Comparison

Twilight Struggle vs Eclipse

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

Head to head
About

Twilight Struggle

Engage in a deep political and economic struggle between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. spanning five decades of the Cold War. Use card-based events to spread influence, attempt coups, and gain allies, but avoid triggering nuclear war. Master strategy against AI or other players online.

Highlights
  • Cold War simulation
  • Card-based historical events
  • Political influence and coups
  • AI opponent
  • Online multiplayer (asynchronous/real-time)
  • Pass-and-play multiplayer
  • In-game tutorial
Features
Read full description

"Now the trumpet summons us again, not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are – but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle..." – President John F. Kennedy HISTORY IN THE MAKING Twilight Struggle puts the player at the center of the Cold War, the political and economic struggle between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R that spanned 5 decades from the 1950's to the 1990's. Designed by award winning creators Ananda Gupta and Jason Matthews, players control one of the two modern superpowers, as they work to spread their dominance throughout the world via political influence and coup attempts. But if either side triggers nuclear war, it's game over! CARD BASED EVENTS The event cards in the game are based on actual historical events from the Cold War era. Through the playing of these events, players exert their superpower's influence as they attempt to gain allies and regional control of the globe. From the early days of De-Stalinization, to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War and beyond, players are immersed in the actual events of the struggle between these two nations to be the dominant superpower in the world! IMMERSIVE STRATEGY Hone your skill and strategy as a world leader against an A.I. opponent, and then take your game global with matches against other players via asynchronous online game play. FEATURES •A.I. Opponent •In-game Tutorial •Pass-and-Play Multiplayer •Asynchronous or Real-time Online Play •Invite Playdek Friends •Online Profile and Stats •Customized Online Game Clock •Player Rating System "As a strategy game, Twilight Struggle is a revelation." - PC Gamer "...every strategy gamer should play Twilight Struggle without fail: it's just that good." - Pocket Tactics AWARDS 2012 Ludoteca Ideale Winner 2011 Lucca Games Best Boardgame for Experts 2006 International Gamers Awards - Historical Simulation 2006 International Gamers Awards - General Strategy; Two-players 2006 Golden Geek Best Wargame Winner 2006 Golden Geek Best 2-Player Board Game Winner 2005 James F. Dunnigan Award Winner 2005 Charles S. Roberts Best Modern Era Boardgame Winner *AN INTERNET CONNECTION AND PLAYDEK ACCOUNT ARE REQUIRED FOR ONLINE PLAY.* Per our Terms of Service, you must be 13 years old or older to use the Playdek online games service. For Twilight Struggle game support, please contact: support@playdekgames.com

About

Eclipse

Lead a vast interstellar civilization in a strategic 4X game. Explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate your rivals to achieve galactic domination. Features customizable species, technologies, and ship designs for a unique experience.

Highlights
  • Official board game adaptation
  • Deep 4X gameplay
  • Customizable species, tech, and ships
  • Up to 6 players (human/AI)
  • Asynchronous multiplayer
  • In-game tutorial
Features
Read full description

