Comparison

PuzzleManiak vs Square Valley

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

Head to head
About

PuzzleManiak

Engage your mind with a vast collection of 24 unique logic puzzles, each generated on-the-fly for endless replayability. Compete with players worldwide through daily challenges and online leagues, with adjustable difficulty levels and detailed statistics to track your progress.

Highlights
  • 24 unique logic puzzle games
  • On-the-fly puzzle generation
  • Multiple difficulty levels
  • Detailed statistics tracking
  • Daily challenges
  • Online leagues and rankings
Features
Read full description

PuzzleManiak is a collection of 24 puzzle games: Sudoku, Pattern (Picross like), Bridges, Dominosa, Filling, Galaxies, Loopy, LightUp, Mines, Net, Rectangles, Slant, Tents, Unequal, Untangle, Blackbox, SameGame, Pegs, Mastermind, Map, Magnets, Singles, Range and Netslide. All games are generated on-the-fly with a unique solution, thus you’ll never play the same puzzle twice. All games offer multiple levels from easy to hard. Statistics are maintained for each game, and each level of difficulty. For each game, a daily challenge is available: in this mode, everyday, all players play the same puzzle and compare their scores with other players. Another online mode is available: the Online League. After any (local) game, you can submit it to the website, so that every other players can play it and thus you can compare your scores to other ones. An overall ranking is available, and ranking are also available for each game. All online features are now available with Auto-renewable subscriptions only: • You can choose between 3 subscriptions: - 1 month subscription: $1.49 - 6 months subscription: $7.49 - 1 year subscription: $12.99 • There is a trial period of 2 weeks for all types of subscriptions. • Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and will automatically renew (at the duration selected) unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • Current subscription may not be cancelled during the active subscription period; however, you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase. • Terms of use: http://puzzlemaniak.com/termsofuse.html • Privacy Policy: http://puzzlemaniak.com/policy.html

About

Square Valley

Shape unique lands by strategically placing tiles like houses, farms, and natural elements. Connect them with roads and rivers while overcoming placement challenges. Progress through levels to unlock new tiles and face increasingly complex world-building puzzles.

Highlights
  • Tile placement for world creation
  • Connect tiles with roads and rivers
  • Strategic planning and puzzle solving
  • Three chapters with 45 levels
  • Unlock new tiles and overcome obstacles
  • Replay levels for higher scores
  • Sandbox mode for custom experiences
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

A charming tile-laying puzzle game. Make the best valley you can out of the tiles and placements you're given. Puzzles with no randomness can become a bit boring over time. And when it is too random, it can feel unfair. Square Valley sits nicely in the middle where you are challenged for each level, but it still feels fair in the end. Satisfying. Every level is comprised of a fixed set of tiles that come together to form a challenge each step of the way. You're continually cycling through your deck of tiles – always a fresh look. You're also limited to only certain spots on the board where you can place the tiles all in order to reach the highest score you can. A windmill wants the surrounding wheat fields, forests have winding rivers through them, and churches stand firm within the city walls packed with houses. Not to worry, you won't get stuck. There's generous room to succeed at every level. Leaderboards are there too, for those who want to keep challenging themselves. Feel free to push forward, or go back to previous levels and beat your old self. When you complete that last turn, you'll find yourself with a unique little village to be proud of. Features: + Pay once – no ads, no in-app purchases, no account required + 150+ tiles · 45 levels · 3 chapters + A new challenge every day, for everyone + Set your own rules to play with tiles drawn at random + Competitive leaderboards + Works offline

Screenshots

PuzzleManiak4 screens
Square Valley4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Square Valley at 4.8 against PuzzleManiak's 3.1. Square Valley also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (85% vs 66%). PuzzleManiak's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks) and price ($0.99 vs $2.99). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

PuzzleManiak costs $0.99 and Square Valley $2.99 up front. PuzzleManiak sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Square Valley asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Square Valley holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 93 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of PuzzleManiak's written reviews are positive against 85% of Square Valley's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PuzzleManiak ships an update every 2 days, Square Valley every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
PuzzleManiak versus Square Valley: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPuzzleManiakSquare Valley
Price$0.99 — better$2.99
Rating3.1 (23 ratings)4.8 (93 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.0% of reviews84.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2393 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionPaid — better
Best chart rank—#151 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB125 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexandre MinardRyan Becijos

Customer experience

PuzzleManiak

All ratings23 ratings
Positive52.2%
Neutral4.3%
Negative43.5%
Written reviews162 reviews
Positive66.0%
Neutral11.7%
Negative22.2%

