# Gears Forever vs Close Cities

The clearest difference is rating: Close Cities at 4.8 against Gears Forever's 4.4. Close Cities also leads on review sentiment (69% vs 50%) and ratings volume (362 vs 17). Gears Forever's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gears Forever sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Close Cities sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Close Cities holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Close Cities has 362 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Gears Forever's written reviews are positive against 69% of Close Cities's.

Gears Forever ships an update every 9 days, Close Cities every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gears Forever | Close Cities |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gears-forever/id1669991448/reviews) | **[4.8 (362 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-cities/id6475958084/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **362** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **69.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 209 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Crescent Moon Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/370521012) | [Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo](https://appshunter.io/developer/391953849) |

## What reviewers say

### Gears Forever

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gears-forever/id1669991448)

Embark on an enchanting 3D ball-rolling platformer adventure. Explore three distinct worlds filled with imaginative challenges, gather gears, and race against the clock. Enjoy intuitive controls and high-definition steampunk graphics.

**Highlights:** 3D ball-rolling platformer, Explore three distinct worlds, Gather gears and race against time, Intuitive swipe controls, High-definition steampunk graphics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 500 gears | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 Extra Lives | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1500 Gears | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all levels | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all balls | $6.99 | one-time |


### Close Cities

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/close-cities/id6475958084)

Build beautiful cities on diverse worlds by solving unique puzzles. This relaxing game guides you through 160 levels with a simple tap or drag interface, requiring no architectural knowledge. Conquer each world's challenges and travel through time with its calming soundtrack.

**Highlights:** Build cities on empty maps, Solve 160 unique puzzle levels, Intuitive tap and drag controls, No architectural knowledge needed, Travel through different worlds, Relaxing music and pace

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hints - Small Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hints - Medium Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads + Hints | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hints - Big Pack | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gears Forever free?

Gears Forever is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Close Cities free?

Close Cities is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Gears Forever or Close Cities?

Close Cities is rated higher. Gears Forever averages 4.4 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Close Cities averages 4.8 from 362 ratings.

### Do Gears Forever or Close Cities have ads?

Both Gears Forever and Close Cities show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gears Forever or Close Cities?

Gears Forever ships an update every 9 days, and Close Cities every 3 weeks. Most recently, Gears Forever was updated on September 30, 2026 and Close Cities on October 21, 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.*