Comparison

INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH vs Flat Machine

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

Head to head
About

INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH

Engage in an adventure game where you manage eccentric workers and investigate urban legends. Make decisions to achieve investigation goals or face escalating danger. Uncover mysteries through multiple playthroughs with branching scenarios and endings.

Highlights
  • Accept or reject worker proposals
  • Achieve 100% completion rating
  • Reach 100% danger rating
  • Unlock story mysteries
  • Multiple endings
  • Eccentric characters
Features
Read full description

"Training rookies is not in my job description." ■ Recommended for those who: ・Like adventure games ・Enjoy urban legends and paranormal phenomena ・Want a game that's free to play all the way to the end ■ As a caretaker: ・Simply accept or reject workers' proposals ・Achieve a 100% completion rating to conclude an investigation, or ・Reach a 100% danger rating to end an investigation ■ Colorful characters: ・8 eccentric workers ・3 scenarios with multiple endings ・Unlock the story's mysteries over multiple playthroughs Developer: Caramel Column http://caracolu.com https://twitter.com/GamesCaramel Creators of physical and digital games Music: MINAKEKKE

About

Flat Machine

Control a limbless robot tasked with defending a settlement in a post-apocalyptic world. Engage in simple, timing-based battles against various threats and make choices that influence the game's multiple endings. Discover the mystery of your own identity.

Highlights
  • Simple, timing-based battles
  • Item combination system
  • Respond to various visitors
  • Multiple endings based on choices
  • Daily events and encounters
Features
Read full description

■ Story In the not-so-distant future, a world on the brink of ruin. Awakening in the wasteland is a single robot—with no limbs and no memories. You become the settlement's "gatekeeper," fending off the strange visitors who arrive day after day. Can you protect the settlement through its final days? And what is the true nature of the Flat Machine...? ■ Features [1] Easy, satisfying defense battles—just tap! Tap with the right timing to repel the enemies closing in. Simple to play, yet endlessly strategic through gear and item combinations. Build your own ultimate defense style. [2] Your "choices" change the future—multiple endings Not everyone at the gate is an enemy. Help a struggling mutant, or coldly turn it away? Your decisions steer the story to its ending in this rich sci-fi adventure. [3] Charming pixel art and a wistful apocalyptic world Lovable yet lonely characters brought to life in beautiful retro pixel art. An original atmosphere, deepened by a carefully crafted soundtrack. ■ Perfect for players who love - Pixel-art (retro) games - Dystopian, sci-fi, and apocalyptic worlds - Story-driven indie games - Quick, pick-up-and-play sessions - Tower defense, idle games, and RPGs - Playing free to the end, at your own pace, with no stamina Step into the "everyday apocalypse" woven by an amnesiac gatekeeper robot and the inhabitants of a dying world.

Screenshots

INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH4 screens
Flat Machine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Flat Machine at every 5 days against INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH's every 2 months. INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Flat Machine sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH against 4.9 for Flat Machine. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 115 and 68 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH's written reviews are positive against 94% of Flat Machine's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH ships an update every 2 months, Flat Machine every 5 days. Both last shipped on September 28, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH versus Flat Machine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterINSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCHFlat Machine
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (115 ratings)4.9 (68 ratings)
Positive reviews91.2% of reviews93.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings115 — better68
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB118 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperCaramel Column Inc.zxima.LLC

Customer experience

INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH

All ratings115 ratings
Positive98.3%
Neutral0.9%
Negative0.9%
Written reviews57 reviews
Positive91.2%
Neutral1.8%
Negative7.0%

Flat Machine

All ratings68 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral2.9%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive93.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative1.6%

Bugs and requests

INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Flat Machine

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Ads redirect to app store and prevent item rewards
  • Ad BGM continues playing after ad ends
  • Ad BGM persists even after restarting app
  • Agoda ads prevent continuing the game

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add Chinese translation
  • Add Vietnamese translation
  • Add Spanish translation
  • Option for one-time purchase to remove ads
  • More interactions with certain characters (e.g., training robot)
Show 1 more
  • Consider adding taxi or bakery characters in future works

In-app purchases

8 purchases

INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH

One-time8
  • CASUAL MODE$0.99
  • SIDE STORY: FULL BUNDLE$1.99
  • SP Scenario 1: OBSESSIVE LOVE$2.99
Show 5 more
  • SP Scenario 2: CRUSH ON...$2.99
  • SP Scenario3: HERO OF HEROES$2.99
  • BRONZE SUPPORTER$2.99
  • SILVER SUPPORTER$4.99
  • GOLD SUPPORTER$6.99
4 purchases

Flat Machine

One-time4
  • AD removal$2.99
  • Donation(S)$3.99
  • Donation(M)$14.99
Show 1 more
  • Donation(L)$34.99

Questions

Is INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH free?
INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Flat Machine free?
Flat Machine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH or Flat Machine?
INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH and Flat Machine are both rated 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store, from 115 and 68 ratings respectively.
Do INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH or Flat Machine have ads?
Both INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH and Flat Machine show ads.
Which is updated more often, INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH or Flat Machine?
INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH ships an update every 2 months, and Flat Machine every 5 days. Most recently, INSECTARIUM ALTERNATIVE MARCH was updated on September 28, 2026 and Flat Machine on September 28, 2026.

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