# Life: The Game — Explore Conway's Game of Life > Interactive simulation of Conway's Game of Life with pattern catalog and analysis tools. (iPhone/iPad app by Jan P. Barnholt.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-the-game/id1617641490 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Jan P. Barnholt](https://appshunter.io/developer/470499844) - Category: Games, Education, Simulation - Price: Free - Rating: 4.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.6 · 2 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2022-05-20 - Data updated: 2026-06-05 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-the-game/id1617641490/reviews.md ## What is Life? Explore the iconic 'Life' cellular automaton devised by mathematician John Conway. Study how trivial patterns evolve into complexity - or vanish after a couple of generations. A catalog containing more than 90 popular patterns is included to explore and combine at your leisure. A built-in cycle detection and other statistics provide insight into the current cellular automaton. The rewind feature enables you to go back in time and reverse the last steps of the evolution.Export images or RLE representations to share online or import to other apps ## Key features - Conway's Game of Life simulation - Catalog of 90+ patterns - Cycle detection and statistics - Rewind feature for evolution - Image and RLE export - Pattern exploration and combination ## Recent user reviews (2 of 2) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-the-game/id1617641490/reviews.md ### 4/5 — Okay, but it needs something *2025-06-04* I like this game. Sure, it’s not as good as the original Game of Life, but it is fun to play when I am bored. There is one thing I suggest adding though. You see, you simply can’t delete your saves, which comes as a problem for duplicated saves. Please fix this by adding the option to delete saves. Thank you. ### 5/5 — Absolutely amazing! *2025-04-05* This game is simple but is very intriguing! You can make many patterns and it is very relaxing to press play and see the cells moving. I could do this for hours. It’s surprising more people don’t know about this, but they should! ## Frequently asked questions about Life ### What is Life: The Game? Life: The Game is an application that allows you to explore Conway's Game of Life, a cellular automaton. You can observe how simple patterns evolve over time, discover included patterns, and analyze their behavior. ### Does Life: The Game have ads? No, Life: The Game does not contain advertisements. It is a free application with no in-app purchases or ads. ### What devices can I play Life: The Game on? Life: The Game is currently supported on iPads. Future updates may expand compatibility to other devices. ### How many patterns are included in Life: The Game? The application includes a catalog of over 90 popular patterns for you to explore and combine. These patterns demonstrate various evolutionary behaviors within the Game of Life. ### Can I save or share my creations from Life: The Game? Yes, you can export your simulations from Life: The Game as images or RLE representations. This allows you to share them online or import them into other compatible applications. ### What kind of statistics does Life: The Game offer? Life: The Game provides built-in cycle detection and other statistics to offer insight into the current state of the cellular automaton. This helps in understanding the evolution of patterns. ### Is Life: The Game suitable for children? Life: The Game has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for younger players. Its educational nature and simple interface are designed for broad accessibility. ### How often is Life: The Game updated? The latest version of Life: The Game is 1.6.1, released on December 4, 2025. Updates typically occur to improve functionality and add new features. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.6.1 — 2025-12-04 Maintenance update 1.6.1 improves animation performance and includes internal improvements. New in Life: The Game 1.6: - 5 beautiful color themes: Dark, Classic, Colorquake, Radioactive, and Plum - Smart alerts for key simulation events - automatic notifications for population extinction, steady states, and pattern cycles - Enhanced visuals with cleaner, more polished appearance throughout ### 1.6.0 — 2025-11-12 NEW FEATURES: • 5 beautiful color themes: Dark, Classic, Colorquake, Radioactive, and Plum • Smart alerts for key simulation events - automatic notifications for population extinction, steady states, and pattern cycles • Enhanced visuals with cleaner, more polished appearance throughout ### 1.5.0 — 2023-10-05 New in this update: Afterglow Levels: Introducing a mesmerizing new feature - adjust the 'afterglow levels' to watch dead cells slowly fade to black for a captivating visual twist. ### 1.4.0 — 2023-07-21 The latest update features • Performance Enhancements: We have optimized the app's performance to deliver smoother animations • Image Export: The latest update includes an image export feature that allows sharing creations through the standard sharing sheet • Export to RLE Format: Users can now export their Game of Life designs to RLE format, facilitating compatibility with other Game of Life apps • New Shapes: Two new shapes - dots, and stars - have been added for customizing how cells are rendered • Extended Statistics: New statistics provide even more insights ### 1.3.2 — 2022-10-30 This maintenance update contains various improvements and bundles additional patterns ## Apps similar to Life | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Evolution - Learning Creatures](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/evolution-learning-creatures/id1227314223) | 4.4 (541) | $1.99 | Games | | [Conway's Game of Life 3D](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/conways-game-of-life-3d/id1458608541) | 5.0 (10) | $2.99 | Games | | [Labo Marble Race:Stem Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/labo-marble-racestem-game/id6443614623) | 4.3 (101) | Free | Games | | [Elemental Box](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elemental-box/id1269914616) | 4.2 (60) | Free | Games | | [Golly](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golly/id553184760) | 4.8 (45) | Free | Games | | [Life II](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-ii/id1621692220) | 4.5 (2) | Free | Games | ## More apps by Jan P. Barnholt - [Train Layouts](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/train-layouts/id1388339618) - [StayMetrics](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staymetrics/id6745798855) All apps by Jan P. Barnholt: https://appshunter.io/developer/470499844 --- *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 2026-06-05.*