# Iron Roads vs Shikaku

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shikaku at none against Iron Roads's 10. Shikaku also leads on review sentiment (76% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). Iron Roads's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Iron Roads sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Shikaku asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Iron Roads against 4.4 for Shikaku. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 38 and 16 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 44% of Iron Roads's written reviews are positive against 76% of Shikaku's.

Iron Roads ships an update fortnightly, Shikaku every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Iron Roads | Shikaku |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iron-roads/id1621948033/reviews) | **[4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shikaku-rectangles/id6759557296/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **38** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 43.8% of reviews | **76.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 74 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Cowleyfornia Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540600041) | [BRIDGE DIGITAL EUROPE LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1782316772) |

## What reviewers say

### Iron Roads

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iron-roads/id1621948033)

Optimize and grow your railway network in this challenging 2D train management game. Lay tracks, buy trains, and set routes to efficiently transport passengers and cargo. Enjoy board game-inspired mechanics for a cerebral optimization experience.

**Highlights:** 2D top-down train management, Lay tracks and set routes, Transport passengers and cargo, Board game-inspired mechanics, Resource token system, Universal purchase for iOS and macOS

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Horseshoe Isle | $1.99 | one-time |
| Forgotten Valley | $1.99 | one-time |
| Desert Dew | $1.99 | one-time |
| Mistra | $1.99 | one-time |
| Futura | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full game | $2.99 | one-time |
| Full game | $4.99 | one-time |
| Full game | $6.99 | one-time |
| Full Game | $6.99 | one-time |
| Full game | $8.99 | one-time |


### Shikaku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shikaku-rectangles/id6759557296)

Engage in a minimalist logic puzzle game where you divide a grid into rectangular pieces. Each piece must contain a number representing its total area. Enjoy daily challenges, endless modes, and customizable themes.

**Highlights:** Grid division logic puzzles, Daily puzzle chapters, Infinite puzzle generation, Customizable themes, XP system for mastery, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Iron Roads free?

Iron Roads is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shikaku free?

Shikaku is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Iron Roads or Shikaku?

Shikaku is rated higher. Iron Roads averages 4.3 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Shikaku averages 4.4 from 16 ratings.

### Do Iron Roads or Shikaku have ads?

Neither Iron Roads nor Shikaku shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Iron Roads or Shikaku?

Iron Roads ships an update fortnightly, and Shikaku every 3 weeks. Most recently, Iron Roads was updated on November 7, 2026 and Shikaku on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*