Comparison

Tri vs Dark Squares

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

Head to head
About

Tri

Experience chess in a new dimension with this strategy game played across three levels and four attack decks. Master three-dimensional tactics to outmaneuver your opponent. A tutorial guides you through the unique gameplay.

Highlights
  • Three-dimensional gameplay
  • Multiple levels and attack decks
  • Fully movable 3D chessboard
  • Four material options
  • Local, computer, and online play
  • Built-in guide and strategy tips
  • Unlockable achievements
Features
Read full description

Think regular chess is a bit... straightforward? Then try Tri-D Chess — the most popular strategy challenge this side of the Delta Quadrant! Played across three levels and using four Attack Decks, it lets you apply true three-dimensional tactics to checkmate your opponent. Tri-D Chess features the same 64 squares, the same pieces, and the same basic rules as traditional chess… with a few small twists. But don’t worry — the tutorial will quickly teach you everything you need to know to master the game. • Fully movable 3D chessboard • Four material options: wood, glass, metal, and marble • Optional move history and captured-pieces display • Built-in guide with rules and strategy tips • Three game modes: local play (two players on one device), play vs. computer, or online play via Game Center • Unlock up to 6 achievements • Customize the game to your liking Tri-D Chess is free forever. If you enjoy it, you can optionally support the developer. Qapla’!

About

Dark Squares

Experience chess with a magical twist. Arm your pieces with weapons and spells to outmaneuver opponents. Win by capturing the king in this strategic, fast-paced adaptation.

Highlights
  • Real chess mechanics
  • Weapon and spell loadouts
  • King capture victory condition
  • Play friends online
  • Play against AI
  • Ranked online duels
  • Unlock and upgrade weapons
Features
Read full description

This is not the chess you know. Dark Squares is chess, unhinged: every piece can wield a weapon. All the strategy of chess, none of its mercy. FREEZE the knight charging at you. TELEPORT your queen across the board. BLIGHT the enemy ranks and watch them wither. ASCEND a humble pawn into royalty. And when the path is open — take the king. HOW IT PLAYS • Real chess at the core: every classic move works, every classic plan matters. • Weapons change everything: arm a loadout of spells before each battle and cast them at the perfect moment. • Win by capture: no checkmate formalities — the game ends when a king falls. MODES • Play a Friend: challenge friends directly to friendly duels — and earn XP while you're at it. • Play vs Computer: three difficulty levels, and yes — the computer casts weapons too. • Open arena: bring your full loadout against anyone online. • Normalized arena: a fair, ranked duel — both players draft from the same weapon pool, so skill alone decides it. PROGRESSION • Earn XP in every online game — win or lose. • Unlock new weapons and upgrade them to higher tiers as you climb the ladder. • Build your Armory and craft the loadout that fits your style. DARK SQUARES PRO • An optional subscription ($4.99/month, auto-renews) that instantly adds four more weapon families — Aegis, Silence, Blight and Oracle. • Pro is variety, never raw power — free weapons stay fully competitive. Dark Squares is young and evolving — your feedback shapes what comes next. Every piece, a weapon. Every move, a gambit. Welcome to Dark Squares. Privacy Policy: https://darksquares.web.app/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Tri4 screens
Dark Squares4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Tri at free against Dark Squares's freemium. Tri also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1). Dark Squares's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.5). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Tri sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Dark Squares sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. 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 Tri against 5.0 for Dark Squares. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tri ships an update every 3 weeks, Dark Squares weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Tri versus Dark Squares: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTriDark Squares
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperROBIN SCHONWALDAvi Kremer

Customer experience

Tri

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Dark Squares

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Tri

One-time2
  • Espresso$1.99
  • Raktajino$3.99
1 purchases

Dark Squares

Subscriptions1
  • Dark Squares Pro$4.991 Month

Questions

Is Tri free?
Tri is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dark Squares free?
Dark Squares is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tri or Dark Squares?
Tri and Dark Squares are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Tri or Dark Squares have ads?
Neither Tri nor Dark Squares shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tri or Dark Squares?
Tri ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dark Squares weekly. Most recently, Tri was updated on November 5, 2026 and Dark Squares on October 31, 2026.

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