Trace 2 vs Devil Shard
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Trace 2
Draw platforms and navigate obstacles to reach the goal in this puzzle platformer. Explore eight new worlds with 160 challenging levels, featuring new gameplay mechanics and stunning artwork.
- Draw platforms
- Navigate obstacles
- 8 new worlds
- 160 levels
- New gameplay mechanics
- Original music
- Stunning artwork
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The sequel to 2008's hit puzzle platformer is finally here! Trace 2 features eight brand new worlds to explore and tons of new gameplay mechanics to discover. Use the touch screen to draw platforms and navigate past obstacles to reach the goal at the end of each level. • 8 new worlds, with 160 levels • Brand new game engine • 30 minutes of original music • Stunning artwork by videogame artist Orioto (http://orioto.tumblr.com/) • Universal App
Devil Shard
Embark on a retro-style match-3 RPG adventure to stop a war and face a great evil. Plan strategic combos, unlock powerful allies, and collect diverse equipment. Conquer numerous enemies and stages to uncover the truth and achieve a true ending.
- Match-3 puzzle with RPG elements
- Strategic tile swapping for combos
- Unlock and summon 9 incarnations
- Collect and upgrade 32 equipment
- Battle 37 different enemies
- Complete 8 story stages and a hidden stage
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Pocketgamer.uk 8/10 - "A brilliant and seamless combination of match-three, RPG, and turn-based combat that belies the simplicity of its excellent design" ----------------------------------------------------------- Devil Shard is a retro style match-3 RPG. You play as a hero who needs to stop a war caused by the emperor. During the journey you will discover more than the truth and face a great evil. Features - Combines RPG elements with match-3 rules puzzle game - Easily plan your combos by swapping adjacent tiles even if they don't create a match 3 - Unlock and summon 9 powerful incarnations to fight for you - 37 different enemies hoping to end your journey - 32 equipment with different abilities to collect and upgrade - 9 incarnations with unique abilities to unlock, upgrade and fight for you - 8 stages to complete with stories to experience - Unlock a hidden stage after finishing the story - 36 achievements to conquer - The hidden stage features: high scores, new loots, new bosses, a true ending, and 2 powerful incarnations ----------------------------------------------------------- Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TowerofFortune Gameplay Movie http://youtu.be/ccXuEksHkC8
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Trace 2 at none against Devil Shard's 6. Devil Shard's advantage is update cadence (every 7 months vs every 48 months) and rating (4.4 vs 4.1). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Trace 2 costs $2.99 and Devil Shard $1.99 up front. Devil Shard sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Trace 2 asks for nothing beyond the download.
Devil Shard holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 45 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Trace 2's written reviews are positive against 84% of Devil Shard's.
Trace 2 ships an update every 48 months, Devil Shard every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Trace 2 | Devil Shard |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.1 (31 ratings) | 4.4 (45 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 63.3% of reviews | 83.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 31 | 45 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 48 months | Every 7 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 117 MB | 47 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kevin Calderone | Game Stew |
Customer experience
Trace 2
Devil Shard
Bugs and requests
Trace 2
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Devil Shard
Reported bugs
6 issues- Item selection scroll problem on iPhone 6s Plus (items display in middle of screen)
- Unable to equip, melt, or forge items on certain devices
- In-app purchase functionality broken
- Character equipment not persisting correctly
- No undo option for melted items
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- Difficulty balancing issues causing unfair difficulty spikes
Requested features
9 requests- Swipeable match-3 controls (standard for genre)
- More customization options for character progression
- Persistent progress or checkpoints upon death
- Better equipment distribution and tile spawning
- Reduced grinding requirements
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- More narrative depth and story elements
- Undo function for accidental item melting
- Improved menu systems and UI clarity
- Additional game modes or difficulty settings
In-app purchases
Trace 2
No in-app purchases
Devil Shard
- 1000G$0.99
- 2500G$1.99
- 7500G$4.99
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- 17500G$9.99
- 40000G$19.99
- 75000G$29.99
