Comparison

Cross vs Stack and Shatter

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

Head to head
About

Cross

Solve logic puzzles by painting squares and filling regions to reveal hidden pixel-art pictures. Offers a mix of deduction, art, and fun with adjustable grid sizes and helpful tools for precise gameplay. Enjoy weekly bonus puzzles and track your progress.

Highlights
  • Reveal pixel-art pictures
  • Logic-based puzzle solving
  • Zoom and clue-locking options
  • Fingertip cursor for precision
  • Weekly bonus puzzles
  • Graphic puzzle progress previews
  • Unlimited hints and undo
Features
Read full description

Paint squares and fill regions as you solve the puzzle and discover a beautiful pixel-art picture! Each puzzle consists of a blank grid, divided into various regions, with clues to the left of every row and at the top of every column. The object is to reveal a hidden picture by painting squares and filling blocks according to the rules. Cross-a-Pix are exciting logic puzzles that form whimsical pixel-art pictures when solved. Challenging, deductive and artistic, these puzzles offer the ultimate mix of logic, art and fun while providing solvers with many hours of mentally stimulating entertainment. The game enables zooming the entire puzzle, or just the grid area while keeping the clue-panes locked. Other features include a unique fingertip cursor for playing large puzzles with ease and precision, and a show/hide rulers option helping focus on one row and column at a time. To help see the puzzle progress, graphic previews in the puzzle list show the progress of all puzzles in a volume as they are being solved. A Gallery view option provides these previews in a larger format. For more fun, Cross-a-Pix contains no ads and includes a Weekly Bonus section providing an extra free puzzle each week. PUZZLE FEATURES • 130 free Cross-a-Pix puzzles in SingleClue and DualClue • Extra bonus puzzle published free each week • Puzzle library continuously updates with new content • Manually created by artists, top quality puzzles • Unique solution for each puzzle • Grid sizes up to 30x45 (50x70 for iPad) • Multiple difficulty levels • Hours of intellectual challenge and fun • Sharpens logic and improves cognitive skills GAMING FEATURES • No ads • Zoom entire puzzle or just the grid area • Clue-pane locking option for optimal puzzle viewing • Rulers show or hide option for easier row and column viewing • Exclusive fingertip cursor design for solving large puzzles • Unlimited check puzzle • Unlimited hints • Error checking option when row or column is completed • Unlimited Undo and Redo • Clue auto check-off when row or column is completed • Automatically mark obvious empty squares with dots • Concurrently playing and saving multiple puzzles • Puzzle filtering, sorting and archiving options • Dark Mode support • Graphic previews showing puzzles progress as they are being solved • Portrait and landscape screen support (iPad only) • Track puzzle solving times • Backup & restore puzzle progress to iCloud ABOUT Cross-a-Pix have also become popular under other names such as Campixu, PoliPix and Crazy Paving. Similar to Picross, Nonogram and Griddlers, the puzzles are solved and the pictures revealed using logic alone. All puzzles in this app are produced by Conceptis Ltd. - the leading supplier of logic puzzles to printed and electronic gaming media all over the world. On average, more than 20 million Conceptis puzzles are solved each day in newspapers, magazines, books and online as well as on smartphones and tablets across the world. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.conceptispuzzles.com/index.aspx?uri=info/doc/220

About

Stack and Shatter

A precision stacking game where timing is crucial for building combos and multiplying your score. Navigate increasingly challenging levels with escalating speeds and risk-reward mechanics. Enjoy satisfying visual and haptic feedback as you aim for the top of the leaderboards.

Highlights
  • Precision block stacking
  • Combo system with score and speed multipliers
  • 100 levels across 10 themed zones
  • Dynamic visual and haptic feedback
  • Game Center leaderboards
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Stack & Shatter is a precision stacking game where every placement counts. Drop blocks onto a growing tower with pixel-perfect timing. Land them cleanly to build combos that multiply your score — but watch out. Each consecutive combo speeds up the blocks, pushing your reflexes to the limit. The higher your combo streak, the bigger the risk and the bigger the reward. Miss your mark and the block gets trimmed. Miss it entirely and your tower comes crashing down. COMBO RISK/REWARD SYSTEM String together perfect placements to trigger score multipliers up to 10x. But every combo also increases block speed up to 2x, creating a thrilling push-your-luck dynamic. Do you cash in your safe score or chase the massive multiplier? 100 LEVELS ACROSS 10 ZONES Climb from the Ground Floor through the Skyline, past the Stratosphere, and into the Singularity. Each zone introduces faster speeds, tighter margins, and boss levels that demand peak precision. The tower gets taller. The blocks get faster. The stakes get higher. SATISFYING EFFECTS Spark bursts, shockwave rings, star showers, electric arcs, and screen flashes escalate with your combo streak. Every perfect placement feels incredible with synchronized haptic feedback that intensifies as your combo grows. GAME CENTER LEADERBOARDS Compete globally and see how your high score stacks up against players worldwide. FEATURES 100 handcrafted levels across 10 themed zones Combo system with escalating score and speed multipliers Dynamic particle effects that scale with combo intensity Haptic feedback with toggle control Game Center leaderboard integration Save and continue your progress anytime Boss levels every 10th stage One-time purchase to remove ads No internet required to play Built for quick sessions and long runs alike. Pick it up for 30 seconds or lose an hour chasing your next high score.

Screenshots

Cross4 screens
Stack and Shatter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Cross at none against Stack and Shatter's shown. Cross also leads on ratings volume (328 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). Stack and Shatter's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Cross sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Stack and Shatter sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Stack and Shatter holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cross has 328 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cross ships an update every 4 months, Stack and Shatter every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Cross versus Stack and Shatter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCrossStack and Shatter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (328 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings328 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperConceptis Ltd.Brian Solomon

Customer experience

Cross

All ratings328 ratings
Positive96.3%
Neutral1.8%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews139 reviews
Positive86.3%
Neutral6.5%
Negative7.2%

Stack and Shatter

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Cross

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Screen freezing issues
  • Puzzle ordering problems
  • Inappropriate puzzle themes

Requested features

5 requests
  • More free puzzle content
  • Option to disable rating prompts
  • Improved clue/ruler display
  • Ability to save/resume puzzles
  • Zoom functionality for larger puzzles

Stack and Shatter

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Cross

One-time10
  • DualClue - Snacks 1$1.99
  • DualClue - Snacks 2$1.99
  • SingleClue - Snacks 1$1.99
Show 7 more
  • SingleClue - Variety 1$2.99
  • DualClue - Variety 1$2.99
  • DualClue - Variety 2$2.99
  • DualClue - Variety 3$2.99
  • SingleClue - Large 1$3.99
  • DualClue - Large 1$3.99
  • DualClue - Large 2$3.99
3 purchases

Stack and Shatter

One-time3
  • 500 Shards$0.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99
  • 2000 Shards$2.99

Questions

Is Cross free?
Cross is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stack and Shatter free?
Stack and Shatter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cross or Stack and Shatter?
Stack and Shatter is rated higher. Cross averages 4.8 out of 5 from 328 ratings, while Stack and Shatter averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Cross or Stack and Shatter have ads?
Stack and Shatter shows ads; Cross does not.
Which is updated more often, Cross or Stack and Shatter?
Cross ships an update every 4 months, and Stack and Shatter every 2 months. Most recently, Cross was updated on November 2, 2026 and Stack and Shatter on October 31, 2026.

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