Comparison

Plugo by PlayShifu vs Tide Shift

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

Head to head
About

Plugo by PlayShifu

This interactive AR gaming system uses interchangeable kits and a gamepad to make learning STEM subjects fun and hands-on for children. Kids can play and learn without directly touching the screen, developing skills in math, vocabulary, logic, and critical thinking through engaging games.

Highlights
  • Interactive AR gaming
  • Hands-on STEM learning
  • Interchangeable game kits
  • Develops logic and critical thinking
  • No screen touching required
  • Multiple educational games
Read full description

** PlayShifu Plugo: An interactive AR gaming system to stimulate STEM skills ** Plugo is an AR gaming system that makes STEM super fun and hands-on - 1 gamepad, 7 interchangeable kits, unlimited gaming! Designed for 5-11-year-old kids, each gaming kit offers exciting educational games that are conceptualized to make your child play, learn and have fun—all at the same time. With Plugo, your child can interact and play using various tactile kits without touching the screen. They won’t even realize they’re learning math, vocabulary, dexterity, logical reasoning, critical thinking and so much more. The gamepad is built for all Plugo kits and is compatible with multiple devices. No wires, no electronics or additional hardware; our gaming system requires minimum effort to set-up and play. Plugo app has many games with over 60+ levels for each gaming kit! ** Plugo Link: Construction Kit ** Design structures with hexagon building blocks to solve problems ** Plugo Count: Hands-on Math Kit ** Unravel mysteries and cross hurdles with numbers & arithmetic 
 ** Plugo Piano: Music Learning Kit ** Step into the musical world and get friendly with keys, notes & beats ** S.T.E.A.M. Ahead with Plugo ** S.T.E.A.M. is an integral part of our educational approach to kids’ playtime. -- Science: Explore the underwater world & celestial objects with Plugo Steer. -- Technology: Learn about the functioning of basic electric & sound circuits with Plugo Link. -- Engineering: Build gravity-defying structures with Plugo Link. Build innovative thinking & logical reasoning ability with Plugo Quest. -- Arts: Hone your creative problem-solving skills with Plugo Link. Foray into the world of music with Plugo Piano. -- Mathematics: Learn problem-solving involving numbers & algebra with Plugo Count. ** How It Works ** -- Download the Plugo by PlayShifu app -- Login -- Sync the kits you have -- Unfold the gamepad and place the device in the slot -- Tap on any game to let the fun times roll ** About Team PlayShifu ** We are a passionate team of parents, early learning experts, innovators and technologists that fit together like puzzle pieces. Our aim is to make every experience exciting and meaningful for kids, and we strive to give the best! ** Contact Us ** Your feedback is very important to us. If you have any questions, comments, feedback or need any help, please contact us at reachout@playshifu.com

About

Tide Shift

Control the ocean's tide to keep your boat afloat amidst storms, mines, and caves. Enjoy handcrafted levels, an endless mode, and custom level creation tools. Personalize your experience with unlockable skins and share your creations with friends.

Highlights
  • Tide control mechanics
  • Campaign and Endless modes
  • Custom level builder
  • Unlockable boat skins
  • Power-ups and combos
  • Game Center leaderboards
Read full description

You don't steer the boat. You control the ocean. In Tide Shift, drag up and down to raise and lower the tide, keep your boat riding the surface, and survive chaotic waters filled with storms, mines, caves, power-ups, and more. Play handcrafted campaign levels, chase 3-star times, test yourself in Endless Mode, or choose the Expert path for tougher challenges. Create your own boat skins with the Skin Builder, design custom levels with the Level Builder, and share your creations with friends. FEATURES • Basic and Expert paths • Handcrafted campaign levels • Endless Mode • Custom skin and level builders • Shareable custom creations • Unlockable boat skins and secret levels • Power-ups, combos, dash boosts, and tilt controls • Game Center leaderboards and achievements • Live Activities, Dynamic Island, and widgets NO ADS. NO SUBSCRIPTIONS. EVER. Tide Shift is free to play. Some skins are available to purchase. That’s it — no ads, no subscriptions.

Screenshots

Plugo by PlayShifu4 screens
Tide Shift4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tide Shift at 100% against Plugo by PlayShifu's 51%. Tide Shift also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Plugo by PlayShifu's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (7.8K vs 13). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tide Shift holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plugo by PlayShifu has 7.8K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Plugo by PlayShifu's written reviews are positive against 100% of Tide Shift's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Plugo by PlayShifu versus Tide Shift: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlugo by PlayShifuTide Shift
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (7.8K ratings)5.0 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7.8K — better13
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size862 MB190 MB
Age rating4+9+
DevelopermobilizAROnline Mars LLC

Customer experience

Plugo by PlayShifu

All ratings7,805 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral2.8%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews219 reviews
Positive50.7%
Neutral7.3%
Negative42.0%

Tide Shift

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Plugo by PlayShifu

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Camera permissions not working
  • Incorrect math answers provided
  • Spelling mistakes in the app
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add lowercase letter tiles
  • Ability to create custom spelling lists
  • More diverse avatar options
  • Parental controls and profile management
  • Randomize word/puzzle selection

Tide Shift

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Plugo by PlayShifu

No in-app purchases

None

Tide Shift

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Plugo by PlayShifu free?
Plugo by PlayShifu is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tide Shift free?
Tide Shift is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Plugo by PlayShifu or Tide Shift?
Tide Shift is rated higher. Plugo by PlayShifu averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.8K ratings, while Tide Shift averages 5.0 from 13 ratings.
Do Plugo by PlayShifu or Tide Shift have ads?
Neither Plugo by PlayShifu nor Tide Shift shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Plugo by PlayShifu or Tide Shift?
Plugo by PlayShifu ships an update every 3 weeks, and Tide Shift every 3 weeks. Most recently, Plugo by PlayShifu was updated on October 29, 2026 and Tide Shift on October 16, 2026.

Other comparisons