Comparison

Vigrid 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

Vigrid

Features
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VIGRID — where the final battle of Norse legend is fought. Two factions clash on a sacred battlefield: the Aesir gods and the Jotnar giants. Each turn you play a movement card to advance your warriors — but the cards change every round, and your opponent sees them too. Every game deals a fresh hand from 19 mythological cards, so no two battles are alike. HOW TO PLAY Move one of your pieces using one of your two cards. Capture your opponent's Master — or march your own Master to their throne — to win. Games last 5–15 minutes. The rules fit on one screen; the strategy runs deep. 19 CARDS OF NORSE LEGEND Each card bears the name and movement pattern of a creature or force from the Eddas — Fenrir, Sleipnir, the Valkyrie, Jörmungandr, Huginn, and more. The card you play passes to your opponent, so every move reshapes both armies' options. FEATURES • Solo play against AI — four difficulty levels from Beginner to Hard • Pass & Play — two players, one device, two modes: pass the device between turns or play side by side • Interactive tutorial — learn in minutes • Full card gallery — browse all 19 cards with movement diagrams • Game replay — step through any completed game move by move • Undo support in solo play • Resign at any time • No ads. No in-app purchases. Free. DESIGNED FOR IPAD AND IPHONE Vigrid adapts to any screen — portrait or landscape, iPhone or iPad. The stone-textured board and hand-crafted card art bring the world of Norse mythology to life. Pure strategy — no luck beyond the opening deal.

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

Vigrid4 screens
Dark Squares4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vigrid at none against Dark Squares's 1. Vigrid also leads on update cadence (daily vs weekly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads 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. Vigrid asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Vigrid ships an update daily, Dark Squares weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Vigrid versus Dark Squares: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVigridDark Squares
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyDaily — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNATHAN EIDEAvi Kremer

In-app purchases

None

Vigrid

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Dark Squares

Subscriptions1
  • Dark Squares Pro$4.991 Month

Questions

Is Vigrid free?
Vigrid 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 Vigrid or Dark Squares have ads?
Neither Vigrid nor Dark Squares shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Vigrid or Dark Squares?
Vigrid ships an update daily, and Dark Squares weekly. Most recently, Vigrid was updated on October 8, 2026 and Dark Squares on October 15, 2026.

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