Tri vs Dark Squares
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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’!
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.
- Real chess mechanics
- Weapon and spell loadouts
- King capture victory condition
- Play friends online
- Play against AI
- Ranked online duels
- Unlock and upgrade weapons
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
Tri ships an update every 3 weeks, Dark Squares weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Tri | Dark Squares |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ROBIN SCHONWALD | Avi Kremer |
Customer experience
Tri
Dark Squares
In-app purchases
Tri
- Espresso$1.99
- Raktajino$3.99
Dark Squares
- Dark Squares Pro$4.991 Month









