Comparison

Kerplinkus vs Shadow Maker

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

Head to head
About

Kerplinkus

This challenging puzzle game offers a unique take on block removal, requiring players to manage eight columns simultaneously. Swap any two blocks to clear them, avoiding an out-of-control cascade. Enjoy retro audio and graphics, with the option to play your own music.

Highlights
  • Unique block removal mechanics
  • Manage 8 columns simultaneously
  • Swap any two blocks
  • Retro audio and graphics
  • Play with your own music
  • Game Center integration
Features
Read full description

“[Kerplinkus] delivers a fresh take on the formula that's simple and highly challenging — in fact, it can be downright panic inspiring. It's a pretty frantic affair.” -Blake of Touch Arcade “Kerplinkus promises retro take on match-based puzzle play... mixing the old with the new... [in] a distinctly old skool flavour.” -Keith Andrews of Pocket Gamer “Is very, very addictive. Prying yourself away from the game proves very difficult. It has high replay potential and will offer many hours of entertainment.... This is a must-buy for casual puzzle game players.” -Linda Ta of AppSafari “If you love playing casual puzzle games on your iPhone or iPod touch such as Bejewelled or Trism then [this] is definitely worth taking a look at.... If games like Pac Man, Space Invaders and Tetris still have a place in your heart then Kerplinkus could definitely find its way on to your homescreen.” -Phil Wheeler of AppAdvice “This tile-matching game sets itself well apart from competing products, due to its hectic gameplay, muted art style, and classic SID-chip soundtrack.... It is actually very different from the normal mode of thinking.... A really nice effort by the crew at [Kranky Robot].” -AppGamers.com "Refreshing! - Just like it says, not another match 3!" - Zztfox "Nice! - Great to see this classic brought into the new era!" - Lord Gek "A great original puzzler! - Excellent game, fun, different, challenging, and simple to understand! A new favorite - I look forward to seeing what else this developer releases. Recommended :)" - ralp99 Kerplinkus is a completely new take on the casual puzzle game. It's like spinning plates. You must focus on ALL 8 columns or 1 will grow out-of-control. No match 3. No movement restrictions. No special-blocks. Swap ANY 2 blocks anywhere, anytime. Just focus on removing blocks, not creating them. Features: - Retro Audio: Old school music and sound effects. - Retro Graphics: Color cycling and simple graphics to achieve that retro vibe. - iPod Music: Play your own music in the background. - Mute Audio: Kerplinkus(tm) respects the iPhone’s ring/silent switch. - Volume Control: Conveniently adjust the volume from the option menu or the pause screen. - Game Center.

About

Shadow Maker

Recreate childhood shadow puppet memories by manipulating objects to form specific shadow shapes on a wall. Solve puzzles by positioning items correctly, avoiding collisions to advance through levels and watch your creations come to life.

Highlights
  • Shadow casting puzzles
  • Object manipulation
  • Collision avoidance
  • Low poly art style
  • Simple controls
Features
Read full description

Evoke your beautiful childhood memory of making shadows on wall using hand gestures or by using objects through playing Shadow Maker game. Get into the world of imagination that evokes the puzzling play of casting a shadow on the wall by moving the objects. Move the objects to their respective positions to form the targeted shadow shape. Use your smart mind to make sure that the objects don't collide. Collision may cause to reset the level. After achieving the targeted shadow shape, you can see the particular shadows moving around. Game features : *Incredible short Puzzles to see amazing shadows being created. * Simple Controls - Hold and Move the Object. * Top-notch Low poly art style. * Easy to Master.

Screenshots

Kerplinkus4 screens
Shadow Maker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Kerplinkus at 87% against Shadow Maker's 29%. Kerplinkus also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.9) and ads (none vs shown). Shadow Maker's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On 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

Shadow Maker is free to download; Kerplinkus costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Kerplinkus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Kerplinkus's written reviews are positive against 29% of Shadow Maker's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kerplinkus ships an update every 2 months, Shadow Maker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Kerplinkus versus Shadow Maker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKerplinkusShadow Maker
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (7 ratings) — better2.9 (21 ratings)
Positive reviews87.0% of reviews — better28.6% of reviews
Number of ratings721 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.611.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB199 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDanny BlissStreet Lamp Games Private Limited

Customer experience

Kerplinkus

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews23 reviews
Positive87.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.0%

Shadow Maker

All ratings21 ratings
Positive38.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative47.6%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral14.3%
Negative57.1%

In-app purchases

None

Kerplinkus

No in-app purchases

None

Shadow Maker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Kerplinkus free?
Kerplinkus costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shadow Maker free?
Shadow Maker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Kerplinkus or Shadow Maker?
Kerplinkus is rated higher. Kerplinkus averages 5.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Shadow Maker averages 2.9 from 21 ratings.
Do Kerplinkus or Shadow Maker have ads?
Shadow Maker shows ads; Kerplinkus does not.
Which is updated more often, Kerplinkus or Shadow Maker?
Kerplinkus ships an update every 2 months, and Shadow Maker every 2 weeks. Most recently, Kerplinkus was updated on November 1, 2026 and Shadow Maker on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons