Comparison

Squares vs Shikaku

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

Head to head
About

Squares

A strategy game inspired by classics like Othello and Reversi. Players take turns copying or moving squares to capture opponent's pieces, aiming to block all possible moves. Enjoy a variety of boards and play modes.

Highlights
  • 125 unique boards
  • 5 board sizes
  • 1 and 2-player modes
  • Play against device or friend
  • Random board generation
  • Resume previous games
Read full description

*** REVIEWS *** "SQUARES IS AWESOME!" "This gamne is addictive! I pretty much play it all the time!" A simple strategy game like Othello, Reversi & Attaxx. Play against your device or another player. Choose one of your squares and then either copy or move that square into one of the highlighted squares surrounding it. Take over the other player's squares by jumping next to them, and win by making it impossible for the other player to move. Forget about the daily commute - fire up Squares! STILL FREE! Features: - 125 boards - 5 board sizes: 8x10, 8x12, 9x14, 9x16, 10x16 - fits all iPhone displays! - 1 and 2-player modes: play against your device or another player - Random boards - Full boards with no missing places - Skip boards you don't want to play - Bonus squares - Resume a previous game - Compatible with iOS 13+

About

Shikaku

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
Read full description

Master the Geometry of Logic. Step into the world of Shikaku (also known as Rectangles), a classic Japanese logic puzzle reimagined for the modern era. Shikaku is a minimalist experience designed for those who find beauty in structure and peace in problem-solving. THE GOAL Divide the grid into rectangular and square pieces such that each piece contains exactly one number. That number must represent the total area (the number of cells) of that rectangle. It’s simple to learn, but mastery requires a deep understanding of logical geometry. WHY PLAY SHIKAKU? • Handcrafted Minimalism: A clean, distraction-free interface that lets you focus entirely on the puzzle at hand. • Daily Chapters: Every day brings a new "Chapter" with three stages of escalating difficulty. Start your morning with a light challenge and end your day with a masterclass in logic. • Infinite Endless Mode: Never run out of puzzles. Generate grids of various sizes—from quick 4x4 warm-ups to daunting large-scale grids. • Personalize Your Experience: Express yourself with over 16 vibrant themes, including Tokyo Neon, Sakura, Botanical, and Midnight. • Mastery XP System: Prove your skill. Turn off assistive features to earn 1.5x XP and climb the ranks of logic masters. • Zero Distractions: No ads. No interruptions. Just you and the grid. Whether you’re a Sudoku veteran or a casual puzzle lover, Shikaku offers a meditative yet mentally stimulating escape. Handcrafted with pride by De Groot Studio.

Screenshots

Squares4 screens
Shikaku4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Shikaku at every 3 weeks against Squares's every 5 months. Shikaku also leads on ratings volume (16 vs 5). Squares's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Squares holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Squares's written reviews are positive against 76% of Shikaku's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Squares ships an update every 5 months, Shikaku every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Squares versus Shikaku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSquaresShikaku
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (5 ratings) — better4.4 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews79.2% of reviews — better76.5% of reviews
Number of ratings516 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChris HaynesBRIDGE DIGITAL EUROPE LIMITED

Customer experience

Squares

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews96 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral11.5%
Negative9.4%

Shikaku

All ratings14 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral14.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral23.5%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Squares

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Game crashes when AI has one move left
  • Game freezes during gameplay
  • Crashes on app launch in certain versions
  • One-player mode exits to home screen
  • Incorrect win/loss determination
Show 2 more
  • Infinite stalemate moves possible
  • App doesn't load after installation without restart

Requested features

11 requests
  • Difficulty levels or harder AI
  • Online multiplayer mode
  • Custom level/board creation
  • More board layouts
  • Achievements or tournament mode
Show 6 more
  • Campaign mode
  • Multiple player colors
  • Volume adjustment settings
  • Sequel (Squares 2)
  • Local Wi-Fi multiplayer
  • Animation when copying squares

Shikaku

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Squares

No in-app purchases

None

Shikaku

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Squares free?
Squares is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shikaku free?
Shikaku is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Squares or Shikaku?
Squares is rated higher. Squares averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Shikaku averages 4.4 from 16 ratings.
Do Squares or Shikaku have ads?
Neither Squares nor Shikaku shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Squares or Shikaku?
Squares ships an update every 5 months, and Shikaku every 3 weeks. Most recently, Squares was updated on November 6, 2026 and Shikaku on October 31, 2026.

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