Comparison

Ellen vs Block Trainer

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

Head to head
About

Ellen

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The classic peg solitaire board game, beautifully crafted in wood. Jump one peg over another to remove it from the board. Keep going until only one peg remains — or as few as possible. Simple to learn, surprisingly hard to master. SEVEN BOARD SHAPES - English (classic cross, 33 holes) - European (rounded cross, 37 holes) - Triangle (the classic triangle peg game, 15 holes) - Diamond (41 holes for an extra challenge) - Plus (bold cross, 45 holes) - Circle (round board, 49 holes) - Arrow (chevron shape, 29 holes) DAILY CHALLENGE A new puzzle every day with a unique starting layout. Build your streak and see how you compare over time. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Charts and personal bests show your improvement across games. Watch your pegs-remaining average drop as you sharpen your strategy. FEATURES - Beautiful wood-themed design with smooth animations - Undo moves to try different strategies - Hints when you get stuck (3 per game) - Haptic feedback and satisfying sound effects - Works completely offline — no internet needed - No ads, no in-app purchases Also known as marble solitaire, brainvita, senku, hi-q, and the peg jump game. Whether you call it a peg board puzzle or a marble game, Ellen Solitaire brings the timeless single-player classic to your iPhone.

About

Block Trainer

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Block Trainer is a focused stacking trainer designed to help you improve decision-making, pattern recognition, and stacking efficiency at your own pace. There is no gravity in 40 Line Clear mode, giving you the time to think through each move. Study the board, plan ahead, and build better habits without pressure. Features: • No gravity in 40 Line Clear mode for thoughtful, pressure-free practice • Review Slowest 10 to identify your most time-consuming decisions • 62 training exercises with flashcard-style practice for modern rotation rules • Practice endless line clear chaining (REN) • Learn stacking tips and what dependencies to watch out for • Guided explanations for T-spins and other essential techniques • Play against a CPU with three difficulty levels • Learn how to make a heart shape • Track important stats like Lines Cleared and Play Time • Switch between two visual block styles Whether you’re learning the fundamentals or refining your efficiency, Block Trainer gives you a clear, structured way to study modern stacking.

Screenshots

Ellen4 screens
Block Trainer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Block Trainer at weekly against Ellen's fortnightly. Block Trainer also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, 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

Ellen ships an update fortnightly, Block Trainer weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Ellen versus Block Trainer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEllenBlock Trainer
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB145 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRobert JensenNathaniel Garrett Davis

In-app purchases

None

Ellen

No in-app purchases

None

Block Trainer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ellen free?
Ellen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Block Trainer free?
Block Trainer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Ellen or Block Trainer have ads?
Neither Ellen nor Block Trainer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ellen or Block Trainer?
Ellen ships an update fortnightly, and Block Trainer weekly. Most recently, Ellen was updated on October 31, 2026 and Block Trainer on October 31, 2026.

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