Comparison

while True vs Magic Research 2

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

Head to head
About

while True

Engage in a puzzle simulation game where you learn about machine learning, neural networks, and AI by building a cat-to-human speech recognition system. No coding experience is required to play.

Highlights
  • Machine learning and AI puzzles
  • Visual programming interface
  • Cat-to-human speech recognition system
  • Real-life machine learning concepts
  • Freelancer simulation
  • Problem-solving challenges
Features
Read full description

while True: learn() is a puzzle/simulation game about even more puzzling stuff: machine learning, neural networks, big data and AI. But most importantly, it’s about understanding your cat. In this game, you play as a coder who accidentally found out that their cat is extremely good at coding, but not as good at speaking human language. Now this coder (it’s you!) must learn all there is to know about machine learning and use visual programming to build a cat-to-human speech recognition system. This game fits best for... - People who want to know more about how machine learning and related technologies work - Parents and teachers who are looking for a fun and easy way to make an intro to logical thinking, programming, and technologies for kids - Programmers who want to learn new concepts that they can apply to their own coding - Those who want to play games and not feel guilty about ‘wasting their time’ (although we believe you shouldn’t feel guilty at all while playing games!) - Players who like to keep their brains busy and working in different ways, while still having fun - Gamers looking to improve their problem-solving skills and feel immense sense of satisfaction and achievement that comes along with it - People who like smart cats Learn how machine learning works in real life! The game is loosely based on real-life machine learning technologies: from goofy Expert Systems to mighty Recurrent Neural Networks, capable of predicting the future. Don’t worry: it all plays out as a puzzle game. No coding experience required! Train yourself into a data science wizard! Drag objects around your screen with a mouse! Connect them with lines (oh yeah)! Try. Fail. Optimize. Try again. Then press “Release” button and see that sweet pieces of data flow smoothly through your screen. Embrace an adventurous lifestyle of a machine learning specialist! Designing a groundbreaking technology requires time, experience and money. That means you’ll have to work as a freelancer, with all the excitement that comes along with it. Receive emails! Accept contracts! Sit alone in a dark room for days without saying a single word! Socialize on forums! That’s what real data scientists do! Coding just got real! Our quests are based on actual problems, solved by machine learning. This includes building a self-driving car (with your cat as a pilot). And if you really want to test your programming might, you can become a CTO of a startup: it’s your skills and your schemes against the savage laws of the market! Earn a fortune, flip off your bosses and become a tech guru… Or lose everything and crawl back to the doorstep of HR department: at least it was worth trying, right? Improve your gear, improve your life! Once you ensure a stable cashflow, you’ll be able to buy yourself a bunch of fancy hardware to improve your performance. But it’s not just about the hardware! Buy yourself a new smartphone or a geeky figurine! Buy fancy outfits for your cat! Hell, you can even buy yourself an aloe! Fun fact: this is what machine learning specialists actually do. Now, you can become one of them (minus the money)! while True: learn() is the best game about being a data science specialist because no one else has been weird enough to make another one!

About

Magic Research 2

Embark on a magical quest as a rookie wizard to find or create the Philosopher's Stone. Utilize over 120 spells, transmute hundreds of items, and lead a team of wizards in a semi-automated combat system. Explore dozens of areas, uncover secrets, and experience over 60 hours of gameplay.

Highlights
  • Over 120 distinct spells
  • Transmute over 250 items
  • Control a team of wizards
  • Semi-automated combat system
  • Explore dozens of areas
  • Discover secrets and storylines
  • Retirement bonuses for faster progress
Features
Read full description

Experience the long-awaited sequel to Magic Research! In Magic Research 2, you are a rookie wizard with a single ambition: to find or create the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary magical item that is said to be able to cure any illness. As you do so, you will learn more than you ever imagined about Magic and about the world around you. What kinds of adventures await you? * Use your arsenal of more than 120 distinct spells to make progress * Study the Elements! Learn new ways to use Magic in your path to mastery * Transmute (magically craft) over 250 different items to help you on your journey * Control a team of Wizards that will cast Spells for you * Enjoy a deep, semi-automated combat system as you make your way through dozens of areas to explore * Discover tons of secrets - many of which will change the way you play the game! * Encounter over a hundred distinct Storylines with powerful bonuses along your journey * Restart the game and make progress faster each time with retirement bonuses * Over 60 hours of addictive gameplay - with a clear ending! (Or perhaps more than one...?) * Optimized both for phones and tablet devices You do not need to have played Magic Research in order to enjoy Magic Research 2!

