CoreShift vs Heatmap Chess
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CoreShift
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CoreShift is a sleek, minimalist strategy game based on Neutron — a classic abstract board game of pure skill, positioning, and tactics. Easy to learn. Deep to master. Every move can open a path, create a trap, or turn the match completely. No randomness. No hidden information. Pure strategy. THE GAME Play on a 5×5 grid. Each player controls five pieces, while a single amber token — the Neutron — begins at the center. On every turn, you must: 1. Slide the Neutron as far as it can move. 2. Slide one of your own pieces (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal). Pieces move until blocked by the edge or another piece — they cannot jump. How to win: * Move the Neutron onto your own baseline. * Trap your opponent so they have no legal Neutron move. QUICK OR CLASSIC * Quick mode: Fast, aggressive openings with immediate tension. * Classic mode: Traditional rules where the first player skips the opening Neutron move for a more balanced start. THREE AI DIFFICULTY LEVELS * Easy: Learn the fundamentals. * Medium: Strong tactical play. * Hard: Advanced Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) AI that adapts to every position. ONLINE MULTIPLAYER — BETA Play real-time matches worldwide through Game Center. Our Elo rating system (starting at 1200) ensures you always face a fair challenge. * Climb the Ranks: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. * Social: Add friends after matches, send instant rematches, and react with quick chat. * No Waiting: If no live opponent is available, Skynet — our built-in AI — keeps the match moving. TOURNAMENT MODE Five rounds. One run. No breaks. Easy → Medium → Medium → Hard → Hard Win all five to complete the challenge and track your progress on Game Center. STATISTICS & ACHIEVEMENTS Track win rates, streaks, fastest victories, and total play time. Unlock badges and Game Center achievements tied to real milestones. DESIGNED FOR iOS * Flat, minimal design with Dark and Light mode. * Smooth animations and haptic feedback on every move. * Atmospheric audio and satisfying "game feel." CoreShift is free to play. Tournament rounds 3–5 and Hard AI require a one-time Pro upgrade ($3.99).
Heatmap Chess
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Heatmap.Chess teaches you to read a chess board the way grandmasters do — as a map of control, not a list of pieces. EVERY NUMBER IS A THREAT Each square shows how many pieces want to attack it. A "3" means three pieces are converging on that square. Drop your dock pieces in the right places, and every correct placement cools the heat by one. Get all numbers to zero — puzzle solved. WHAT'S INSIDE • Hand-crafted themed rooms with graduated difficulty • Fresh daily puzzles — keep your streak alive • Heart system + combo bonuses • Cross-device sync — pick up where you left off • Quiet, focused dark UI built for one hand • One-time purchase removes ads + unlocks every room SHARPEN YOUR CHESS VISION No openings to memorize, no notation to decode. You start seeing what grandmasters see when they sit down at a board — the geometry of attacks. A training tool for beginners and experienced players alike. DESIGNED FOR FOCUS No social feeds. No leaderboards screaming at you. Just numbers, pieces, and the small satisfaction of every count dropping to zero.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: CoreShift at none against Heatmap Chess's shown. On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. CoreShift sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Heatmap Chess sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | CoreShift | Heatmap Chess |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 13.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Jozsef Farkas | Utku Kucu |
In-app purchases
CoreShift
- CoreShift Pro$3.99
Heatmap Chess
- Unlock Everything$4.99





