Comparison

Mahjong Tiny Tales vs Runes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mahjong Tiny Tales

Embark on a magical adventure to rescue a king from an evil sorceress by solving Mahjong puzzles. Match tiles, unlock clues, and complete tasks to progress through enchanting tales and train your memory.

Highlights
  • Mahjong tile matching puzzles
  • Unlock new worlds and adventures
  • Train memory skills
  • Play offline or online
  • Discover magical characters
Features
Read full description

"Once upon a time, there lived a noble king and his daughter, Tina the little witch. The kingdom was peaceful until the king became entranced by the powerful spell of an evil sorceress! The sorceress, seeking to rule the land, banished Tina into a dark dungeon." And so begins the adventure of Tina the little witch! Tap into your brain's full potential as you match tiles, unlock clues, and complete tasks to help Tina liberate her father. Exercise your mind with fun Mahjong puzzles in exciting magical tales! You will discover the ghost hunting Grandma, the puzzle-solving Dog, the super friendly Giant, and more! - Unlock new worlds and discover new adventures in this free game - Play offline, or connect to Facebook and play alongside your family & friends. - Train your memory skills with beautifully designed classic Mahjong puzzles. In Mahjong Tiny Tales many fates lie in your hands, will you step up and defend them?

About

Runes

Uncover the secrets of a mysterious town by searching intricately illustrated scenes for hidden objects and solving puzzles. Follow a detective through a captivating storyline with unique challenges and unlock magical artifacts as you progress. Play at your own pace with optional hints.

Highlights
  • Search hand-painted scenes for hidden objects
  • Spot subtle differences
  • Solve puzzles and brain teasers
  • Follow a twisting storyline
  • Collect magical artifacts
  • Play at your own pace with hints
Features
Read full description

Something strange is happening in Enchanted Crossroads. Doors that weren't there yesterday. Whispers in empty rooms. A rune etched into a mirror that no one remembers hanging. When Detective Greystone calls for your help, it becomes clear — this charming little town is hiding more than it shows. Search hand-painted scenes for hidden objects, spot subtle differences, and solve puzzles that guard the town's oldest secrets. Each clue you find pulls you deeper into a mystery woven through 15+ beautifully illustrated chapters. But the closer you look, the more questions arise. Who — or what — is watching from the crossroads? WHAT AWAITS YOU A Mystery Worth Solving Follow Detective Greystone through a twisting storyline filled with enchanted characters, buried secrets, and revelations you won't see coming. A World Rich in Detail Wander through 15+ stunning hand-crafted scenes — from moonlit gardens to forgotten libraries — each hiding objects, differences, and surprises. Puzzles That Reward Curiosity Hidden object searches, spot-the-difference challenges, and clever brain teasers — 4+ unique puzzle types keep every chapter fresh. Your Collection Grows Complete quests to unlock rare magical artifacts and build a personal trove of enchanted items. Play at Your Own Pace No timers. No pressure. Helpful hints are always within reach whenever you need a gentle nudge. Optional in-app purchases are available, but you can complete the full story without spending anything. The crossroads are calling. Will you answer?

Screenshots

Mahjong Tiny Tales4 screens
Runes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Mahjong Tiny Tales at none against Runes's shown. Mahjong Tiny Tales also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (2.9K vs 576). Runes's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mahjong Tiny Tales sells 15 one-off in-app purchases and Runes sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mahjong Tiny Tales holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mahjong Tiny Tales has 2.9K ratings behind it against 576, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Mahjong Tiny Tales's written reviews are positive against 83% of Runes's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mahjong Tiny Tales ships an update every 4 months, Runes every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Mahjong Tiny Tales versus Runes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMahjong Tiny TalesRunes
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (2.9K ratings) — better4.5 (576 ratings)
Positive reviews86.4% of reviews — better83.3% of reviews
Number of ratings2.9K — better576
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.2 — better13.4
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB186 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperQublixCrisp App Studio

Customer experience

Mahjong Tiny Tales

All ratings2,916 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral3.1%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews191 reviews
Positive86.4%
Neutral4.2%
Negative9.4%

Runes

All ratings577 ratings
Positive88.2%
Neutral7.6%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral7.1%
Negative9.5%

User reviews

Mahjong Tiny Tales

From 2.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fun and mentally stimulating
  • 👍 Relaxing and challenging
  • 🤩 Addictive and enjoyable
  • 🧠 Keeps the mind sharp
  • 🎨 Cute and colorful graphics

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Progress resets or disappears
  • 💰 Game becomes a money pit
  • 🔋 Battery draining
  • 🤔 Confusing or unclear mechanics

Runes

From 576 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great graphics
  • 🧠 Exercises the brain
  • 🤩 Fun to play
  • 🧘‍♀️ Relaxing gameplay
  • 🔍 Interesting hidden object puzzles

Room to improve

  • 💰 Energy/ads require purchases
  • 🕰️ Too many interruptions
  • 🌃 Dark and blurry scenes
  • 🤔 Unclear progression/navigation

Bugs and requests

Mahjong Tiny Tales

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent crashes or freezes
  • Levels not loading properly
  • Incorrect or missing game data
  • Sync issues across devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to continue progress after breaks
  • More level variety and challenge
  • Better save/load functionality
  • Improved in-game support and communication

Runes

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Energy recharge issues
  • Purchase rejections

Requested features

2 requests
  • Restart option
  • Clearer level progression

In-app purchases

15 purchases

Mahjong Tiny Tales

One-time15
  • 3000 Coins 24h Unlimited Life$1.99
  • Small Coin Package$4.99
  • Sale Bundle$4.99
Show 12 more
  • 4,500 Coins+2h Lives+Booster$5.99
  • 8,000 Coins 1h Unlimited Life$7.99
  • Medium Coin Package$9.99
  • Sale Bundle$9.99
  • 10,000 Coins+4h Lives+Booster$11.99
  • 16000 Coins 2h Unlimited Lives$13.99
  • Large Coin Package$18.99
  • Sale Bundle$18.99
  • 35000 Coins 3h Unlimited Lives$28.99
  • Sack of Coins Package$46.99
  • 95000 Coins 6h Unlimited Lives$69.99
  • Barrel of Coins Package$94.99
7 purchases

Runes

One-time7
  • Instant Hint$0.99
  • Handful of Gems$0.99
  • Bag with Gems$1.99
Show 4 more
  • Infinity Energy + No Ads$2.99
  • Сhest with Gems$2.99
  • Master Pack Special$3.99
  • Master Pack: All-included$7.99

Questions

Is Mahjong Tiny Tales free?
Mahjong Tiny Tales is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Runes free?
Runes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mahjong Tiny Tales or Runes?
Mahjong Tiny Tales is rated higher. Mahjong Tiny Tales averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Runes averages 4.5 from 576 ratings.
Do Mahjong Tiny Tales or Runes have ads?
Runes shows ads; Mahjong Tiny Tales does not.
Which is updated more often, Mahjong Tiny Tales or Runes?
Mahjong Tiny Tales ships an update every 4 months, and Runes every 6 weeks. Most recently, Mahjong Tiny Tales was updated on October 28, 2026 and Runes on October 26, 2026.

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