# Glyn — user reviews

> 70 indexed App Store user reviews of Glyn by EMMANUEL ROUX, rated 4.60/5 from 93 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glyn/id1634392900/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glyn/id1634392900.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 73 · 4★ 11 · 3★ 4 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 5

## What do users think of Glyn?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Simple and fun gameplay
- 🎶 Soothing and good music
- 🧠 Engaging and makes you think
- ✨ Amazing improvements in updates
- ⏳ Great time passer
- 💎 Hidden gem, not a cash grab
- 🎨 Elegant and clean design
- 😌 Very soothing and relaxing
- 🕹️ Easy to pick up
- 💯 Addictive and satisfying
- 🤩 Retro feel and visuals
- 🆓 Free with no ads or IAP
- 🤔 Just the right balance of challenging
- ✨ Clever game design
- 👍 Well-made and enjoyable

**Cons**

- ❓ Confusing to play initially
- 🖱️ Hitbox of dots could be increased
- 💻 How to play instructions on webpage
- 😵‍💫 Webpage font and spacing hard to read
- ❌ Unable to progress past practice levels
- 📱 Not optimized for larger screens
- 🔊 Still has clicking sounds with music off
- 🫨 Screen shake cannot be disabled
- 🔄 Game resets when left in background
- 😴 Game can get boring after a bit
- 🚫 No skill involved (according to one user)
- 😵‍💫 Background animation causes motion sickness
- ⏳ Time pressure is unnecessary
- 🤔 Spells in expert mode are dumb

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Constantly froze and had to be crashed closed on iPad
- Game resets if left too long in the background when app switching
- Bug where clicking the 4 dots button sometimes leads to game over screen
- Error message every time the app is opened
- 4 dots difficulty says game over and exits
- Doesn't open, just shows a logo
- When opening, something pops up and closing it closes the game

**Most requested features**

- Increase hitbox of dots
- Add a notation to mark a dot as 'empty'
- Implement a save feature
- Add timed games
- Add daily challenges
- Option to see associated dots change color when clicking a number
- Add more themes
- Option to hold and drag to fill in dots
- Cap levels for a gamemode
- Gamemode where you lose if you overload a square
- Restore option for store function
- Option to mark dots that shouldn't be lit
- More color schemes
- Option to turn off background animation or choose different background
- Modern puzzle design option (black lines, white background)
- Make timer optional
- Expand beyond 4x4 square to larger boards or different shapes
- More high stakes competitive play with reduced time
- Optional disruptive spells
- Make tutorial button more visible

## Newest reviews (14 of 70)

### 4/5 — interesting!

*2025-09-17*

admittedly, i didn’t think much of this game but once i started it really caught me! the theme, while a little strenuous to look at for too long, is consistent and relaxed. i also really like the puzzle aspect itself, it’s a touch intimidating at first glance but once you get past a couple examples it makes a lot more sense. one thing that did bother me was the fact that the ‘how to play’ instructions are on a webpage and not part of the game. obviously not the end of the world but kind of inconvenient. something else about the webpage is the font and spacing style of the text. it’s squished and hard to read. 

back to the things i like. the music took me by surprised. i’m not sure what i was expecting but low-fi wasn’t it. not in a bad way! it’s nice to have a little music in the background without it being overbearing. i also like the sound effects. the quiet clicking of the points is satisfying and it adds a level of depth that i can appreciate. 

i will admit that i had issues getting past the practice levels. not in the way that i couldn’t compete them but the fact that once i did complete the training, i couldn’t progress to the real game with the scores.

TLDR; it’s a good game that has character in the music, sound effects, and that puzzles themselves. the issues i experienced were, being unable to get passed the practice section and the ‘how to play’ instructions are on a separate webpage.

**Developer response:** Hello! Thank you for your great comment. First of all, you don't have to play the training levels to start the competition. Just click directly on 4x4 Pro. Your progress will be automatically saved when you click on the HOME button to return to the main menu. That being said, let me respond to the various points you raise. In the previous version of the game, the scores were in the game. For practical reasons, I preferred to export them to the web. Firstly, this allows me to easily send messages to players without updating the game. Secondly, it should be noted that a game developed in true pixel art uses very low resolutions. Here, Glyn uses a resolution of only 160 pixels wide. This makes it very difficult to display text. Regarding the font size, you are absolutely right. I will change it as soon as possible! I hope you can now start the competition and maybe appear in the rankings! \(^_^)/

### 5/5 — Great game + developer!

*2025-06-05*

As an update to my prior review, I want to say thank you to the developer for his thoughtful, detailed, kind reply. You are awesome. Both you and the game are 10 stars. I wish you success. I’ll leave the prior review below simply for context. I recommend this game!

