Comparison

Laser Chess vs Chess

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

Head to head
About

Laser Chess

Engage in a tactical duel where you must position mirrors and fire lasers to destroy your opponent's King. Master geometry and strategy across different game modes, playing solo, locally, or online.

Highlights
  • Tactical mirror placement
  • Laser firing mechanics
  • Classic and Advanced modes
  • Online and local multiplayer
  • Solo AI practice
  • Variety of reflective pieces
Read full description

Step into the ultimate tactical duel of mirrors and light. In Laser Chess, you must position your pieces, calculate precise angles, and fire your laser to obliterate the enemy King - before they do the same to you. AIM. FIRE. OUTTHINK. Every turn tests your spatial intelligence. Angle your mirrors to send the laser ricocheting across the board, but be careful: one misplaced piece, and the reflection could destroy your own King! Master the geometry, calculate your strategy, and brace yourself for the unpredictable chaos of the hypergons. It takes skill, nerve, and a little luck to win. CHOOSE YOUR BATTLEFIELD Classic Mode: Tight, high-tension gameplay with two actions per turn on a 9x9 grid. Advanced Mode: A massive 15x11 board, three actions per turn, and a chaotic arsenal of beam splitters, bombs, and hypergons. PLAY ANYONE, ANYWHERE Online Matchmaking: Play against friends, just connect and select each other. Local Pass-and-Play: Go head-to-head with a friend on a single screen. Solo AI Practice: Test new strategies offline against our practice AI. AN ARSENAL OF REFLECTION Command lasers, one-way mirrors, beam splitters, stunners, bombs, and more. Each piece bends, blocks, or scatters light in a unique way. Master their interactions to turn the entire board into a deadly weapon. BACKED BY LASERCHESS.ORG Celebrating a thriving community and 25+ years of laser chess support by laserchess.org. Easy to learn. A lifetime to master. Line up the perfect shot.

About

Chess

Features
Read full description

Chess with one capture rule changed — and that one change rewires how you think. THE RULE Pieces can only capture the same type. • Pawns capture pawns • Knights capture knights • Queens capture queens • Kings still capture anything (like normal chess) Everything else is normal: check, checkmate, castling, en passant, promotion. WHY PLAY THIS Regular chess rewards muscle memory. Openings on autopilot. Patterns you stop questioning. Here, every capture is a decision. Positions that look like blunders aren’t. Safe-looking pieces suddenly aren’t. It’s a workout for calculation — the kind that transfers back when you return to standard chess. FEATURES • Full games vs CPU (multiple strengths) or pass-and-play • Offline — no account required • Weird-rule mate puzzles built for this capture rule • Themes and piece sets • Optional clocks If you’re stuck in the same games, try a rule that won’t let your hands play for you.

Screenshots

Laser Chess3 screens
Chess4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Laser Chess at none against Chess's 1. Laser Chess also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Laser Chess asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Laser Chess ships an update every 6 days, Chess every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Laser Chess versus Chess: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLaser ChessChess
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.7 (177 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings177 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperModular Dreams IncDavid Medawar

In-app purchases

None

Laser Chess

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Chess

One-time1
  • Unlock Full Game$1.99

Questions

Is Laser Chess free?
Laser Chess is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chess free?
Chess is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Laser Chess or Chess have ads?
Chess shows ads; Laser Chess does not.
Which is updated more often, Laser Chess or Chess?
Laser Chess ships an update every 6 days, and Chess every 5 days. Most recently, Laser Chess was updated on October 29, 2026 and Chess on October 25, 2026.

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