANTS Classic 3D Chess Experience traditional chess rules across three dimensions. Perfect for learning the vertical strategy fundamentals. Chess960 (Fischer Random) Randomized starting positions on three levels create 960 unique opening configurations. No memorized openings—just pure strategy. Atomic Chess Captures trigger explosive chain reactions! When pieces capture, both attacker and captured piece (plus adjacent non-pawns) vanish in a blast. Kings can never capture. Aggressive tactics meet calculated risk. Crazyhouse Captured pieces join your hand and can be dropped back onto any level! Place opponent's pieces as your own for wild tactical combinations across all three boards. Looming Extinction Your chess world is shrinking. Can you prevail before there are not moves left? Frontier Chess Your chess world is about to expand! King of the Hill Move your king to the center area for a quick win! PLAY YOUR WAY - Challenge the AI with three difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, Hard) - Play locally against friends with pass-and-play - Compete asynchronously via Remote Play - share moves through messages or email - Set up custom positions and puzzles - Choose starting levels: both on the same board, or split between top and bottom POWERFUL FEATURES - See valid moves highlighted across all three levels - Inspect enemy piece threats with long-press - Full undo/redo navigation through game history - Complete move log tracking - Material advantage calculator - Optional chess clock with customizable time controls - Save and load multiple games - Share positions with friends - Export games for analysis - Setup positions and share with friends THOUGHTFUL DESIGN - Clean, intuitive interface designed for iPad and iPhone - Smooth piece dragging with haptic feedback - Zoom and pan for detailed board inspection - Portrait and landscape support - No ads, no subscriptions, no in-app purchases - Buy once, play forever PERFECT FOR - Chess players seeking new challenges beyond 2D - Strategy game enthusiasts who love deep tactical puzzles - Puzzle creators exploring three-dimensional tactics - Friends looking for a unique competitive experience - Anyone curious about chess with a vertical dimension THREE BOARDS. INFINITE POSSIBILITIES. Download Tri Level Chess and discover a whole new dimension of strategy.

Screenshots

Penrose stairs4 screens
TriLevelChess4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TriLevelChess at none against Penrose stairs's 8. TriLevelChess also leads on price ($0.99 vs $2.99). Penrose stairs's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.6). On update cadence, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Penrose stairs costs $2.99 and TriLevelChess $0.99 up front. Penrose stairs sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. TriLevelChess asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Penrose stairs ships an update every 6 weeks, TriLevelChess every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Penrose stairs versus TriLevelChess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenrose stairsTriLevelChess
Price$2.99$0.99 — better
Rating1.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohannes LoefflerDavid Michael Matusow

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Penrose stairs

One-time7
  • Level 02 variants$5.99
  • Level 1$5.99
  • Level 3$5.99
Show 4 more
  • Level 2$5.99
  • Level 4$5.99
  • Level 5$5.99
  • Levels$19.99
None

TriLevelChess

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Penrose stairs free?
Penrose stairs costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is TriLevelChess free?
TriLevelChess costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Penrose stairs or TriLevelChess have ads?
Neither Penrose stairs nor TriLevelChess shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Penrose stairs or TriLevelChess?
Penrose stairs ships an update every 6 weeks, and TriLevelChess every 2 months. Most recently, Penrose stairs was updated on November 6, 2026 and TriLevelChess on October 30, 2026.

Other comparisons