Comparison

Circles & Dots vs Phase Star

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

Head to head
About

Circles & Dots

A fast-paced arcade game where players tap to change direction, collect coins, and avoid obstacles. It offers simple controls and two engaging modes for quick fun.

Highlights
  • Tap to change direction
  • Capture coins
  • Avoid obstacles
  • Two game modes
  • Fast-paced gameplay
Features
Read full description

Pip is nine years old and a very long way from home. Her survival pod came loose during a debris storm, and now she is drifting through the Drift: a belt of wreckage orbiting a dead star. Her family is out there, listening for her beacon. One orbit at a time, she is going back. Her pod has a single thruster, so you have a single control. Tap. That is the whole game, and it is harder than it sounds. TWO WAYS TO FLY Retrograde flips your thrust so you double back along the same orbit. Transfer hops you between the inner and outer shells. Same story, different verb, and each keeps its own record. WHAT IS OUT THERE Asteroids tumble past and cannot be destroyed. Sweeper drones will clear you away like any other debris, unless you are carrying a Phase Shield. Bolts come fast and thin, and there is no answering them. Between them float shards of salvage. Collect them quickly and your collector goes into resonance, multiplying everything you pick up. Pass close to a hazard without touching it and you steal momentum from it. The best runs are the greedy ones. FIT OUT THE POD Spend salvage on an extra hull plate, a wider tractor beam, better luck with powers, a higher multiplier. Change your beacon frequency and fly in a colour of your choosing. The whole game is free, and every run is playable without spending anything. Simple to learn, difficult to master, over in a minute. Bring her home.

About

Phase Star

A relaxing card game where players match cards by color and number to complete phases. It features mind-blowing levels and a minimalistic visual design. No internet connection is required to play.

Highlights
  • Mind-blowing levels
  • Minimalistic visual design
  • Astonishing animation
  • No internet connection required
  • Free to play
Features
Read full description

HOW TO PLAY PHASE STAR? Every Phase has its own sets of cards to match their colors and numbers. Find the right match and throw the card! The Phase is finished! 'Runs' consist of 3 or more cards in numerical order. The cards do not have to be the same colors. 'Sets' consist of two or more cards of the same number. The cards do not have to be the same colors. 'Color Sets' consists of two or more cards of the same color. Features · Mind-blowing levels · Stunning minimalistic visual design · Astonishing animation · No internet connection required · Free to Play! Enjoy!

Screenshots

Circles & Dots4 screens
Phase Star4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Circles & Dots at 5.0 against Phase Star's 2.3. Phase Star's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (10 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads 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. Circles & Dots sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Phase Star asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Circles & Dots holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phase Star has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Circles & Dots ships an update every 8 months, Phase Star every 9 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Circles & Dots versus Phase Star: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCircles & DotsPhase Star
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better2.3 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews—12.5% of reviews
Number of ratings210 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 months — betterEvery 9 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationAd-supportedAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB111 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperErmano Nicolas JosephRootcraft

Customer experience

Circles & Dots

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Phase Star

All ratings10 ratings
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive12.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative75.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Circles & Dots

One-time4
  • Pouch of Shards$0.99
  • Hull Refit$2.99
  • Crate of Shards$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Cargo Hold of Shards$9.99
None

Phase Star

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Circles & Dots free?
Circles & Dots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Phase Star free?
Phase Star is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Circles & Dots or Phase Star?
Circles & Dots is rated higher. Circles & Dots averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Phase Star averages 2.3 from 10 ratings.
Do Circles & Dots or Phase Star have ads?
Both Circles & Dots and Phase Star show ads.
Which is updated more often, Circles & Dots or Phase Star?
Circles & Dots ships an update every 8 months, and Phase Star every 9 months. Most recently, Circles & Dots was updated on November 3, 2026 and Phase Star on November 3, 2026.

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