Elemental Box vs Playground AR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Elemental Box
Engage in a sandbox game focused on realistic physical simulations. Experiment with various shapes and materials to observe their unique interactions and transformations. This app offers a creative space for exploration and discovery through physics.
- Physical simulation
- Material interaction
- Shape manipulation
- Sandbox gameplay
- Real-time physics
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Physical simulation game that enjoys real physical operation of each shape and change in each material.
Playground AR
Transform your space into an augmented reality physics sandbox. Build intricate structures, design functional machines, and unleash epic destruction with realistic physics. Play with friends in real-time and capture your creations.
- Augmented reality physics sandbox
- Infinite construction with diverse blocks
- Design functional machines with joints and wheels
- Realistic physics simulations
- Control RC vehicles
- Multiplayer and social sharing
- In-game screenshot tool
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Playground AR: The Ultimate Physics Sandbox in Augmented Reality Turn your room into a digital laboratory! Playground AR is the next generation of physics sandboxes, giving you an infinite supply of blocks, toys, and gadgets to create and destroy in your real-world environment using Augmented Reality. Build, Imagine, and Experiment With intuitive AR controls, placing and moving objects feels natural: Infinite Construction: Use a massive variety of blocks and materials to build anything from tall skyscrapers to complex domino runs. Advanced Engineering: Design your own functional machines using joints, wheels, and thrusters. Realistic Physics: Pick up objects and throw them, freeze them in mid-air, or connect them to see realistic physical reactions. RC Vehicles and Action It’s not just about building—it’s about the thrill of play: RC Toys: Take command of RC helicopters, drones, and cars with responsive controls. Epic Destruction: Test the strength of your castles. Use bombs and explosives to watch your structures collapse with satisfying, realistic physics. Interactive Challenges: Try to land your helicopter on a moving platform or build the most complex chain reaction. Multiplayer and Social Sharing Play with Friends: Join others to see who can build the highest tower or the longest domino course in real-time. Capture the Moment: View your creations from any angle. Use the in-game screenshot tool to take high-quality photos and share them instantly. Have you ever dreamed of having a room full of infinite toys? The only limit is your imagination. Download Playground AR now and start creating!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Elemental Box at 4.2 against Playground AR's 3.0. Elemental Box also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (63 vs 2). Playground AR's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Playground AR sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Elemental Box asks for nothing beyond the download.
Elemental Box holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elemental Box has 63 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Elemental Box's written reviews are positive against 66% of Playground AR's.
Elemental Box ships an update every 4 months, Playground AR every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Elemental Box | Playground AR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (63 ratings) — better | 3.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 72.1% of reviews — better | 65.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 63 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 133 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | DAN-BALL | Marc Sureda |
Customer experience
Elemental Box
Playground AR
Bugs and requests
Elemental Box
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Playground AR
Reported bugs
5 issues- Devices unable to detect surfaces properly
- Saved creations not persisting across sessions
- Controls for vehicles/devices not intuitive
- Occasional freezing and crashing of the app
- Incompatibility issues with certain device models
Requested features
5 requests- Add human/character models to interact with
- Implement liquids and more environmental elements
- Introduce terraforming and customizable terrain
- Provide more building/creation tools and options
- Enable seamless multiplayer and sharing of creations
In-app purchases
Elemental Box
No in-app purchases
Playground AR
- Premium Blocks$3.99
Questions
Is Elemental Box free?
Is Playground AR free?
Which has better reviews, Elemental Box or Playground AR?
Do Elemental Box or Playground AR have ads?
Which is updated more often, Elemental Box or Playground AR?
Other comparisons
