# Color Strain

> Casual color matching game with virtual career progression and multiple color modes. (iPhone/iPad app by Adam Walker.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-strain/id1043439495 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Adam Walker](https://appshunter.io/developer/407415322)
- Category: Games, Reference, Puzzle
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 7 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 8.0 · 7 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany)
- Released: 2015-10-16
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-strain/id1043439495/reviews.md

## What is Color Strain?

Match colors in all those exciting color spaces...nah, let's say it like it is; color matching pain and misery for any designer who doesn’t get enough of it at work.

Now you can spend your commute struggling with chromatic precision and perception.

Work countless hours only to be fired by some talentless hack, although don't worry, apparently you can easily get another job working for a different talentless hack.

...but hey, there is an upside, you might actually improve your understanding of color mixing.

Color Strain is a casual time-based color matching game with virtual career progression. Combine color channels in various modes in an endless stream of progressively harder color scenarios. At release these color modes are RGB, CMYK and Grayscale.

How to play:
- Press the button(s) across the bottom of the screen to increase that channel [in RGB that's value / in CMYK that's ink / in Grayscale it's density] in the color mix of the background color, trying to match the circle in the centre of the screen. Don't fret you don't have to be perfect, as we have included a bit of tolerance in the match.
- If you put too much of a particular channel into the color mix, a warning will display around the central color circle, prompting you to press it to globally reduce all of the channels in the mix.
- As you match colors you will get “Assist” ability points. These can be spent to stop the timer and get visual clues (on the channel inputs) guiding you to a match.
- The line across the top of the screen indicates your progress to the next level of your design career.
- As you progress through your career your ego will be significantly enlarged, but sadly the rate at which you earn “Assist” points will be reduced (you always get an “Assist” for your first match).
- There is a pause in-game; just hit the number counter at the top.

If you don't trust our default matching algorithm, or your eyes are a bit wonky, you can always change the matching method in the options menu.

Possible Future Features:
- Extra color modes (YUV, HSV/HSB),
- Load custom 3D LUTs,
- Social posting of your color career (it will be a pretty swatch style thingy),
- “Talentless Hack” mode – you retain a fraction of XP but XP thresholds are much higher too,
- Pantone and brand color matching (think Pepsi blue, Cadbury purple, Coke red); obviously this will need to be under the radar so it will probably be manifest as “User Colour Challenges”,
- Lots of IAPs to milk you like the cash cow that you are,
.. and finally an uber brutal mode where you mix in the 14 Pantone base pigments!

Please send your bug reports and criticisms to we-are-down@the-pub-and-dont-care.com

## Key features

- Time-based color matching
- Virtual career progression
- RGB, CMYK, and Grayscale modes
- Assist ability points for clues
- Customizable matching algorithm
- Progressively harder scenarios

## Recent user reviews (7 of 7)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/color-strain/id1043439495/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Calming

*2023-07-03*

Super calming and great to do in your spare time

### 3/5 — Setting to disable the time factor?

*2020-07-17*

As a beginner, this would be valuable to me if I had an option to play without the time factor.

### 4/5 — Not Half Bad

*2020-04-28*

It was way better than the pics made it seem. It is stressful in a way, but also very calming. The only thing I would change is that when I premed the game guide I could not find a way to exit.

### 1/5 — Wha?

*2019-07-16*

The basic idea is good, but how do the controls work? You have three dots for RGB and you tap them apparently. But real RGB works with sliders. So you can tell how much of each colour you’re adding. This way it’s just baffling. Change the controls to sliders like in actual graphics software and it would be great.

### 5/5 — Just like my real job haha!

*2015-11-06, version 1.0.2*

A surprisingly refreshing take on your simple colour matching game. Those game over screens are hilarious!! Haha

### 5/5 — Ridiculously addictive!

*2015-11-04, version 1.0.2*

Everyone thinks they can be a designer: so why not give it a shot?! Challenging, but not frustratingly so - and the reasons for why you get fired are hilarious! Worth the time wasted to procrastination (and I even familiarized myself with my RGB! So it's a learning tool right? Right?!!). Download it now! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

### 5/5 — Addictive and educational!

*2015-10-20, version 1.0.0*

Oh so addictive! It's also teaching me how rgb actually works! Once I figure rgb out I'll be unstoppable! Very amusing when you lose too. Highly recommend it

## Frequently asked questions about Color Strain

### What is Color Strain?

Color Strain is a casual, time-based color matching game designed to test your understanding of color mixing. It features virtual career progression and multiple color modes like RGB, CMYK, and Grayscale.

### How do you play Color Strain?

You play by adjusting color channels (like RGB values or CMYK inks) to match a target color circle. The game includes a tolerance for matches and an 'Assist' ability to help with difficult scenarios.

### What color modes are available in Color Strain?

At release, Color Strain includes RGB, CMYK, and Grayscale color modes. Future updates may introduce YUV and HSB/HSV modes.

### Can I adjust the color matching in Color Strain?

Yes, you can change the matching method in the options menu if you don't trust the default algorithm or feel your perception is off.

### Does Color Strain have ads?

No, Color Strain is free to play and does not contain advertisements.

### What devices does Color Strain support?

Color Strain is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices.

### What is the age rating for Color Strain?

Color Strain has an age rating of 12+, making it suitable for a wide range of players.

### How often is Color Strain updated?

The latest version is 1.0.5, and the app was last updated on January 18, 2018. Future updates may introduce new features and color modes.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.0.5 — 2018-01-18

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Minor game improvements.

### 1.0.4 — 2018-01-16

Minor game improvements.

### 1.0.3 — 2018-01-12

Minor updates and bug fixes.

### 1.0.2 — 2015-11-03

Version 1.0.2 : Minor Update, the updates include;
- Added link to ‘Game Guide’,
- Added prompt to ‘Game Guide’ at start of first game,
- Fixed a couple of minor interface bugs.

### 1.0.1 — 2015-10-22

Version 1.0.1 : Minor Bug Update, the fixes include;
- Corrected some translations,
- Game will pause when suspended,
- Got those widows married off,
- Fixed a couple of minor interface bugs.

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## More apps by Adam Walker

- [Critter Ball Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/critter-ball-lite/id412138532)
- [Mad Dash - Canyon Run](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mad-dash-canyon-run/id514868563)
- [Galactic Odyssey](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galactic-odyssey/id1612378225)

All apps by Adam Walker: https://appshunter.io/developer/407415322

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*