# Blocky XMAS vs Close Cities

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Blocky XMAS at 100% against Close Cities's 69%. Blocky XMAS also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Close Cities's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (356 vs 34). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Blocky XMAS sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Close Cities sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Blocky XMAS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Close Cities has 356 ratings behind it against 34, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Blocky XMAS's written reviews are positive against 69% of Close Cities's.

Blocky XMAS ships an update every 7 months, Close Cities every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 18, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blocky XMAS | Close Cities |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blocky-xmas/id1182378091/reviews)** | [4.8 (356 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-cities/id6475958084/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 34 | **356** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 69.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bart BONTE](https://appshunter.io/developer/568141787) | [Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo](https://appshunter.io/developer/391953849) |

## What reviewers say

### Blocky XMAS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blocky-xmas/id1182378091)

A festive block puzzle game where players guide a magnetic star block to arrange Christmas tree blocks. Swipe to move the star, and watch other blocks magnetically follow. Conquer 40 challenging levels to complete the holiday puzzles.

**Highlights:** Christmas-themed block puzzles, Magnetic block mechanics, 40 challenging levels, Swipe-to-move gameplay, Intuitive puzzle solving

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| premium unlock | $2.49 | one-time |


### Close Cities

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-cities/id6475958084)

Build beautiful cities on diverse worlds by solving unique puzzles. This relaxing game guides you through 160 levels with a simple tap or drag interface, requiring no architectural knowledge. Conquer each world's challenges and travel through time with its calming soundtrack.

**Highlights:** Build cities on empty maps, Solve 160 unique puzzle levels, Intuitive tap and drag controls, No architectural knowledge needed, Travel through different worlds, Relaxing music and pace

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hints - Small Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hints - Medium Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads + Hints | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hints - Big Pack | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blocky XMAS free?

Blocky XMAS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Close Cities free?

Close Cities is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Blocky XMAS or Close Cities?

Blocky XMAS is rated higher. Blocky XMAS averages 5.0 out of 5 from 34 ratings, while Close Cities averages 4.8 from 356 ratings.

### Do Blocky XMAS or Close Cities have ads?

Both Blocky XMAS and Close Cities show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blocky XMAS or Close Cities?

Blocky XMAS ships an update every 7 months, and Close Cities every 3 weeks. Most recently, Blocky XMAS was updated on August 18, 2026 and Close Cities on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*