Comparison

Kinetrix vs Chain

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

Head to head
About

Kinetrix

Features
Read full description

One tap is all it takes. Place a single ball and watch a massive chain reaction unfold across the screen. Colorful balls bounce around the field. Tap to place your starter ball โ€” it expands, collides with anything nearby, and triggers a cascade of explosions. Each collision grows the chain, racking up points and clearing the field. Your goal: expand enough balls to pass the level. Simple to learn, tricky to master. Timing and placement are everything. Wait for the right moment, tap in the right spot, and watch the chain unfold. FEATURES - 26 levels across Regular and Advanced modes - One-tap gameplay โ€” easy to pick up, hard to put down - Chain reaction scoring โ€” deeper chains earn more points - Bonus balls that grow in value while expanded - Penalty balls that punish reckless chains - Clear Field Bonus โ€” pop every ball before any shrink for a massive score multiplier - 2x speed mode โ€” hold to fast-forward through chain reactions - Progress bar showing how close you are to passing each level - Game Center leaderboards to compete globally - Local leaderboards for offline play - Haptic feedback that lets you feel every collision - Smooth 120 FPS rendering on ProMotion displays - Full support for iPhone and iPad in any orientation Start with just a few balls and a low target. By the end, you'll be orchestrating chain reactions across 60 balls, dodging obstacles, and chasing high scores. Unlock Advanced Mode after beating all 13 Regular levels for tighter requirements and more penalty balls. Think you've mastered Kinetrix? Advanced Mode will prove otherwise.

About

Chain

Features
Read full description

Chain Balls is a fast, satisfying chain-reaction puzzle. Tap once to drop a white starter ball. Watch it expand, collide with the bouncing coloured balls, and set off a chain that ripples across the screen. Time it right and every ball explodes, time it wrong and you'll leave too many behind. SIMPLE TO LEARN One tap. No tutorial required. The physics do the rest. TWENTY HANDCRAFTED LEVELS Normal mode eases you in at 33% and ramps up to 80% of balls required. Twenty levels: each one a new puzzle in how many balls you need to catch. HARD MODE - UNLOCKABLE Beat all 20 Normal levels to unlock Hard Mode: tighter targets (50% โ†’ 94%), double the score multiplier, and the same satisfying chain reactions at a whole new level of difficulty. GAME CENTER Compete on the global leaderboard with your total score across the full run. Collect seven achievements - from your first chain to half a million points. LOOKS AND FEELS GREAT Smooth 60fps physics, animated gradient backdrop, satisfying haptic feedback on every chain, and seven distinct pop sounds that play in the order of your chain depth. SETTINGS THAT RESPECT YOU Toggle sound, haptics, and a Reduce Motion mode that freezes all decorative animations without touching gameplay.

Screenshots

Kinetrix4 screens
Chain2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Kinetrix at none against Chain's shown. Kinetrix also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kinetrix ships an update every 5 days, Chain weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Kinetrix versus Chain: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKinetrixChain
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 days โ€” betterWeekly
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 โ€” better18.6
Further details โ€” not scored
Size2 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShmoopi LLCSimon Steinhage

In-app purchases

None

Kinetrix

No in-app purchases

None

Chain

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Kinetrix free?
Kinetrix is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chain free?
Chain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Kinetrix or Chain have ads?
Chain shows ads; Kinetrix does not.
Which is updated more often, Kinetrix or Chain?
Kinetrix ships an update every 5 days, and Chain weekly. Most recently, Kinetrix was updated on October 28, 2026 and Chain on October 30, 2026.

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