Comparison

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) vs Dawncaster

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

Head to head
About

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.)

Embark on an epic role-playing adventure across different eras to save the planet. This definitive edition features updated graphics, sound, and new dungeons for an enhanced experience.

Highlights
  • Time travel across multiple eras
  • Active Time Battle Version 2
  • Over 50 character combos
  • Dimensional Vortex dungeon
  • Lost Sanctum dungeon
  • Updated graphics and sound
Read full description

Journey to the forgotten past, to the far future, and to the end of time. A big adventure to save the planet, now begins… CHRONO TRIGGER is the timeless role-playing classic developed by the ‘Dream Team’ of DRAGON QUEST creator Yuji Horii, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, and the creators of FINAL FANTASY. As the story unfolds, embark on a journey to different eras: the present, the middle ages, the future, prehistory, and ancient times! Whether you're a first-time player or a longtime fan, this epic quest to save a planet's future promises hours of enthralling adventure! As the definitive version of CHRONO TRIGGER, not only have the controls been updated, the graphics and sound have also been revamped to make your adventure even more fun and enjoyable to play. To complete your journey, also included is the mysterious ‘Dimensional Vortex’ dungeon and the forgotten ‘Lost Sanctum’ dungeon. Meet the challenges presented to you and long-lost secrets may be revealed... Story: A chance encounter amid the festivities of Guardia's Millennial Fair in Leene Square introduces our young hero, Crono, to a girl by the name of Marle. Deciding to explore the fair together, the two soon find themselves at an exhibition of the Telepod, the latest invention by Crono's longtime friend Lucca. Marle, fearless and brimming with curiosity, volunteers to assist in a demonstration. An unanticipated malfunction, however, sends her hurtling through a rift in the dimensions. Taking hold of the girl's pendant, Crono bravely follows in pursuit. But the world into which he emerges is the one of four centuries before. Journey to the forgotten past, the distant future, and even to the very End of Time. The epic quest to save a planet's future makes history once again. Key features: Active Time Battle Version 2 During battle, time will not stop, and you can enter commands when the character's gauge is full. The enemies' positions will change as time passes, so choose your actions based on any given situation. ‘Tech’ moves and combos During battle, you can unleash special ‘Tech’ moves, including abilities and/or magic and characters can combine these abilities to unleash all new combo attacks which are unique to them. There are over 50 different types of combos that you can execute between two and three characters! Experience the 'Dimensional Vortex' and the 'Lost Sanctum' dungeons The Dimensional Vortex: a mysterious, ever-changing dungeon existing outside of space and time. What wonders await you at its center? The Lost Sanctum: enigmatic gates in prehistoric and medieval times will lead you to these forgotten chambers. Meet the challenges presented to you and long-lost secrets may be revealed... Graphics and sound While keeping the atmosphere of the original, the graphics have been updated in higher resolution. As for the sound and music, under the supervision of composer Yasunori Mitsuda, all songs have been updated for an even more immersive gameplay experience. Autosave In addition to saving at a save point or choosing to quit from the menu, your progress is saved automatically while traversing the map. --------------------------------------------

About

Dawncaster

Embark on a tactical deck-building adventure with over 900 illustrated cards. Explore a mysterious world, master unique class abilities, and forge your own path through a rich narrative. Enjoy a complete premium experience with no ads or microtransactions.

Highlights
  • Over 900 hand-illustrated cards
  • Unique class abilities
  • Innovative energy system
  • Richly illustrated world
  • Randomized encounters
  • Unlockable content
Features
Read full description

Dawncaster: Epic Deck-Building Adventure Dive into a world of strategy and magic in Dawncaster, the ultimate deck-building experience with over 900 stunning hand-illustrated cards. Will you become a shadow-dancing rogue, an indomitable warrior, a mysterious Seeker, or forge your own path? Unravel the dark secrets of Aethos in this tactical masterpiece that revolutionizes mobile card gaming. Redefining Card Games - Experience groundbreaking mechanics that seasoned players will love - Blend unique class abilities with powerful weapons and enchantments - Master an innovative energy system, freeing you from traditional deckbuilder constraints A World Shrouded in Mystery - Embark on a quest to find the legendary 'Dawnbringer' lost in the corrupted realm of Umbris - Immerse yourself in a richly illustrated world with compelling dialogue and meaningful choices - Shape the fate of a desperate world through your actions Complete Gaming Experience - Unlock all cards and classes with your purchase - no microtransactions! - Open up new exciting area's with optional expansion packs for even more content - Enjoy a premium game free from ads, timers, or pay-to-win mechanics Endless Replayability - Every run is unique with randomized encounters and battles - Unlock new starting cards, portraits, and challenges - Test your skills with increasing difficulty levels Join the Dawncaster Community - Connect with fellow players and developers on the Discord server - Share strategies, get the latest updates, and influence the game's future - Be part of a passionate community that's shaping the future of Dawncaster Ready to answer the call? Download Dawncaster now and begin your legendary journey! Discord: https://discord.gg/pfeMG9c Website: https://dawncaster.wanderlost.games