Original review:
First of all, this game is free, with no ads, IAP or data collection. So you can’t complain. I appreciate the developer doing this right. I would pay a couple bucks for this game. 

I found this randomly. It’s perfect for when you have a few minutes (but you can keep playing longer easily). It’s just the right balance of challenging without being frustrating. There are settings for all skill levels here. 

I wish the scoring was different though. I’d like it better if, instead of your score being what level you’ve completed, you’d get a score based on how many moves it took you to win in the level. The fewer moves, the higher the score. And it wouldn’t carry over to the next level, each level you’d have a different score. 

As it is now, if you finish level four, your score is four. Your score is the highest level you completed. But if you close the app, you start over. So how in the world are some people getting scores in the hundreds or over a thousand? They must never close the app or turn off their phone? They play 24/7 and don’t sleep? I don’t see how those scores are possible. Even if it is possible, I don’t like that way of scoring, I’d almost rather not have a scoring system at all, just see how far you can go. I do wish it saved progress. (And I wish that it saved when you turn off sounds and effects instead of turning them off each time.) 

So I ignore the scoring and just play a round here and there when I have time. It’s great on a short work break. The game itself is well done and enjoyable. And honestly, for free there is no reason to complain. I highly recommend it, and hopefully it will improve over time. It’s still good as is though. 

Thank you developer, this is an enjoyable, clever game!

**Developer response:** Hi, and thank you so much for this amazing review!
It really means a lot to hear such thoughtful feedback — especially from someone who discovered the game randomly and still took the time to write such a detailed message.

I'm glad you appreciated the fact that the game is free, with no ads or data tracking. It was important for me to create something clean and respectful of players' time and privacy.

You brought up a great point about the scoring system. The current design is intentionally simple: your score reflects how far you've made it in a single run — kind of like a classic arcade approach. But I totally see the appeal of a more skill-based scoring system, where each level is scored individually based on performance (like number of moves). That’s a very interesting idea and I’ve noted it for future improvements!

You're also absolutely right about progress not being saved when the app closes — that’s something I’d love to improve if possible. Same for keeping your settings (like sounds and effects) between sessions. These are small quality-of-life features that can make a big difference, and I appreciate you pointing them out.

As for those crazy high scores: yep, I’ve seen them too 😄. Some people are extremely persistent — maybe too much! I can't say exactly how they do it, but I agree it's a bit wild. Long-term, I’d like to build a better balance between fairness, competition, and fun.

Thanks again for your kind words, your suggestions, and especially your encouragement. It really helps keep me motivated to keep improving the game!

### 4/5 — Fun, but the app could do with some tlc

*2025-05-29*

I want to start with the fact that I have no issues with the game itself- it’s a simple but challenging puzzle that sometimes you stumble into the answer of, and sometimes you have to take a minute with. My issue, and what I think it’s worth losing a star, is that the app feels like it’s meant to be for a screen half the size (honestly would be perfect for an Apple Watch version) with plenty of empty space, the music can be disabled but there’s still clicking sounds when choosing dots no matter what, as well as a screen shake that can’t be disabled which is a bit annoying. Nothing takes away from the game itself, just a few minor annoyances that are adding up.

**Developer response:** Hi, and thank you so much for your thoughtful review!
I really appreciate you taking the time to share both what you enjoyed and what could be improved.

Regarding the minimalist pixel art style — that’s actually a deliberate choice. It’s meant to evoke the retro feel of early video games, and keep the focus on the puzzle itself rather than flashy visuals. I totally understand it might not be to everyone’s taste, though!

As for the layout and spacing: you're absolutely right — the experience can vary depending on the screen size. With the huge variety of Apple devices these days (iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches — each with multiple generations and resolutions), achieving a perfectly optimized experience across all of them is a massive challenge, especially for a free game made by a solo developer. I try to strike the best balance I can, but some compromises are inevitable.

That said, I’m always listening and taking notes — so your feedback on the click sounds and screen shake is very helpful. I’ll definitely consider making those effects optional in a future update.

Thanks again for playing and for the helpful feedback — it really does make a difference!

### 4/5 — ゲーム自体はシンプルで楽しい

*2025-02-25*

セーブ機能が欲しいです

### 5/5 — Apple II theme!

*2025-02-05, version 2.0.3*

Wow I had an Apple II+. Really takes me back. Also. The game is cool. Did you invent it?
Where are the credits?? (Did you create the music?) 
Thanks for this interesting game!

