Dots Strategy vs Dots on Paper
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Dots Strategy
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Dots is a beautifully crafted strategy board game where you capture territory by encircling your opponent's dots. Simple to learn, impossible to master. CLASSIC GAMEPLAY Place dots on the board, form chains, and surround your opponent's dots to capture them. The player who captures the most wins. Every move matters; one wrong dot and you could lose it all. 110-LEVEL CAMPAIGN Journey through 10 themed worlds with unique challenges: Race, Blitz, Survival, Puzzle, Sprint, and Perfect modes. Earn up to 3 stars per level and unlock new worlds as you progress. THREE AI DIFFICULTY LEVELS โข Easy: Perfect for learning the ropes โข Medium: A serious challenge for experienced players โข Hard: A near-unbeatable AI with deep strategic thinking PLAY ONLINE Challenge friends or match with random opponents in real-time. Create private rooms with PIN codes, send game invitations, or spectate live matches. BUILT-IN TUTORIAL Never played Dots before? Our interactive step-by-step tutorial teaches you the rules in under 2 minutes. LEADERBOARD & RANKINGS Climb the global rankings. Track your wins, losses, and capture stats. See how you stack up against players worldwide. SOCIAL FEATURES Add friends, send game invitations, chat during matches, and react with emojis. Voice chat available for online games. CUSTOMIZE YOUR STYLE Unlock dot skins, board themes, capture animations, and profile frames. Earn coins through gameplay or watch optional rewarded ads. DAILY REWARDS Log in daily to claim escalating coin bonuses. Keep your streak alive for bigger rewards. CLEAN, MODERN DESIGN A minimal, distraction-free interface designed for focus and flow. Available in English and French. Dots is free to play with optional in-app purchases for coins and cosmetics. Rewarded video ads can be watched for bonus coins and removed with a one-time purchase.
Dots on Paper
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The game from the last row of desks, exactly as you remember it, only fast. Squared paper, a red pen and a blue one, and an opponent who has already moved. Dots (Kropki) is the classic pen-and-paper game of encirclement: place dots on the grid, close a chain around your opponent's, and the ground inside is yours. The rules take a minute to learn; the depth lasts for years. This version is the blitz that never existed: 60 seconds for the whole match, 10 seconds a move. Whoever sees the board fastest wins. A NOTEBOOK, NOT AN APP Real squared paper with a margin, ballpoint ink, hand-drawn hatching over captured ground. Every move is drawn the way it would be drawn at a school desk. You won't find a glossy button or a particle effect anywhere in it. TEN OPPONENTS From a daydreaming beginner to the Grandmaster of the Notebook. Each one makes mistakes its own way, like a person rather than a throttled machine. King of the Hill: ten wins in a row, and one loss sends you back to the bottom. TOURNAMENT RULES Yes, Dots has a federation and published competition rules. Sport mode plays by them: the starting cross, strict alternation, an Elo rating and real ranks you can lose. PLAYS OFFLINE On a plane, in the subway, at a cabin: all ten opponents, the mountain and free play work with no internet and no account. TWO PLAYERS, ONE PHONE Pass and play: one screen, two pens. Hand the phone across the desk the way you'd hand over the notebook. PLAY WITH PEOPLE Over Game Center: invite a friend, stake a match against a stranger, or enter the weekly tournament. There is no account to create. It's you, an opponent, and the paper. 47 ACHIEVEMENTS From First Win to the Grandmaster title, with a shelf of shame for those who resign. Game Center keeps the score. FAIR BY DESIGN The game is free, and ads play only when you ask for one: watch it, pocket the coins. Nothing you buy affects the match. Pens, watches and manicures change how your hand looks, never how the game plays. There are no hints and no undo: a placed dot is placed. Place a dot. The clock is already running.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Dots on Paper at none against Dots Strategy's 10. Dots on Paper also leads on update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Dots Strategy sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Dots on Paper asks for nothing beyond the download.
Dots Strategy ships an update fortnightly, Dots on Paper weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dots Strategy | Dots on Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly โ better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No โ better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod โ better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.0 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 49 MB | 128 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dorny Muba | Illia Riznyk |
In-app purchases
Dots Strategy
- Hologram Dot Skin$1.99
- Lava Dot Skin$1.99
- Shockwave Animation$1.99
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- Fireworks Animation$1.99
- Aurora Board Theme$2.99
- Diamond Profile Frame$2.99
- Neon Glow Profile Frame$2.99
- Rainbow Dot Skin$2.99
- Obsidian Board Theme$2.99
- Rainbow Crown Frame$3.99
Dots on Paper
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Dots Strategy free?
Is Dots on Paper free?
Do Dots Strategy or Dots on Paper have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dots Strategy or Dots on Paper?
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