Minesweeper Genius vs Square Valley
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Minesweeper Genius
This logic puzzle game challenges your deductive reasoning by requiring you to locate hidden bombs on a grid. Guide a character through a scientific experiment by carefully revealing safe tiles and flagging those that contain explosives.
- Unlimited random levels
- No guessing or luck required
- Game Center Achievements
- iCloud Save
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Inspired by the classic computer game from our childhood, Minesweeper Genius is a brain teaser that will challenge your logical thinking. Help Aristotle – the genius with a broom – sweep the field to escape from the aliens' scientific experiments, discovering where all the bombs are hidden. HOW TO PLAY: • Read the numbers to know how many mines there are in each column and each line • Flags the tiles which contain a mine • Then move the sweeper genius to the portal! FEATURES: • Our procedural generator can create an unlimited number of random levels • Absolutely no guessing or luck involved • Game Center Achievements • iCloud Save
Square Valley
Shape unique lands by strategically placing tiles like houses, farms, and natural elements. Connect them with roads and rivers while overcoming placement challenges. Progress through levels to unlock new tiles and face increasingly complex world-building puzzles.
- Tile placement for world creation
- Connect tiles with roads and rivers
- Strategic planning and puzzle solving
- Three chapters with 45 levels
- Unlock new tiles and overcome obstacles
- Replay levels for higher scores
- Sandbox mode for custom experiences
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A charming tile-laying puzzle game. Make the best valley you can out of the tiles and placements you're given. Puzzles with no randomness can become a bit boring over time. And when it is too random, it can feel unfair. Square Valley sits nicely in the middle where you are challenged for each level, but it still feels fair in the end. Satisfying. Every level is comprised of a fixed set of tiles that come together to form a challenge each step of the way. You're continually cycling through your deck of tiles – always a fresh look. You're also limited to only certain spots on the board where you can place the tiles all in order to reach the highest score you can. A windmill wants the surrounding wheat fields, forests have winding rivers through them, and churches stand firm within the city walls packed with houses. Not to worry, you won't get stuck. There's generous room to succeed at every level. Leaderboards are there too, for those who want to keep challenging themselves. Feel free to push forward, or go back to previous levels and beat your old self. When you complete that last turn, you'll find yourself with a unique little village to be proud of. Features: + Pay once – no ads, no in-app purchases, no account required + 150+ tiles · 45 levels · 3 chapters + A new challenge every day, for everyone + Set your own rules to play with tiles drawn at random + Competitive leaderboards + Works offline
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is chart position: Square Valley at #58 against Minesweeper Genius's unranked. Minesweeper Genius's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $2.99) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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
Minesweeper Genius costs $1.99 and Square Valley $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Minesweeper Genius against 4.8 for Square Valley. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 220 and 94 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Minesweeper Genius's written reviews are positive against 85% of Square Valley's.
| Parameter | Minesweeper Genius | Square Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (220 ratings) — better | 4.8 (94 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews — better | 84.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 220 — better | 94 |
| Update frequency | — | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #58 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 206 MB | 125 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mother Gaia Studio | Ryan Becijos |
Customer experience
Minesweeper Genius
Square Valley
User reviews
Minesweeper Genius
From 220 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎮 Clever twist on classic minesweeper with unique mechanics
- 🧠 Excellent logic-based puzzle design with fair difficulty
- 🎨 Charming graphics and cute visual style
- 🔄 Randomly generated levels provide unlimited replayability
- 😊 No ads or in-app purchases
Room to improve
- ⏱️ Game is too short and easily completable
- 😴 Repetitive background music throughout gameplay
- 📵 Portrait mode only, no landscape support on iPad
- 🎮 Controls require tap-and-hold for flagging, slowing gameplay
- 🔄 Game resets when checking notifications or pulling down control center
Square Valley
From 94 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎮 Engaging tile placement puzzle mechanics
- 🎵 Relaxing and pleasant background music
- 🎨 Beautiful minimalist art style and visuals
- 😌 Calming and stress-relieving gameplay
- 💰 No ads or in-app purchases
Room to improve
- ❓ Unclear tile descriptions and requirements
- 🎲 High randomness can lead to unwinnable scenarios
- 📊 No real-time score feedback during gameplay
- 🐛 Occasional scoring calculation bugs
- 📱 Portrait-only mode (no landscape on iPad)
Bugs and requests
Minesweeper Genius
Reported bugs
5 issues- Game resets when swiping down to open Control Center
- Game resets when checking notifications
- Star display gets cut off on iPhone X notch
- Tap-and-hold flag placement sometimes registers as movement instead
- Game doesn't register hold on adjacent squares correctly
Requested features
13 requests- Add more levels, especially harder difficulty levels
- Implement ability to mark tiles as clear/safe
- Support landscape mode on iPad
- Add toggle or button for flag placement instead of tap-and-hold
- Implement haptic feedback when placing flags
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- Add endless or infinite level mode with progressive difficulty
- Include a third marking option for uncertain tiles
- Add level editor and community level sharing
- Provide visual indicators for completed row/column requirements
- Include character skins or cosmetic customization options
- Add classic minesweeper mode option
- Implement grid dimension counter display
- Add more unique tile mechanics and special rules
Square Valley
Reported bugs
8 issues- Leaderboard freezes when displaying top 10 scores
- Tile scoring miscalculations (e.g., Cherry Orchard, Fir Grove)
- Tutorial bug where selected tiles change unexpectedly
- Some tiles don't work as described in requirements
- Scoring feedback unclear until level completion
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- Inconsistent tile placement rules not documented
- Protected Copper Beech scoring issues
- Random tile placement can create impossible scenarios
Requested features
14 requests- More levels and chapters
- Landscape/iPad support with larger maps
- iCloud synchronization across devices
- Real-time score feedback per tile placement
- Glossary with detailed tile explanations
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- Personal stats and score history per level
- Customizable sandbox mode with more options
- Music volume slider (separate from sound effects)
- Global leaderboards with player names
- Board game physical version
- Expansion packs with new tile sets
- Undo and skip buttons (mentioned as implemented in recent update)
- Additional language translations
- Split-screen multiplayer mode
In-app purchases
Minesweeper Genius
No in-app purchases
Square Valley
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Minesweeper Genius free?
Is Square Valley free?
Which has better reviews, Minesweeper Genius or Square Valley?
Do Minesweeper Genius or Square Valley have ads?
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