Cardinal Chains vs Black Square Puzzle
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cardinal Chains
A minimalist puzzle game where players link numbers in non-decreasing sequences to fill a monochrome grid with color. It offers a relaxing experience with a handcrafted soundtrack and elegant design, free from timers or ads.
- 500 unique handcrafted puzzles
- Non-decreasing sequence gameplay
- Chill-out soundtrack
- Minimalist design
- Customizable color themes
- Achievements and cloud saves
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Cardinal Chains is a minimalist puzzle game centering on the concept of non-decreasing sequences. Each puzzle begins with a monochrome grid of numbers, plus a few colored cells marked with an X. Starting at these cells, you must link up numbers in non-decreasing order until the whole grid is filled with color. • 500 unique, carefully handcrafted puzzles of varying difficulty, each with a single solution • Beautiful, lengthy chill-out soundtrack created by accomplished professional artists • Minimalist, elegant design without timers, ads, purchases or other hassles - just pure gameplay • Several built-in color themes, including colorblind options. Or... • ...make your own color themes - right from within the game! • Features achievements and cloud saves
Black Square Puzzle
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Switch off all the lights and convert every level back to Black Square. Innovative mechanic and deep gameplay! Watch it! The solution gets harder with every next stage. Have a fun!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Black Square Puzzle at Free against Cardinal Chains's $2.99. Black Square Puzzle also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). Cardinal Chains's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases 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
Black Square Puzzle is free to download; Cardinal Chains costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Cardinal Chains ships an update every 5 months, Black Square Puzzle daily. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cardinal Chains | Black Square Puzzle |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (24 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 24 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 101 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daniel Nora | ANDREY NOVIKOV |
In-app purchases
Cardinal Chains
No in-app purchases
Black Square Puzzle
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Cardinal Chains free?
Is Black Square Puzzle free?
Do Cardinal Chains or Black Square Puzzle have ads?
Which is updated more often, Cardinal Chains or Black Square Puzzle?
Other comparisons
