Comparison

janvo 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

janvo

Features
Read full description

Janvo is a new type of strategy game that combines the familiar rules of Rock Paper Scissors with tactical board movement. Each piece has unique movement directions and ranges, creating a simple yet deeply strategic battle experience as you advance across the board and capture your opponent’s pieces. Features A battle system based on classic Rock Paper Scissors strengths and weaknesses Tactical positioning and mind games that influence every turn Multiple CPU difficulty levels for casual play Simple and intuitive controls suitable for all players Upcoming Updates Online multiplayer mode Expanded player profile and match history features Enjoy a fresh and strategic take on Rock Paper Scissors with Janvo.

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

janvo4 screens
Dark Squares4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: janvo at none against Dark Squares's 1. janvo also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Dark Squares's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.4). On price and device support 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. Dark Squares sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. janvo asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

janvo ships an update every 3 days, Dark Squares weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
janvo versus Dark Squares: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterjanvoDark Squares
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size102 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperARC LAB LLCAvi Kremer

In-app purchases

None

janvo

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Dark Squares

Subscriptions1
  • Dark Squares Pro$4.991 Month

Questions

Is janvo free?
janvo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dark Squares free?
Dark Squares is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do janvo or Dark Squares have ads?
janvo shows ads; Dark Squares does not.
Which is updated more often, janvo or Dark Squares?
janvo ships an update every 3 days, and Dark Squares weekly. Most recently, janvo was updated on September 11, 2026 and Dark Squares on September 30, 2026.

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