Square Valley

All ratings93 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral3.2%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews78 reviews
Positive84.6%
Neutral5.1%
Negative10.3%

User reviews

PuzzleManiak

From 23 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Excellent variety with 24 different puzzle games
  • 💰 Outstanding value for money
  • 🔄 Infinite replayability with procedurally generated puzzles
  • 📊 Multiple difficulty levels for each puzzle
  • 🌐 Online competitive features and daily challenges

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • 📐 Screen sizing problems on various devices
  • 🎨 UI/UX design changes poorly received
  • 🖱️ Unresponsive touch controls and precision issues
  • 🔌 Server connectivity and online functionality failures

Square Valley

From 93 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Engaging tile placement puzzle mechanics
  • 🎵 Relaxing and pleasant background music
  • 🎨 Beautiful minimalist art style and visuals
  • 😌 Calming and stress-relieving gameplay
  • 💰 No ads or in-app purchases

Room to improve

  • ❓ Unclear tile descriptions and requirements
  • 🎲 High randomness can lead to unwinnable scenarios
  • 📊 No real-time score feedback during gameplay
  • 🐛 Occasional scoring calculation bugs
  • 📱 Portrait-only mode (no landscape on iPad)

Bugs and requests

PuzzleManiak

Reported bugs

17 issues
  • Tangled game sizing issue on iPhone 14 Pro Max
  • MasterMind guesses misaligned with background grid
  • Pattern game elements remain small after update
  • Tents game off-center positioning
  • Untangle nodes have limited range of motion
Show 12 more
  • Sudoku numbers too small to read
  • Control buttons positioned under system UI bars
  • Game crashes when tabbing out of app
  • Online game crashes and network errors
  • Scores and statistics not saving
  • Mines sometimes generate off-screen
  • Minesweeper high scores only showing 1 entry
  • Map game color distinction issues
  • BlackBox game functionality broken
  • Pattern numbers misaligned with boxes
  • Puzzle boards and icons much smaller than before
  • Touch precision issues requiring multiple attempts

Requested features

13 requests
  • Screen zoom functionality
  • Dark mode or customizable color themes
  • Sound effects and audio feedback
  • Better game instructions and tutorials
  • iPad native resolution support
Show 8 more
  • Undo button for all puzzle types
  • Auto screen lock disable for long games
  • Chess game addition
  • Kakuro puzzle type
  • Better color contrast for colorblind players
  • Save game state when switching apps
  • Wiki with solving hints
  • Improved touch target sizes for small puzzles

Square Valley

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Leaderboard freezes when displaying top 10 scores
  • Tile scoring miscalculations (e.g., Cherry Orchard, Fir Grove)
  • Tutorial bug where selected tiles change unexpectedly
  • Some tiles don't work as described in requirements
  • Scoring feedback unclear until level completion
Show 3 more
  • Inconsistent tile placement rules not documented
  • Protected Copper Beech scoring issues
  • Random tile placement can create impossible scenarios

Requested features

14 requests
  • More levels and chapters
  • Landscape/iPad support with larger maps
  • iCloud synchronization across devices
  • Real-time score feedback per tile placement
  • Glossary with detailed tile explanations
Show 9 more
  • Personal stats and score history per level
  • Customizable sandbox mode with more options
  • Music volume slider (separate from sound effects)
  • Global leaderboards with player names
  • Board game physical version
  • Expansion packs with new tile sets
  • Undo and skip buttons (mentioned as implemented in recent update)
  • Additional language translations
  • Split-screen multiplayer mode

In-app purchases

3 purchases

PuzzleManiak

Subscriptions3
  • One Month Subscription14 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • 6 Month Subscription14 Days trial$17.996 Months
  • One Year Subscription14 Days trial$24.991 Year
None

Square Valley

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PuzzleManiak free?
PuzzleManiak costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Square Valley free?
Square Valley costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PuzzleManiak or Square Valley?
Square Valley is rated higher. PuzzleManiak averages 3.1 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Square Valley averages 4.8 from 93 ratings.
Do PuzzleManiak or Square Valley have ads?
Neither PuzzleManiak nor Square Valley shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PuzzleManiak or Square Valley?
PuzzleManiak ships an update every 2 days, and Square Valley every 2 weeks. Most recently, PuzzleManiak was updated on October 18, 2026 and Square Valley on October 17, 2026.

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