Comparison

PapiRiver vs Whale Trail

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

Head to head
About

PapiRiver

Navigate Mr. Papi down a winding river by tilting your device. Avoid hitting the riverbanks to prevent being pushed back. The closer you get to the bottom edge, the higher your score.

Highlights
  • Tilt controls
  • River navigation
  • Score multiplier
  • Avoid obstacles
  • Endless runner style
Features
Read full description

PapiRiver is a scroll action game. Mr.Papi (red ball guy) is going down a river. Tilt your iPhone to left and right to lead him along the river! If he hits the bank of the river, he is pushed back. The game ends if he goes out of the upper edge of the screen. Note that you can get more score when he gets closer to the bottom edge of the screen.

About

Whale Trail

Embark on a vibrant journey as a whale, collecting items, performing aerial maneuvers, and battling enemies. Unlock new characters, enhance abilities, and explore numerous challenge levels. Enjoy a visually stunning and engaging arcade experience.

Highlights
  • Fly as Willow the Whale
  • Collect Blubbles and earn Krill
  • Unlock playable friends
  • Upgrade Willow's skills
  • Smash enemies
  • 96 Challenge levels
  • Classic and Challenge game modes
Features
Read full description

***Previously Apple Game of the Week*** 26,000+ 5 Star Ratings! (and counting) Fly as Willow the Whale, collect Blubbles, loop the loop, unlock playable friends, upgrade Willow's skills, smash enemies and meet bonkers characters along the way. ================================= > ‘The next smash hit in iOS gaming.’ - TNW > ‘The game is GORGEOUSLY cute. Try it out for a buck.’ - Gizmodo > ‘Whale Trail is an absolute joy.’ - TouchArcade > ‘The kind of winningly simple concept from which App Store phenomena are made.’ - Edge > ‘Impossible not to like, stellar production values and solid gameplay.’ - Pocket Gamer > ‘Ditch your jetpack, it’s time to ride the psychedelic Whale Trail.’ - Kotaku > ‘It’s simple and gorgeous. There’s rarely been a better gaming value for money.’ - T3 ================================= • Soundtrack by Gruff Rhys of ‘The Super Furry Animals’ • Simple and intuitive one touch gameplay • 2 game modes, Classic and Challenge • Earn Krill and use it in Willow's store • Upgrade Willow's skills • Unlock playable friends • Use 'Treats' while flying for instant bonuses! • 96 Challenge levels, can you 3 STAR them all? • Smash the Thunder Bros in 'Frenzy' mode • Launch into space at speed-boosts • Compete against friends with Game Center • Heaps of challenging missions to unlock

Screenshots

PapiRiver1 screens
Whale Trail4 screens

Verdict

The call

PapiRiver and Whale Trail both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 95% of Whale Trail's written reviews are positive against 56% of PapiRiver's. Whale Trail also leads on ratings volume (4.3K vs 15) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). PapiRiver's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating 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. Whale Trail sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. PapiRiver asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for PapiRiver against 4.8 for Whale Trail. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Whale Trail has 4.3K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 56% of PapiRiver's written reviews are positive against 95% of Whale Trail's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PapiRiver ships an update every 6 months, Whale Trail every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
PapiRiver versus Whale Trail: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPapiRiverWhale Trail
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (15 ratings) — better4.8 (4.3K ratings)
Positive reviews55.6% of reviews94.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings154.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS14.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYohei Iwasakiustwo games

Customer experience

PapiRiver

All ratings15 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews252 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral17.5%
Negative27.0%

Whale Trail

All ratings4,251 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews506 reviews
Positive94.7%
Neutral2.8%
Negative2.6%

User reviews

PapiRiver

From 15 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 🚀 Simple and easy to pick up
  • 💡 Unique river-based mechanics
  • 😊 Nostalgic and charming character

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Sensitive controls and poor handling
  • 🔨 Repetitive and lacking in depth
  • 🎨 Outdated and unappealing graphics
  • 🔋 Can cause eye strain after prolonged play

Whale Trail

From 4.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🐳 Cute and fun game
  • 🎶 Wonderful soundtrack
  • 👍 Simple and addictive gameplay
  • 🌈 Vibrant and colorful visuals
  • 🕰️ Nostalgic for long-time players

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🤖 Outdated for newer devices
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
  • 🤯 Challenging and frustrating at times

Bugs and requests

PapiRiver

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices
  • Inconsistent performance and responsiveness

Requested features

4 requests
  • More game modes and levels
  • Ability to save and track high scores
  • Customization options for the character and environment
  • Integration with social features and leaderboards

Whale Trail

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Krill not properly credited after completing levels
  • Game freezing on certain device models
  • Whale controls not responsive on larger screens

Requested features

4 requests
  • Multiplayer mode
  • More customization options for whales
  • Wider screen support for newer devices
  • Additional levels and worlds to explore

In-app purchases

None

PapiRiver

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

Whale Trail

One-time7
  • Unlock Pack 1$1.99
  • Unlock Pack 2$1.99
  • Pocket Money$1.99
Show 4 more
  • Unlock Pack 3$1.99
  • Bucket Full$2.99
  • Serious Clams$6.99
  • Swimming In It$19.99

Questions

Is PapiRiver free?
PapiRiver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Whale Trail free?
Whale Trail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PapiRiver or Whale Trail?
PapiRiver is rated higher. PapiRiver averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Whale Trail averages 4.8 from 4.3K ratings.
Do PapiRiver or Whale Trail have ads?
Whale Trail shows ads; PapiRiver does not.
Which is updated more often, PapiRiver or Whale Trail?
PapiRiver ships an update every 6 months, and Whale Trail every 2 months. Most recently, PapiRiver was updated on October 8, 2026 and Whale Trail on October 30, 2026.

Other comparisons