# Minesweeper Genius vs Square Valley

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Minesweeper Genius | Square Valley |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (220 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minesweeper-genius/id1310672317/reviews)** | [4.8 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/square-valley/id1609779877/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **220** | 94 |
| Positive reviews | **90.9% of reviews** | 84.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | — | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#58** |
| Size | 206 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mother Gaia Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/458161557) | [Ryan Becijos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609779879) |

## What reviewers say

### Minesweeper Genius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minesweeper-genius/id1310672317)

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.

**Highlights:** Unlimited random levels, No guessing or luck required, Game Center Achievements, iCloud Save

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Square Valley

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/square-valley/id1609779877)

**Currently charting:** #58 Top Paid · Board, #128 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ 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)

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Minesweeper Genius free?

Minesweeper Genius costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Square Valley free?

Square Valley costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Minesweeper Genius or Square Valley?

Minesweeper Genius is rated higher. Minesweeper Genius averages 4.8 out of 5 from 220 ratings, while Square Valley averages 4.8 from 94 ratings.

### Do Minesweeper Genius or Square Valley have ads?

Neither Minesweeper Genius nor Square Valley shows ads.

---

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