Screenshots

while True4 screens
Magic Research 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: Magic Research 2 at #14 against while True's unranked. while True's advantage is ratings volume (709 vs 115) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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

while True costs $4.99 and Magic Research 2 $4.69 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for while True against 4.8 for Magic Research 2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: while True has 709 ratings behind it against 115, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of while True's written reviews are positive against 82% of Magic Research 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

while True ships an update every 4 days, Magic Research 2 every 3 days. Both last shipped on September 29, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
while True versus Magic Research 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterwhile TrueMagic Research 2
Price$4.99$4.69 — better
Rating4.9 (709 ratings) — better4.8 (115 ratings)
Positive reviews80.4% of reviews82.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings709 — better115
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#14 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size577 MB36 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperLUDENIO LABS LTDMatias Ezequiel Colotto

Customer experience

while True

All ratings709 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews153 reviews
Positive80.4%
Neutral6.5%
Negative13.1%

Magic Research 2

All ratings115 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral4.3%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive82.1%
Neutral8.9%
Negative8.9%

User reviews

while True

From 709 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great game with good coverage of topics
  • 💡 Humorous and educational
  • 👍 Fun and challenging puzzles
  • 👍 Logical thinking process similar to programming
  • 👍 Informative links to real-world concepts

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes, especially on older devices
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 👎 UI issues, such as tiny text and fiddly controls
  • 👎 Inconsistent quality of external links
  • 🐛 Saved progress deleted after updates

Magic Research 2

From 115 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fantastic sequel, better than the first
  • 👍 Incredible sense of progression
  • 💡 Fun build types, best in genre
  • 👍 Incremental masterclass, gold standard
  • 👍 True semi-idle masterpiece

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Extremely complicated, tedious timers
  • 🐛 UI is absolutely atrocious
  • 🐛 Time pieces cap out at 100k
  • 🐛 UI issues, not easy to navigate
  • 🐛 Sorting doesn't sort exactly as wanted

Bugs and requests

while True

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • AI car behavior issues
  • Clipboard access problems
  • Startup investment income not calculating correctly
  • Evolve button not working on iOS
  • Frequent crashes, especially on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Cross-device save data synchronization
  • More music and audio options
  • Improved UI scaling and readability
  • Better in-game help and tutorials
  • Expanded machine learning and data science content

Magic Research 2

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App instantly crashes on open
  • Game crashes on startup
  • App started rapidly pushing buttons on its own
  • Overheating phone
  • Lags and gets choppy in the late game
Show 1 more
  • Compendium doesn't unlock for bosses unless already beat

Requested features

9 requests
  • DLC or sequel news
  • macOS version
  • Better automation and convenience features
  • Tweak familiar search time down
  • Release the next one
Show 4 more
  • More Please
  • Auto fight boss button
  • Compendium unlocks bosses before beating them
  • Less dialogue and descriptions, more functional text

In-app purchases

None

while True

No in-app purchases

None

Magic Research 2

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is while True free?
while True costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Magic Research 2 free?
Magic Research 2 costs $4.69, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, while True or Magic Research 2?
while True is rated higher. while True averages 4.9 out of 5 from 709 ratings, while Magic Research 2 averages 4.8 from 115 ratings.
Do while True or Magic Research 2 have ads?
Neither while True nor Magic Research 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, while True or Magic Research 2?
while True ships an update every 4 days, and Magic Research 2 every 3 days. Most recently, while True was updated on September 29, 2026 and Magic Research 2 on September 29, 2026.

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