One issue; there is a bug in that when app switching sometimes the game resets if left too long in the background. Can you instead restore the session in this case?

### 5/5 — Awesome Puzzle Game

*2025-01-15, version 2.0.3*

Neat, nifty wee game to chill out playing. Seemed complicated at first but really easy to pick up. Not much else to say, good game.
Nice soundtrack too. 👍

### 5/5 — dot dot dot

*2024-11-17, version 2.0.3*

Love this game very simple though does get boring after a bit. not sure how someone got to 1000 score

### 5/5 — Exellent

*2024-08-26*

I had a hard time figuring out how to play te game but I ended up understand it and now I can definitely say that i really love it.

**Developer response:** I'm glad you've figured out how to play! Thank you for your comment! \(^_^)/

### 5/5 — So Amazing!

*2024-07-18*

This game is adorable, it has that retro feel and has the satisfaction of a game that’s simple. No ads. Just working out the little dots. Adjustable music and simple heaven. Love it!!

**Developer response:** \(^o^)/ thank you so much!!!

### 5/5 — 本当にいいゲーム

*2024-03-12*

めっちゃシンプル。まじでいい。それだけです。

**Developer response:** 🙏

### 5/5 — man i really really really really really really really really love the music

*2024-01-23*

man i really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really LOVE the music

**Developer response:** I really love your comment🙏🙏🙏

### 5/5 — Amazing game

*2023-07-02*

This game is so fun! I love playing on the 3x3 mode, but there’s easier and harder modes if you prefer that. My one suggestion would be to add more themes, but I have no idea what they would be. 10/10!

**Developer response:** Thank you so much for your comment🙏

### 5/5 — Easy to play hard to master

*2023-06-09*

This game is really fun. I love sudoku and this is very similar in its concept. It’s a lot easier to manage than having to note all the numbers for sudoku, but it’s still challenging enough to want to come back and play more. 

Things I wish this had (I’m sure there’s a roadmap of stuff though):

-Timed games
-Daily challenges
-Being able to click on a number and see all the associated dots change color (makes it a bit more accessibility friendly)

I also love the retro UI with the menu requiring you press buttons not the list items. It’s such a fun experience and I’m looking forward to whatever this dev makes in the future!

**Developer response:** Thank you for your encouragement!!! Video games are not my profession and I do this out of a passion for code and pixel art. I get no benefit from it except your comments that encourage me to keep working on new projects.
Thank you for your suggestions, some of which I find very interesting!

### 5/5 — シンプルで良い

*2023-06-09*

日本語対応はしていないけど、ルールはわかりやすいので問題なし

**Developer response:** コメントをいただき、誠にありがとうございます！\(^_^)/

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Buggy

*2025-06-01*

Wouldn’t run on my iPad, constantly froze & had to be crashed closed.

**Developer response:** you can download the 3.0 version.

### 1/5 — Boring.

*2024-06-15, version 2.0.3*

No skill involved.

### 1/5 — Startet nicht

*2024-03-14*

Just a logo at start, nothing more.

**Developer response:** Hi! Donwload Glyn v3.0!!!

### 1/5 — Blah

*2023-06-07, version 2.0.3*

This game is so bad the developers probably dont even like it. No redeeming characteristics, crap graphics, silly game design, lazy effort by coders.

### 1/5 — Doesn’t open

*2023-05-29, version 2.0.3*

When I try opening it something pops up and when I close the pop up it closes the game

### 1/5 — J’ai rien compris au jeu

*2022-09-26*

C’est quoi le but ?????

**Developer response:** Fait un effort!!! \(^_^)/

### 1/5 — Time pressure??

*2022-08-20, version 1.0.1*

There is simply no reason for this game to have time pressure. Get rid of it. Make it optional. Just no.

### 3/5 — It’s ok -don’t love the new update

*2025-10-09, version 3.0.0*

Fun game and a great time passer, great music but with the new update it removed the aesthetic of the yellow handheld and was way easier on the eyes for me the new IU is not great

### 3/5 — Fun game but could use some improvements

*2022-10-07, version 2.0.2*

Game is a lot of fun but it would be nice if there was an explanation of what the spells do in how to play, there is one that just fills all dots and I feel like I’m doing something wrong when I try to stop it. Also having it start you at easy and you actually have to complete enough to unlock the next difficultly would be nice to add a sense of progression to the game

### 3/5 — Eh

*2022-08-23, version 1.0.2*

Its an ok game, seems like one of those puzzles they give you in compsci classes and they turned it into an app

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Great amazing game… but I’m dumb.

