Cardinal Chains vs ECHO
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
ECHO
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Your echoes are your teammates. ECHO is a time-loop puzzle: every run is recorded, and when you press ECHO, your past self replays it - step by step, loop after loop. Hold plates for each other, open doors across time, and thread paths no single runner could ever take. EASY TO LEARN, DEEP TO MASTER - 100 campaign levels across ten decades, from gentle first steps to choreographed finales - Mechanics that weave together: chained doors, counter-doors, double doors, fragile floors, beat walls, paradox boards and mirror echoes that replay your run backwards - Handcrafted signature levels where every single step must be planned FOUR WAYS TO PLAY - Campaign: 100 levels with a carefully tuned difficulty curve - Daily puzzle: one fresh board every day - keep your streak alive - Zen: endless generated puzzles in six difficulties - Time challenge: how many boards can you solve in one run against the clock? MADE WITH CARE - Completely offline: no account, no ads, no tracking, no data collection - Music is synthesized live on your device - no two sessions sound the same - Home-screen widget that grows with your streak - and hides a secret level - Game Center leaderboards and achievements - Available in 7 languages ECHO is free and complete from the first minute. The only purchases are voluntary tips for the developer - they unlock nothing. Your past self is waiting.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: ECHO at Free against Cardinal Chains's $2.99. ECHO also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 5 months). Cardinal Chains's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On ads and in-app purchases 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
ECHO 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, ECHO every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cardinal Chains | ECHO |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 101 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daniel Nora | Lucas Hesseldieck |
In-app purchases
Cardinal Chains
No in-app purchases
ECHO
No in-app purchases









