Comparison

Trism vs The Recycling

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

Head to head
About

Trism

This award-winning puzzle game challenges players with unique mechanics and multiple game modes. It offers a classic yet engaging experience with features like auto-save and a colorblind mode for accessibility.

Highlights
  • 5 game modes
  • 22 achievements
  • Auto-save
  • Colorblind mode
  • Puzzle gameplay
Features
Read full description

* "Best Casual Game" award from AppStoreApps.com * 1st on iLounge's "100 Best Apps and Games" * Gold Award from PocketGamer * Slide To Play's "Must Have" award * One of ABC News & WIRED's "10 Most Awesome iPhone Apps of 2008" * Interactive Achievement Award finalist for "Cellular Game of the Year" Released on the very first day of the AppStore in July 2008, TRISM's legacy is one of rags-to-riches success. Created by indie developer Steve Demeter, the phenomenal success of TRISM allowed Steve to pursue his dream of game development. Steve's story has inspired developers all over the world, as told on Good Morning America, CNN, BBC, The New York Times, and others. Apple itself filmed a documentary on Steve, and presented it at the start of the iOS 3.0 keynote in Cupertino. FEATURES: - 5 game modes, including Classic, Timed, and Puzzle - 22 achievements to collect - Auto-save when interrupted by a phone call - Colorblind mode "Could Trism Make iPhone Gaming Fun?" - KOTAKU

About

The Recycling

Features
Read full description

The Recycling is a casual puzzle game where you sort waste. Sort waste by type: - organic and biodegradable waste (green glow) is cut into small pieces in the shredder saw, - metal waste (cyan glow) is crushed into small pieces in the roller crusher, - plastic waste (red glow) is heated in the oven, turning into pure steam and heat, - hazardous waste (magenta glow) is converted into water and gravity waves in the disintegrator. Move waste back and forth on conveyors. Move waste from one conveyor to another where the conveyors touch each other. Incorrect waste sorting will lead to breakdowns and explosions of recyclers. Broken recyclers can be repaired using points awarded. Just tap on the recycler quickly a few times. Points are awarded for correct waste sorting and destruction of non-hazardous waste. For the destruction of hazardous waste (magenta glow), points are deducted, but this can be stopped if you manage to tap on the red sphere that flies out. You can destroy waste with a few quick taps on it. When the required number of points is reached, a victory is counted. Complete the levels and clear the main screen of waste. You will see that the main screen will be cleaner.

Screenshots

Trism4 screens
The Recycling4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Trism at every 3 months against The Recycling's every 12 months. Trism also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). The Recycling's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $2.99). On ads, in-app purchases 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

Trism costs $2.99 and The Recycling $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Trism ships an update every 3 months, The Recycling every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Trism versus The Recycling: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrismThe Recycling
Price$2.99$0.99 — better
Rating4.6 (233 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings233 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 12 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDemiforce LLCViktor Sokolov

Bugs and requests

Trism

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes after iOS updates
  • Tiles disappearing or behaving erratically
  • Scoring issues and loss of progress

Requested features

3 requests
  • More game modes and levels
  • Ability to use own music
  • Improved optimization for larger screens

The Recycling

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Trism

No in-app purchases

None

The Recycling

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Trism free?
Trism costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Recycling free?
The Recycling costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Trism or The Recycling have ads?
Neither Trism nor The Recycling shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Trism or The Recycling?
Trism ships an update every 3 months, and The Recycling every 12 months. Most recently, Trism was updated on November 6, 2026 and The Recycling on October 30, 2026.

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