*2026-03-01*

Look, I love the aesthetic of the game, and the music, and everything, but I honestly don’t know how to play. I keep hitting the dots, and the corners, and looking at the numbers ant trying to light them up in sequence, but nothing happens!!! Pls help!

**Developer response:** Don't worry! You're going to succeed! Start with the simplest training level (2x2). In each box, there is a number between 0 and 4. It corresponds to the number of points you need to light up at the 4 corners of the box. For example, if a box contains the number 2, you will need to light up 2 points around this number. But be careful, each box shares one or more sides with the adjacent boxes. So, you need to think carefully about which points to light up! The simplest boxes are those with a 0 or a 4. If there's a 0, none of the 4 corners of the box should be lit up. On the contrary, if there's a 4, you can directly light up the 4 corners without thinking. This will save you time when you play the PRO level!

### 5/5 — Unexpected

*2026-02-25*

Simple yet fun! Still as fresh as the first time I played it.

**Developer response:** 🙏🙏🙏

### 5/5 — Very soothing

*2026-01-24*

This game is amazing, it makes me think, it’s engaging, and it’s very soothing. At the time of writing this, I am not in the best mindset and I get very emotional very quickly. Sometimes when that happens, I like to play this game and it effectively, calms me down. The background music is soothing and it’s a very nice distraction. 10/10 game!!!

**Developer response:** 🙏❤️

### 5/5 — 最高

*2025-10-18*

とってもおもしろかったです！！シンプルだけど頭使って最高に楽しかったo(^-^)o音も良くて癒されました🥱

**Developer response:** 🙏☺️

### 5/5 — Amazing improvements!

*2025-09-29*

I already loved this game before the new updates. It’s very simple and honestly sounds quite boring but is very fun and addictive once you start. Whether you just have two minutes or a full hour to kill, this game is perfect.
There were several things that really bugged me, but you‘ve fixed all of them in the new version. The only thing I‘d like to see changed would be to increase the hitbox of the dots; I sometimes have to press several times to hit the button.

**Developer response:** 🙏\(^o^)/

### 5/5 — Recommended

*2025-09-27, version 3.0.0*

Very simple and clean design. Which makes it quite elegant actually.

### 5/5 — First review of any game

*2025-09-17, version 3.0.0*

Reminds me of when mobile games were made to be fun and not cash grabs. This is beyond a hidden gem, and deserves more recognition.

It’s simple but effective
Feels like a compressed, pocket minesweeper

Edit: I understand🐀

### 5/5 — 神ゲー

*2025-07-27*

シンプルで暇つぶしにちょうどいいゲームです。BGMが好きだったのでアップデートで増えて嬉しいです。今後もいろんなアップデートをよろしくお願いします！

**Developer response:** \(^_^)/

### 5/5 — Amazing. Fun to master. Addictive.

*2025-07-15*

Thanks, been playing 2+ years, new update finally got me to write my first ever review. this is my favorite game i’ve got on my phone. very satisfying to complete. love the new music this updaye, plus im top of the leaderboard for now. the new timer+points system is much better, but still rewards playing for a long time (i got the record by just playing an audiobook and playing while traveling) because you can get the 45 sec time pretty consistent. an idea is maybe capping at 100 levels (is it levels? boards, rounds, idk) for a gamemode so you see how many points you can get in that amount for a diff leaderboard. also, while the timer mode is really fun, i like a hard puzzle. a challenge that i’ve been doing is not allowing myself to remove the dots once placed so i actually think for a sec about planning where i’ll pace them. or maybe make one where you lose automatically if you overload a square (like accidentally having 3 dots around a 2 square). also if it was possible to hold and drag to fill in dots rather than individually clicking i think that would feel natural and enable faster times, especially would be cool if combined with a more punishing gamemode so you have to be careful. sorry for backseat developing, just some ideas for a game i’ve had a lot of fun with. 
-stinky

**Developer response:** Thank you, Stinky, for your incredible comment. I'm glad you like the game. Your comments help me improve Glyn. Thank you, thank you all!

### 5/5 — Fun game

*2025-06-18, version 2.1.0*

Could you add a notation to mark a dot as ‘empty’ (for thinking purposes not as part of the solution)? Maybe double tap a dot?

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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 2026-08-19.*