Comparison

janvo vs ToriShogi

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

ToriShogi

This app offers a digital version of Tori Shogi, a Japanese chess variant played on a 7x7 board with bird-themed pieces. It features an interactive tutorial, multiple game modes against AI or another player, and saves game records for replay. The app is free, ad-free, and playable offline.

Highlights
  • Interactive piece guide
  • Learn-as-you-play tutorial
  • Two-player mode
  • AI opponent with multiple levels
  • Automatic game saving and replay
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

■ What is Tori Shogi? Tori Shogi ("bird shogi") is a Japanese chess variant born in the Edo period, traditionally attributed to Ōhashi Sōei, the ninth hereditary shogi Meijin. It is played on a compact 7×7 board with 16 pieces per side — and every piece is named after a bird. Guard your Phoenix, attack with a flock of Swallows, and promote your Falcon into the mighty Eagle. Unusually for an old shogi variant, captured pieces return to your hand and can be dropped back into play, just like in modern shogi. A small board with surprisingly deep tactics. New to the game? The app is built to teach you as you play. Choose Japanese or English at first launch — you can switch any time. ■ Learn as you play - Illustrated guide to all nine pieces: names, movements and promotions - Press and hold any piece during a game to see how it moves - The Swallow rules (the "three Swallows" and drop-mate prohibitions) and the mirrored left/right Quails, all explained ■ Game modes - Two Players: take turns on one iPhone or iPad - vs Computer: Beginner, Easy and Normal levels — a perfect sparring partner while you learn ■ Complete rules, faithfully implemented - Mandatory promotion: Falcon → Eagle, Swallow → Goose - Piece drops, the "three Swallows" rule, the swallow-drop-mate prohibition - Check and checkmate detection, repetition draws ■ Game records - Finished games are saved automatically; save mid-game any time - Replay your games move by move ■ Perfect for… - Shogi and chess players curious about variants - Quick but thoughtful games on a small board - Fans of Japanese tradition, birds and beautiful woodcraft - Playing with kids as a gateway into shogi Everything runs on your device — play offline, on a plane, anywhere. No ads, no in-app purchases, completely free. Enjoy the elegant bird chess of Edo Japan.

Screenshots

janvo4 screens
ToriShogi4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: ToriShogi at none against janvo's shown. ToriShogi also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.4). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
janvo versus ToriShogi: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterjanvoToriShogi
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.416.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size102 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperARC LAB LLCTomohiko Kanai

In-app purchases

None

janvo

No in-app purchases

None

ToriShogi

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is janvo free?
janvo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ToriShogi free?
ToriShogi is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do janvo or ToriShogi have ads?
janvo shows ads; ToriShogi does not.
Which is updated more often, janvo or ToriShogi?
janvo ships an update every 3 days, and ToriShogi every 3 days. Most recently, janvo was updated on September 30, 2026 and ToriShogi on October 6, 2026.

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