AR Runner vs The Birdcage 2
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AR Runner
This augmented reality sports game challenges you to run through virtual checkpoints, set records, and compete globally. Play indoors or outdoors with various game modes and customizable field sizes. It offers an active and inventive way to engage with AR.
- Augmented reality checkpoint running
- Global leaderboards
- Four distinct game modes
- Customizable field sizes and shapes
- 60 handcrafted challenges
- Photo mode for score sharing
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Run through checkpoints and set new records! Compete against other players worldwide! Play indoors or outside! AR Runner is a one-of-a-kind competitive augmented reality game. "Gets you moving, no matter where you are" - The Washington Post "It’s short, fast, active fun, and an inventive use of ARKit" - Macworld "Beat a world record without ever leaving your hometown" - CNET "A blast with friends" - Wareable –– 4 GAME MODES • Normal: Activate the spots in a certain order • 30 Sec Rush: Activate the most number of spots in 30 seconds • Enemies: Activate the most number of spots while avoiding enemies • Wall Punch: Activate the most number of circles by moving your device through them –– 4 FIELD SIZES, 6 FIELD SHAPES • Choose between different field sizes and shapes to match your environment and skills –– CHALLENGES • Put your skills to the test by completing 60 handcrafted challenges –– OTHER FEATURES • 36 LEADERBOARDS: See how you rank against other players • PHOTO MODE: Take a photo of your score using the in-game camera • Sync your progress using iCloud • Minimalist design • Universal app for iPhone and iPad • Immersive digital environments • No ads
The Birdcage 2
Embark on a magical journey as a young sorceress to free imprisoned creatures. Solve challenging puzzles using intuitive touch controls and creative reasoning. Uncover a mysterious story filled with secrets and revelations in a beautifully designed world.
- Face-tracking AR puzzles
- Challenging mechanical puzzles
- Mysterious sorceress story
- Intuitive touch controls
- Original soundtrack
- Hidden story elements
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Welcome to The Birdcage 2! The story revolves around young sorceress who has just graduated from the school of magic. She heard tales of the powerful wizard Alzar, so she embarked on a journey to find him, hoping he will teach her advanced magic. She faced many obstacles, dangers, and revelations that ultimately forced her to make difficult choices. Enter the magical land of Avem and learn what happens to our brave young sorceress. Intuitive touch controls, mechanical puzzles, and creative reasoning will enable you to free the innocent magical creatures imprisoned by dark magic. FACE-TRACKING AR Exclusive levels for iPhone X and new generation iPhones where you solve puzzles using your face. OUT OF THIS WORLD PUZZLES The puzzles will challenge your mind and push your reasoning skills to the next level. EASY TO START Once you start, you will not be able to quit until all birds and dragons are free. INTUITIVE TOUCH CONTROLS Slide through the screen and experience the real magic happening right before your eyes. MYSTERIOUS STORY Disclose the adventure of the young sorceress and magical creatures locked inside beautifully designed cages. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Immerse yourself to the atmosphere of the story with the wonderful original soundtrack and chilling sound design. SPECIAL FEATURES Cast spells with the wand, find missing scroll parts, collect hidden diamonds and more! DISCOVER HIDDEN STORY Explore every object you see in the game to details. Many secrets are hidden as it is in its nature. Your observational skills might lead you to some big twists and revelations in the story.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: The Birdcage 2 at 4.8 against AR Runner's 4.3. The Birdcage 2 also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 210). AR Runner's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 12 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. AR Runner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and The Birdcage 2 sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
The Birdcage 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Birdcage 2 has 12K ratings behind it against 210, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of AR Runner's written reviews are positive against 63% of The Birdcage 2's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
AR Runner ships an update every 5 days, The Birdcage 2 every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AR Runner | The Birdcage 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (210 ratings) | 4.8 (12K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 82.8% of reviews — better | 63.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 210 | 12K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 12 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 66 MB | 239 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Semidome Inc. | MOBIPLAY OU |
Customer experience
AR Runner
The Birdcage 2
User reviews
AR Runner
From 210 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎮 Innovative AR fitness game concept
- 💪 Effective workout and exercise motivation
- 😄 Fun and entertaining gameplay
- 🆓 No ads in free version
- ⭐ Great replay value and leaderboards
Room to improve
- 🐛 Ground detection failures
- 🐛 Targets drift and float out of view
- 🐛 App crashes occasionally
- 🐛 Camera permission issues
- 📉 Broken on newer phones despite past functionality
The Birdcage 2
From 12K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Challenging and fun puzzles
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visuals
- 🧠 Engaging storyline and lore
- 🕹️ Smooth and responsive controls
- 🤖 Interesting magical/fantasy elements
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive for the amount of content
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🔁 Repetitive puzzle mechanics
- 🤔 Unclear or confusing game mechanics
- 🤷♂️ Lack of difficulty progression
Bugs and requests
AR Runner
Reported bugs
9 issues- Ground detection fails to initialize
- Targets drift higher and become unreachable
- App crashes on iPhone 13 Pro and newer devices
- Camera permission not requested properly
- Camera access issues on some devices
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- Spelling errors in UI ("Appuyez pour commancer")
- Inconsistent performance on larger play fields
- Blocks and targets occasionally invisible
- Compatibility issues with iOS 11 on some devices
Requested features
12 requests- VR/VR headset compatibility (Google Cardboard support)
- Cross-device multiplayer (connect multiple phones)
- Custom track creation
- Additional game modes and levels
- Video sharing for scores (not just screenshots)
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- Apple Watch integration
- Adjustable UI elements (disable timer option)
- Tag/chase game mode
- Virtual obstacles and challenges
- Changeable enemy block colors
- Football field-sized play areas
- Racing mode for multiple players
The Birdcage 2
Reported bugs
3 issues- Restore purchases not working
- Face recognition issues with certain puzzles
- Inconsistent performance on older devices
Requested features
5 requests- More free levels and content
- Ability to reset/restart the game
- Improved battery optimization
- Increased puzzle complexity and challenge
- Additional story and lore expansion
In-app purchases
AR Runner
- Premium$1.99
The Birdcage 2
- Remove Ads$1.99
- Icegon Pack$1.99
- Dragon Pack$1.99
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- Phoenix Pack$1.99
- All Gems$1.99
- Griffin Pack$1.99
- Creatures Pack$5.99
Questions
Is AR Runner free?
Is The Birdcage 2 free?
Which has better reviews, AR Runner or The Birdcage 2?
Do AR Runner or The Birdcage 2 have ads?
Which is updated more often, AR Runner or The Birdcage 2?
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