# Kittens Game vs Magic Research

The clearest difference is update cadence: Magic Research at every 4 days against Kittens Game's every 4 months. Magic Research also leads on review sentiment (95% vs 68%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Kittens Game's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $3.99) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and chart position there is nothing between them.

Kittens Game costs $2.99 and Magic Research $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Magic Research holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 322 and 188 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Kittens Game's written reviews are positive against 95% of Magic Research's.

Kittens Game ships an update every 4 months, Magic Research every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kittens Game | Magic Research |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (322 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kittens-game/id1198099725/reviews) | **[4.7 (188 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research/id1671272877/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **322** | 188 |
| Positive reviews | 67.9% of reviews | **95.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#90** | #139 |
| Size | 22 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dmitrii Popov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1198099724) | [Matias Ezequiel Colotto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1669682477) |

## What reviewers say

### Kittens Game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kittens-game/id1198099725)

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Paid · Strategy, #92 Top Paid · Simulation (US App Store)

Manage a growing village of kittens in this text-based simulation game. Gather resources, research technologies, and expand your settlement. This old-school experience is free of ads and micro-transactions.

**Highlights:** Village simulation, Resource management, Technology research, Text-based gameplay, Kitten management

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Captivating gameplay
- 👍 Engrossing incremental game
- 💡 Impressive depth and complexity
- 🚀 Rewarding progression
- 👍 Minimal UI, focus on gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy UI, screen jumping
- 🐛 Inconsistent save/load behavior
- 🐛 Compatibility issues on newer devices
- 🐛 Broken or underperforming features
- 🔋 Slow progression can be tedious

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing buttons and UI elements
- Progress loss or reset when switching apps
- Broken or non-functional features (e.g. solar farms)
- Compatibility issues on iPhone X and newer devices

**Requested features**

- Bulk crafting/upgrading options
- Ability to disable pollution mechanics
- Better UI optimization for larger screens
- Vibration/notification support for events
- More detailed analytics and tracking


### Magic Research

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research/id1671272877)

**Currently charting:** #139 Top Paid · Simulation (US App Store)

Lead a new magic institution to discover the secrets of magic and achieve fame. Research spells, build your campus, manage staff, and uncover hidden storylines to win the Tournament of Magic. Enjoy a complete game experience with no ads.

**Highlights:** Cast over 100 spells, Research magic in various schools, Build and manage campus, Manage researchers and apprentices, Discover hidden features and storylines, Retirement bonuses for faster progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great idle/incremental game
- 💡 Deep and complex systems
- 🚀 Well-paced progression
- 💰 Worth the price
- ✨ No ads or microtransactions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 UI layout issues
- 🐌 Can be grindy
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🐛 Text running off page/scrolling issues
- 🐛 Wood resource bug

**Reported bugs**

- On new iPhones, switching away and back causes UI unresponsiveness
- Text running off the page, preventing interaction with buttons
- Wood resource counting backwards
- Becoming stunned for a full minute, unable to act
- Bosses running away from fights

**Requested features**

- Add background music
- Add Chinese language support
- Make monsters pixelated
- Adjustable times for apprentice auto-casting
- Display monstium collection counter during exploration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kittens Game free?

Kittens Game costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Magic Research free?

Magic Research costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Kittens Game or Magic Research?

Magic Research is rated higher. Kittens Game averages 4.5 out of 5 from 322 ratings, while Magic Research averages 4.7 from 188 ratings.

### Do Kittens Game or Magic Research have ads?

Neither Kittens Game nor Magic Research shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kittens Game or Magic Research?

Kittens Game ships an update every 4 months, and Magic Research every 4 days. Most recently, Kittens Game was updated on September 23, 2026 and Magic Research on September 22, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Kittens Game or Magic Research?

Kittens Game currently peaks at #90 in the App Store charts, and Magic Research at #139. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*