Screenshots

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.)4 screens
Dawncaster4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) at none against Dawncaster's 14. CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Dawncaster's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 10 months) and price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On ratings volume, ads, monetization model and chart position 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

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) costs $9.99 and Dawncaster $4.99 up front. Dawncaster sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dawncaster holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.3K and 924 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.)'s written reviews are positive against 80% of Dawncaster's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) ships an update every 10 months, Dawncaster every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) versus Dawncaster: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.)Dawncaster
Price$9.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.5 (1.3K ratings)4.7 (924 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.3% of reviews80.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.3K — better924
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#10#6 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size532 MB1.4 GB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperSQUARE ENIXRick van der Wal

Customer experience

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.)

All ratings1,300 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral5.2%
Negative8.8%
Written reviews406 reviews
Positive66.3%
Neutral11.3%
Negative22.4%

Dawncaster

All ratings924 ratings
Positive90.6%
Neutral3.1%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews459 reviews
Positive80.2%
Neutral7.4%
Negative12.4%

User reviews

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.)

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great game, classic JRPG
  • 👍 Faithful port of the original
  • 👍 Runs well on iOS devices
  • 👍 Supports controllers
  • 👍 Cloud save functionality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Graphical issues and glitches
  • 🐛 Targeting and controls can be clunky
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🔍 Lack of language/UI customization options

Dawncaster

From 924 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Constant updates
  • 🔥 Addictive gameplay loop
  • 🔍 Discovering new secrets
  • 💎 Excellent value for money
  • 🎨 Beautiful art and visuals

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔍 Steep learning curve
  • 🔁 Repetitive enemy and boss encounters
  • 🕰️ Slow progression and unlock system
  • 🔧 Unbalanced difficulty spikes

Bugs and requests

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.)

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Graphical glitches on iPhone 5s and newer
  • Crashes during certain boss battles
  • Inability to transfer save data across devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add option to disable graphical filters
  • Improve touch controls and targeting
  • Add support for Apple Silicon Macs
  • Include more content from DS/PS1 versions
  • Implement volume/sound controls

Dawncaster

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes after certain card interactions
  • Incorrect card behavior or descriptions
  • Progression loss after updates
  • Compatibility issues on newer devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Endless or challenge mode
  • More language support (e.g. Chinese, Spanish, Russian)
  • Improved tutorial and onboarding
  • Ability to toggle DLC content on/off
  • Checkpoints or save states during runs

In-app purchases

None

CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.)

No in-app purchases

13 purchases

Dawncaster

One-time13
  • Vaul of the Void Promo PackFree
  • Synthesis Support Pack$3.99
  • Infinitum Support Banner$3.99
Show 10 more
  • Eclypse Supporter Pack$3.99
  • Buy the devs a coffee$4.99
  • Tribes of Twilight$4.99
  • Death of Divinity$4.99
  • Masks of Misery$4.99
  • Siege of Shadows$4.99
  • Dawncaster Origins Bundle$4.99
  • Nexus of Nightmares$5.99
  • Infernal Invasions$5.99
  • Dawncaster Mega Bundle$12.99

Questions

Is CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) free?
CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dawncaster free?
Dawncaster costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) or Dawncaster?
Dawncaster is rated higher. CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Dawncaster averages 4.7 from 924 ratings.
Do CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) or Dawncaster have ads?
Neither CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) nor Dawncaster shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) or Dawncaster?
CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) ships an update every 10 months, and Dawncaster every 10 days. Most recently, CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) was updated on September 24, 2026 and Dawncaster on September 23, 2026.
Which is more popular, CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) or Dawncaster?
CHRONO TRIGGER (Upgrade Ver.) currently peaks at #10 in the App Store charts, and Dawncaster at #6. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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