Comparison

GPixel vs Squid Drifter

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

Head to head
About

GPixel

Experience a unique turn-based racing game where strategy meets casual fun. Plan your moves on a pixel grid to outsmart opponents and climb global leaderboards. Enjoy various game modes, weather conditions, and car customization.

Highlights
  • Turn-based pixel grid racing
  • World Tour mode
  • Online leaderboards
  • Time and moves countdown modes
  • Boosters (Turbo, Brakes)
  • Weather conditions
  • Multiplayer options
Features
Read full description

Get ready for a unique racing experience with GPixel, the casual yet strategic turn-based racing game for iOS! Plan your moves in advance and outsmart your opponents in grid-based races that simulate real motorsport dynamics on a squared paper-style track. Compete in the revamped World Tour and climb the motorsport leaderboard to become the best driver worldwide! GPixel offers a wide variety of game modes to keep the challenge fresh: – World Tour: unlock all seasons and circuits, improve your scores, and beat your rivals – Online Leaderboards: race to the top! – Time Countdown: finish before time runs out – Moves Countdown: think ahead with limited moves – Night Race: win in total darkness – Dynamic Weather: Snow, Ice, Heatwave, Heavy Rain, Fog, Clouds, and more – Quick Race: compete against the AI or your friends locally with up to 4 players Master 40 unique circuits, unlock over 30 car liveries, dozens of color combos, and power up your car with Boosters like Turbo, Brakes, and more. Avoid hazards like oil puddles and random obstacles, adapt to extreme weather, and prove your skills on every terrain. Download GPixel now and experience the thrill of strategic racing on your iOS device!

About

Squid Drifter

Experience retro arcade thrills with this simple racing game. Control a slippery squid, master drifts around corners, and aim for fast times in this engaging challenge. Easy to learn, but requires precise timing.

Highlights
  • Simple 45-degree directional controls
  • Slippery squid physics
  • Corner drifting mechanics
  • Time attack challenges
  • Retro arcade feel
Features
Read full description

Drift a fast-moving squid! You can enjoy the thrill of sliding through the corners and hot time attacks with a super simple and retro game feeling. == How to play == Rotating squid's direction by 45 degrees: The buttons at the bottom of the screen. The squid is very slippery, so control it with good timing!

Screenshots

GPixel4 screens
Squid Drifter4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GPixel at 78% against Squid Drifter's 25%. GPixel also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (491 vs 9). Squid Drifter's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and device support 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. GPixel sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Squid Drifter asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GPixel holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GPixel has 491 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of GPixel's written reviews are positive against 25% of Squid Drifter's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GPixel ships an update every 3 weeks, Squid Drifter every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
GPixel versus Squid Drifter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGPixelSquid Drifter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (491 ratings) — better4.2 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews77.6% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings491 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size235 MB72 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJacopo GuanziroliShuhei Toyoda

Customer experience

GPixel

All ratings491 ratings
Positive89.8%
Neutral3.7%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews76 reviews
Positive77.6%
Neutral9.2%
Negative13.2%

Squid Drifter

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

GPixel

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Timed races not functioning properly
  • Inability to progress past certain levels
  • Purchased content not carrying over to new devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Offline play mode
  • Asynchronous multiplayer
  • Option to disable timed races
  • Improved leaderboard functionality

Squid Drifter

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

GPixel

One-time7
  • Add Boosters$0.99
  • Turbo Booster Pack$1.99
  • Brakes Booster Pack$1.99
Show 4 more
  • Speedway Booster Pack$2.99
  • Remove pop-up ads forever!$2.99
  • Pole Position Booster Pack$5.99
  • Starter Pack$6.99
None

Squid Drifter

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GPixel free?
GPixel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Squid Drifter free?
Squid Drifter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GPixel or Squid Drifter?
GPixel is rated higher. GPixel averages 4.6 out of 5 from 491 ratings, while Squid Drifter averages 4.2 from 9 ratings.
Do GPixel or Squid Drifter have ads?
Both GPixel and Squid Drifter show ads.
Which is updated more often, GPixel or Squid Drifter?
GPixel ships an update every 3 weeks, and Squid Drifter every 4 days. Most recently, GPixel was updated on September 23, 2026 and Squid Drifter on September 9, 2026.

Other comparisons