The galaxy has been a peaceful place for many years. After the ruthless Terran–Hegemony War, much effort has been employed by all major spacefaring species to prevent the terrifying events from repeating themselves. The Galactic Council was formed to enforce precious peace, and it has taken many courageous efforts to prevent the escalation of malicious acts. Nevertheless, tension and discord are growing among the seven major species and in the Council itself. Old alliances are shattering, and hasty diplomatic treaties are made in secrecy. A confrontation of the superpowers seems inevitable—only the outcome of the galactic conflict remains to be seen. Which faction will emerge victorious and lead the galaxy under its rule? The shadows of the great civilizations are about to eclipse the galaxy. A game of Eclipse Second Dawn places you in control of a vast interstellar civilization, competing for success with its rivals. You will explore new star systems, research technologies, and build mighty spaceships. There are many potential paths to victory, so you need to plan your strategy considering the strengths and weaknesses of your species, while paying attention to the other civilizations' endeavors. Eclipse other civilizations and lead your people to victory! Exciting Gameplay: Challenge AI opponents or play against friends in real-time or turn-based. Tutorial & Help: Whether you're an experienced Eclipse player or a beginner, the game features a detailed tutorial that walks you through the basics step-by-step. Online Domination: The Eclipse app allows you to compete against friends or rivals from around the world. The app gives you the opportunity to compete with players from all over the world. The "Eclipse-2nd Dawn" app has been carefully designed to seamlessly bring the charm of the board game to your device. The intuitive interface ensures a smooth gaming experience for both experienced players and novices. This is the new version, which corresponds to the original board game "Eclipse - 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy" that makes the gameplay even more diverse and challenging. FEATURES * Official iOS version of the 'Eclipse - Second Dawn for the Galaxy' boardgame * Deep and challenging 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) gameplay * 7 species with different strengths and weaknesses * Customizable star systems, technology tree and ship designs * Up to 6 players (human or AI) * Asynchronous multiplayer with push notifications * 3 AI difficulty levels * In-game tutorial & manual Eclipse received multiple awards: Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy 2021 Geek Media Awards Game of the Year for Experienced Gamers Winner 2021 Geek Media Awards Game of the Year for Experienced Gamers Nominee 2020 Charles S. Roberts Best SciFi Fantasy Board Wargame Winner 2020 Charles S. Roberts Best SciFi Fantasy Board Wargame Nominee Eclipse base game * 2011 Charles S. Roberts Best Science-Fiction or Fantasy Board Wargame Nominee * 2011 Jogo do Ano Nominee * 2012 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year Winner * 2012 Golden Geek Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game Winner * 2012 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Nominee * 2012 JoTa Best Gamer Game Audience Award * 2012 JUG Game of the Year Winner * 2012 Ludoteca Ideale Winner * 2012 Lys Passioné Winner * 2012 Tric Trac Nominee

Screenshots

Eclipse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Twilight Struggle at 3.7 against Eclipse's 3.2. Twilight Struggle also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months) and price ($7.99 vs $9.99). Eclipse's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On review sentiment, ads, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Twilight Struggle costs $7.99 and Eclipse $9.99 up front. Twilight Struggle sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Eclipse asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Twilight Struggle holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 63 and 15 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Twilight Struggle's written reviews are positive against 33% of Eclipse's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Twilight Struggle ships an update every 4 weeks, Eclipse every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on August 11, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Twilight Struggle versus Eclipse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTwilight StruggleEclipse
Price$7.99 — better$9.99
Rating3.7 (63 ratings) — better3.2 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews38.0% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings63 — better15
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size279 MB157 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperPlaydek, Inc.BrettspielWelt

Customer experience

Twilight Struggle

All ratings63 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral7.9%
Negative25.4%
Written reviews221 reviews
Positive38.0%
Neutral14.5%
Negative47.5%

Eclipse

All ratings15 ratings
Positive53.3%
Neutral13.3%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral29.2%
Negative37.5%

Bugs and requests

Twilight Struggle

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • AI gets stuck on certain cards
  • AI fails to play scoring cards
  • Inconsistent DEFCON resolution
  • Tutorial crashes on certain steps
  • Inability to move map or zoom

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to skip AI actions
  • Multitasking support
  • Improved game history/log
  • Better in-game rules and help
  • Translations to other languages

Eclipse

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Twilight Struggle

One-time1
  • Turn Zero Expansion$1.99
None

Eclipse

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Twilight Struggle free?
Twilight Struggle costs $7.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Eclipse free?
Eclipse costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Twilight Struggle or Eclipse?
Twilight Struggle is rated higher. Twilight Struggle averages 3.7 out of 5 from 63 ratings, while Eclipse averages 3.2 from 15 ratings.
Do Twilight Struggle or Eclipse have ads?
Neither Twilight Struggle nor Eclipse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Twilight Struggle or Eclipse?
Twilight Struggle ships an update every 4 weeks, and Eclipse every 3 months. Most recently, Twilight Struggle was updated on August 11, 2026 and Eclipse on September 23, 2026.

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