Comparison

Cartographers vs Creature Journal

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

Head to head
About

Cartographers

Become a royal cartographer tasked with mapping newly reclaimed lands for the Kingdom of Nalos. Fulfill royal edicts, strategically draw your territory, and outmaneuver rival outposts to gain the most reputation. Experience this tactical flip & write game digitally with multiple modes and global leaderboards.

Highlights
  • Map reclaimed northern lands
  • Fulfill royal edicts
  • Outmaneuver rival outposts
  • Tactical flip & write gameplay
  • Multiple game modes
  • Global weekly highscorelists
  • Collect achievements
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The official Flip & Write companion to the board game hit! Step into the shoes of a royal cartographer and surveyor commissioned by Queen Gimnax. Your mission: explore, stake out, and immortalize the wild northern lands on parchment. In this strategic card game, you decide how to shape your territory—but beware: you are not alone in the wilderness! An Epic Adventure in the Roll Player Universe Cartographers brings the fascinating mechanics of the modern board game directly to your smartphone. Experience the tactical Flip & Write principle that has thrilled critics and fans worldwide and was nominated for the prestigious Kennerspiel des Jahres (Connoisseur Game of the Year) in 2020. Strategy Through Ever-Changing Decrees At the heart of this board game are four royal decrees. These are recombined in every match, making each game a unique puzzle. You must constantly adapt your strategy to squeeze the maximum score out of your lands: Diverse Scoring: Earn fame through the Gloomy Wood by skillfully enclosing forest patches, or use the Golden Granary to place farm fields on valuable ruins. Tactical Placement: In the Magician's Valley, score points by placing water and farmland near mighty mountains. Every hamlet and settlement must be cleverly planned to meet the Queen’s shifting demands. Seasonal Cycle: Priorities change through Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Only those who plan ahead will be named Master Cartographer at the end of the year. The Gameplay is Simple Flip: Each round, a new card is revealed, showing you landscapes and shapes. Write: Skillfully place these areas on your map. Use the space optimally to fulfill the conditions of the decrees. Score: Collect valuable reputation points, but watch out for monster ambushes! Monsters in the Borderlands A cartographer must be brave! The monsters never sleep. At regular intervals, you will encounter ambushes that thwart your plans. Monster fields will be discovered on your map—surround them quickly to minimize the damage to your reputation. Why You’ll Love "Cartographers": Official Adaptation: The faithful digital version of the popular board game by Thunderworks Games. Weekly Challenges: Compete with players from all over the world in global highscore lists. A new scenario awaits you every week! Three Game Modes: Choose between different difficulty levels and randomness factors—from relaxed puzzling to hardcore strategy. Achievements & Ranks: Collect achievements and rise from apprentice to legendary Royal Cartographer. Solo Fun & Competition: Perfect for a quick round in between or a deep strategic experience. Awards for the Original: 2020 – Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominee 2019 – Golden Geek Best Solo Board Game Nominee 2019 – Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Nominee 2019 – Cardboard Republic Socializer Laurel Nominee Are you ready to expand the borders of the realm? Grab your quill, draw your cards, and master the ultimate Flip & Write adventure. Whether you're a fan of board games, logic puzzles, or fantasy strategy, Cartographers offers tactical depth right in your pocket. Download the official app now and begin your journey through the northern lands!

About

Creature Journal

Scan NFC cards to collect unique creatures, uncover their lore, and reveal hidden secrets. This app is designed for all ages and is perfect for events.

Highlights
  • Scan NFC cards
  • Collect unique creatures
  • Discover creature lore
  • Unlock hidden secrets
  • Event-specific content
Read full description

Find and scan our NFC cards to collect unique creatures, discover their lore, and unlock hidden secrets. Perfect for all ages! Made for events such as chaos communication congress (c3) in Hamburg. Collect more Creatures at future Events and Chaos Events. (This app was previously called Mystery Journal)

Screenshots

Cartographers4 screens
Creature Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Creature Journal at Free against Cartographers's $3.99. Creature Journal also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 36%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Cartographers's advantage is chart position (#150 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Creature Journal is free to download; Cartographers costs $3.99 up front. Cartographers sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Creature Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cartographers ships an update every 3 months, Creature Journal every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Cartographers versus Creature Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCartographersCreature Journal
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating3.4 (118 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews36.2% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings118 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#150 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB26 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperBrettspielWeltTOBIAS ZINKE

Customer experience

Cartographers

All ratings113 ratings
Positive52.2%
Neutral15.9%
Negative31.9%
Written reviews163 reviews
Positive36.2%
Neutral19.6%
Negative44.2%

Creature Journal

Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Cartographers

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Game freezes and crashes
  • Incorrect tile placement and scoring
  • Inconsistent save/resume functionality
  • Registration and login problems

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add online/local multiplayer modes
  • Implement undo/rollback functionality
  • Improve tutorial and in-game help
  • Add support for expansions and new maps

Creature Journal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cartographers

One-time1
  • Cartographers Heroes$1.99
None

Creature Journal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Cartographers free?
Cartographers costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Creature Journal free?
Creature Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Cartographers or Creature Journal have ads?
Neither Cartographers nor Creature Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cartographers or Creature Journal?
Cartographers ships an update every 3 months, and Creature Journal every 4 days. Most recently, Cartographers was updated on October 21, 2026 and Creature Journal on October 12, 2026.

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