Comparison

Uzu, An Interactive Light Show vs Particle Simulation

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

Head to head
About

Uzu, An Interactive Light Show

Explore a generative design playground that combines math, physics, and art. Create dynamic light shows with interactive particle systems, customizable animations, and drawing modes. Experience endless possibilities for visual creation and interaction.

Highlights
  • Generative particle system
  • Real-time animation modes
  • Interactive 3D manipulation
  • Drawing mode
  • Microphone input response
  • Customizable presets
Features
Read full description

"This is doodling for digital natives . . . mind blowing." — Wired Magazine "Uzu for iPad is endlessly complicated, simply fun." — Ars Technica Uzu is a generative design playground — a math-physics-art toy for anyone who ever loved spirographs, fireworks, planetariums, lava lamps, light painting, kaleidoscopes, or graphing calculators. Touch the screen and watch thousands of particles swirl, spiral, and bloom in real time. Change the entire feel by simply changing how many fingers you use. Relax. Play. Meditate. Create wallpapers. Or lose yourself for an hour tweaking symmetry, animation modes, and effects. Uzu is endlessly deep and simply fun. Now completely rebuilt with a native Metal engine and a beautiful SwiftUI interface — smoother, richer, and more powerful than ever. FEATURES • Fully dynamic generative particle system • 21 animation modes for each touch count (0 through 10) • Rotational, translational, and reflective symmetry • 122 factory presets plus unlimited user presets • 10 visual effects: Glow, Warp, Kaleidoscope, Sparkle, Feedback, Color, Gradient, Pixelate, Scanlines, and Vignette • Export and import presets — save, share, and back up your creations • Fast preset switching, shake to hide the menu, adjustable quality settings • Freeze mode, microphone reactivity, and thousands of possible combinations • Create stunning backgrounds for iPhone and iPad ACCLAIM • Winner of Apple's "App of the Week" • Apple Rewind: Best Generative Art and Sound App • Reached #1 on the App Store • Featured in Apple's "App Store Essentials Hall of Fame" • Seen in the "Year of the iPad" video at the iPad keynote • Featured as an Apple Staff Favorite SUPPORT Questions or stories? We'd love to hear from you. jason@colordodge.com www.colordodge.com

About

Particle Simulation

Explore a world of creativity and find tranquility with mesmerizing particle simulations. Interact with dynamic particles, customize their behavior, and create beautiful art impressions while listening to meditative music. It's a calming and creative outlet for stress reduction and self-expression.

Highlights
  • Dynamic particle simulation
  • Meditative music
  • Customizable parameters
  • Autopilot mode
  • Gyrosensor and haptic feedback
  • Capture and share creations
  • Save and load presets
Features
Read full description

Seeking a calming and creative outlet? Particle Simulation offers a unique way to unwind and find tranquility through mesmerizing simulations. Explore Creative Freedom and Calmness Reduce stress and explore a world of creativity with our dynamic particle simulation. Simply touch the screen to interact with captivating particles that respond to your movements. Dive deep into a realm of fascination and artistic freedom, forging a connection with the universe. Features of Particle Simulation: - Easy-to-use particle simulation - Meditative music - Customizable parameters for color, motion, and more - Autopilot mode for hands-free enjoyment - Gyrosensor and haptic feedback integration - Capture and share your creations (Screenshots + Videos) - Save and load your favorite settings with presets Experience Freedom, Calmness, and Creativity Art is a powerful form of expression, and this app provides a safe and easy outlet for your thoughts and emotions. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting, Particles Simulation invites you to transform your thoughts into beautiful, transient art impressions on your screen. Rediscover Inner Peace In a world filled with stress and negativity, find solace and awareness within this app. Open it anytime to reclaim your peace and make the most of your free time with this incredible, free app. Craft Beautiful Particle Art Impressions Use your fingertips to craft intricate forms and shapes with dynamic particles while listening to soothing, real-time generated music. Customize your experience with options like color, motion, and more for a personalized meditation and relaxation session. Ready to experience the soothing embrace of creative freedom? Download Particle Simulation now and enjoy breathtaking particle patterns and soulful music until you're completely relaxed. Because you deserve to find calmness and serenity. Questions or suggestions? Contact us at info@mkgames.org. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Uzu, An Interactive Light Show4 screens
Particle Simulation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Uzu, An Interactive Light Show at 91% against Particle Simulation's 25%. Uzu, An Interactive Light Show also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). Particle Simulation's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). On ads 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

Particle Simulation is free to download; Uzu, An Interactive Light Show costs $3.99 up front. Particle Simulation sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Uzu, An Interactive Light Show asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Uzu, An Interactive Light Show holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Uzu, An Interactive Light Show has 261 ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Uzu, An Interactive Light Show's written reviews are positive against 25% of Particle Simulation's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Uzu, An Interactive Light Show ships an update every 2 months, Particle Simulation every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Uzu, An Interactive Light Show versus Particle Simulation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUzu, An Interactive Light ShowParticle Simulation
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (261 ratings) — better4.5 (46 ratings)
Positive reviews91.1% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings261 — better46
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#146 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB132 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperColordodge LabsMarvin Krueger

Customer experience

Uzu, An Interactive Light Show

All ratings261 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral2.3%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews369 reviews
Positive91.1%
Neutral4.1%
Negative4.9%

Particle Simulation

All ratings46 ratings
Positive84.8%
Neutral4.3%
Negative10.9%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

Bugs and requests

Uzu, An Interactive Light Show

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on iOS 4.2 and newer
  • Menu controls not working on iPad Pro
  • Screenshot feature not functioning properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add music/sound reactive features
  • Implement full-screen mode without UI
  • Introduce more advanced preset options
  • Add ability to save and share custom presets
  • Optimize performance for latest iPad models

Particle Simulation

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Uzu, An Interactive Light Show

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Particle Simulation

Subscriptions3
  • Particles PRO3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Psychedelic magic | monthly$3.991 Month
  • Particles PRO$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Psychedelic magic$19.99

Questions

Is Uzu, An Interactive Light Show free?
Uzu, An Interactive Light Show costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Particle Simulation free?
Particle Simulation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Uzu, An Interactive Light Show or Particle Simulation?
Uzu, An Interactive Light Show is rated higher. Uzu, An Interactive Light Show averages 4.8 out of 5 from 261 ratings, while Particle Simulation averages 4.5 from 46 ratings.
Do Uzu, An Interactive Light Show or Particle Simulation have ads?
Neither Uzu, An Interactive Light Show nor Particle Simulation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Uzu, An Interactive Light Show or Particle Simulation?
Uzu, An Interactive Light Show ships an update every 2 months, and Particle Simulation every 7 months. Most recently, Uzu, An Interactive Light Show was updated on October 19, 2026 and Particle Simulation on October 8, 2026.

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