RookStar vs ChessXpanse
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RookStar
A challenging puzzle game where you strategically move rooks to target positions. Compete with friends or others in daily challenges. Offers a yearly subscription to remove ads.
- Strategic rook movement
- Target position puzzles
- Play with friends
- Daily challenges
- Ad-free subscription
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You control five rooks that move in straight lines until they hit a wall or another rook. For each problem, try to move the rook with the same color as the target to the target position(rotating star) in as few moves as possible. Play with friends or compete against others in the daily challenges. Subscription options We have the following subscription periods in our game: 1. Remove ads yearly subscription for $2.49 for skipping ads during one year. End of trial and subscription renewal This price is established for Swedish customers. Pricing in other countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on the country of residence. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Cancelling trial or subscription You can turn off the auto-renew for the subscription whenever you want to through iTunes. Check https://support.apple.com/HT202039 . When your current trial/subscription period expires, you will be unsubscribed. The current active subscription period can not be cancelled. When your subscription expires, you will no longer be able to use elements included in Subscription option.
ChessXpanse
Experience a unique chess variant with dynamic battlefields and new strategic units. Engage in intense, immediate matches where every move is critical to outmaneuver your opponent and achieve victory.
- Dynamic board sizes and starting positions
- Three new strategic units: GateKeeper, Mage, Archer
- Immediate and intense close-proximity combat
- Adaptable strategy for varied gameplay
- Focus on tactical piece deployment
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Step into ChessXpanse, where classic chess meets dynamic warfare. Each match begins with a unique battlefield—board sizes and starting positions vary, ensuring no two games are alike. Traditional chess pieces are deployed alongside three powerful new additions: The GateKeeper, The Mage, and The Archer. With all units positioned in close proximity, the action is immediate and intense. Every move counts in this fight to eliminate your opponent’s last King. Adapt your strategy, master the new pieces and tactics, and dominate the board. Are you ready to expand your game?
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: RookStar at 12 against ChessXpanse's 3. RookStar also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. RookStar sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.49 per year and ChessXpanse sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for RookStar against 5.0 for ChessXpanse. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
RookStar ships an update every 6 weeks, ChessXpanse every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RookStar | ChessXpanse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (12 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 104 MB | 167 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Mats Eriksson | Gamejillion, Inc. |
Customer experience
RookStar
ChessXpanse
In-app purchases
RookStar
- Remove ads 1 year subscription$2.491 Year
ChessXpanse
- Nova Membership$2.991 Month
- Interstellar Membership$3.991 Month
- Quasar Membership$4.991 Month
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Quasar Membership$5.991 Month
- 1000 Star Coins$0.99
- 3000 Star Coins$1.99
- 10000 Star Coins$5.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- 15000 Star Coins$6.99
- 20000 Star Coins2 variants$7.99









