Comparison

Embergram vs Chessdoku

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

Head to head
About

Embergram

Solve logic puzzles by burning matches to meet row and column constraints. Mark un-burnable sections by painting from the tail. Navigate increasingly complex, hand-crafted levels that require pure logic.

Highlights
  • Burn matches to satisfy constraints
  • Paint to mark un-burnable sections
  • Hand-crafted levels
  • Pure logic, no guessing required
  • Additional level packs available
Features
Read full description

Burn matches from the head down to satisfy the row and column constraints. Paint from the tail to mark sections you want to remember as un-burnable. But when the matches start curving, don't let it tie your brain into a knot! - The first 144 levels are free to play and have been hand crafted by a human - no procedural generation! - All levels can be completed with pure logic and no guessing - Additional packs of levels are available as an in-app purchase

About

Chessdoku

This logic puzzle game combines Sudoku-style placement with chess piece attack rules. Solve over 1,500 unique puzzles across five distinct game modes, with a daily challenge for all players. Enjoy a pure, offline experience with no ads or tracking.

Highlights
  • Sudoku-style piece placement
  • Chess piece attack logic
  • Five unique game modes
  • 1,500 puzzles
  • Daily challenge
  • Offline play
  • Hint system with deductions
Features
Read full description

Place the given chess pieces so every row and column holds exactly one piece — and no piece threatens another. That's Chessdoku: the discipline of Sudoku, the geometry of chess. NO GUESSING, EVER Every puzzle is generated by a built-in deduction engine and verified solvable by pure logic. Stuck? The hint doesn't just drop a piece — it explains the deduction you could have made. FIVE WAYS TO PLAY - Classic — open square boards, from a gentle 4×4 to the deep end - Panorama — wide boards that bend your instincts - Fortress — frozen pawn walls cut the lines, so extra pieces fit - Command — you place the pawns, and your pieces need them - Torus — borderless boards where attacks wrap around the edges 300 levels in each mode — 1,500 puzzles in all. EVERY DAY, ONE PUZZLE A daily challenge seeded from the date, identical for every player on Earth. Keep your streak alive and share your result, spoiler-free. THINK WITH YOUR HANDS Cross off dead squares with the X tool, pencil-mark individual piece options Sudoku-style, long-press any piece to see exactly what it attacks, and let the app prove it the moment a position becomes unwinnable. FREE TO PLAY The daily challenge, the tutorial, and a generous run of free levels — including the first 100 in Classic — are free to everyone. One optional purchase unlocks all 1,500 levels and every Quick Play preset — no subscription, ever. YOURS, OFFLINE No account. No ads. No tracking. Puzzles are generated on your device and your progress never leaves it. Seventeen handcrafted board themes, including a colorblind-friendly high-contrast set.

Screenshots

Embergram4 screens
Chessdoku4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chessdoku at every 5 weeks against Embergram's every 76 months. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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

Both are free to download. Embergram sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chessdoku sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Embergram against 5.0 for Chessdoku. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Embergram ships an update every 76 months, Chessdoku every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Embergram versus Chessdoku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmbergramChessdoku
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 76 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMatthew GillespieMatt Falk

Customer experience

Embergram

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Chessdoku

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Embergram

One-time1
  • Embergram$4.99
1 purchases

Chessdoku

One-time1
  • Unlock Everything$4.99

Questions

Is Embergram free?
Embergram is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chessdoku free?
Chessdoku is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Embergram or Chessdoku?
Embergram and Chessdoku are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Embergram or Chessdoku have ads?
Neither Embergram nor Chessdoku shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Embergram or Chessdoku?
Embergram ships an update every 76 months, and Chessdoku every 5 weeks. Most recently, Embergram was updated on November 3, 2026 and Chessdoku on October 31, 2026.

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