Comparison

Osmos for iPad vs Mini Metro

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

Head to head
About

Osmos for iPad

Navigate a cosmic world as a galactic mote, absorbing smaller organisms to grow while avoiding larger predators. This physics-based survival game features stunning graphics and an ambient soundtrack, offering a unique and challenging experience.

Highlights
  • Physics-based gameplay
  • Absorb and grow mechanics
  • Stellar graphics
  • Ambient soundtrack
  • 72 levels across 8 worlds
  • Multiplayer mode
  • Arcade mode for replayability
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

** Apple Design Award winner and iPad Game of the Year! ** Enter the Darwinian world of a galactic mote. To survive, absorb smaller organisms and grow—but beware of larger predators. Osmos features unique physics-based play, stellar graphics, and a hypnotic ambient soundtrack. Absorb or be absorbed! “The ultimate ambient experience” — Gizmodo “The best iPad game yet.” — IGN THE CRUX: you must grow by absorbing smaller motes, but to propel yourself you must eject matter behind you, causing you to shrink. From this delicate balance, Osmos leads the player through floating playgrounds, competitive petri dishes, deep solar systems, and more. “Named as iPad Game of the Year for a reason, Osmos is a fantastic game. A combination of physics, survival and classic eat em up” — WeDoCode “Whether you're a child at heart who likes mucking about with single-cell organisms, or a strategist with a physics degree, this game will appeal to everyone.” — App Store review AWARDS / recognition: * "iPad Game of the Year" and "App of the Week" — Apple * Apple Design Award winner * #1 Top iPhone Game — IGN * iPad Game of the Year — TUAW * Game of the Year — Create Digital Music * Editor's Choice — Wired, Macworld, IGN, GameTunnel, and more... * Best in Show — IndieCade * Vision Award — Independent Games Festival * Coolest Atmosphere — IGN * Best Soundtrack — IGN * Most Innovative Game — Best App Ever Awards, Pocket Gamer * Many top lists including Kotaku, PAX, TouchArcade, iLounge, APPera, IFC, and more... FEATURES: * 72 levels spanning 8 distinct worlds: Ambient, Antimatter, Solar, Sentient, Repulsor, Impasse, Warped Chaos, and Epicycles. * Multiplayer! (more info below.) * Endless replay value: play random versions of any level in Arcade mode. * Award-winning electronic soundtrack by Loscil, Gas, High Skies, Biosphere, Julien Neto, and more. * Seamlesss multitouch controls: swipe to warp time, tap anywhere to eject mass, pinch to zoom… * Time-warping: slow down the flow of time to outmaneuver agile opponents; speed it up to raise the challenge. * Confront four distinct AI opponents: the Ovarium, the Biophobe, the Nemocyte… and the deadly Ferax. * 13 single-player and 15 multiplayer achievements. * Progress synced via iCloud. MULTIPLAYER * Play against your friends and enemies, locally (via wi-fi), or over the Internet! * 6 distinct Arenas: Ambient, Impasse, Solar, Warped Chaos, Epicycles, and introducing… Antimatter Impasse. * iPad vs. iPhone play supported. “a beautiful, absorbing experience." — IGN “What iPad Gaming Should Be All About” — Gizmodo 5/5 - Macworld Editor’s Choice - “One of the best games we’ve played so far this year. An utterly serene, yet fiendishly complicated game that deserves a place in every iPad owners collection.” — MacWorld 4/4, Must Have - “We are more than overwhelmed by Osmos for iPad… The game design is thoughtful and intuitive, new level structures are flawless, and the visuals are stunning yet simplistic… every iPad owner should have Osmos on their device. You just won’t find another experience quite like it.” — Slide To Play “Osmos HD is THE game for the iPad.” — Pocket Lint “It’s the best iPad game on the App Store” — MTV Multiplayer “The first proper breakout hit for the iPad. Osmos feels so natural and enjoyable to play, even when the difficulty ramps up and you find yourself repeatedly careening into a giant gaseous enemy.” — Wired 5/5 - “Osmos is an absolute must that will change the way you think of games, and what you expect from them.” — AppAdvice “Beyond doubt, a work of genius... a relaxing, meditative experience about going with the flow... It all adds up to something otherworldly and just . . . incredible.” — GameAndPlayer.net

About

Mini Metro

Design and manage a subway system for a growing city. Draw lines, start trains, and adapt your network as new stations open. Strategically use limited resources to keep the city moving and achieve the highest score.

Highlights
  • Design subway maps
  • Draw lines between stations
  • Manage train routes
  • Adapt to random city growth
  • Utilize limited resources
  • Over two dozen real-world cities
  • Variety of upgrades
Features
Read full description

Mini Metro, the sublime subway simulator, now on iPhone and iPad. • Included in the App Store Best of 2016 • Mac Game of the Year in over 30 countries • BAFTA-nominated • IGF award-winning • IGN Mobile Game of the Year nominee • Included in Gamespot's Best Mobile Games of 2016 Mini Metro is a game about designing a subway map for a growing city. Draw lines between stations and start your trains running. As new stations open, redraw your lines to keep them efficient. Decide where to use your limited resources. How long can you keep the city moving? • Random city growth means each game is unique. • Over two dozen of real-world cities to test your planning skills. • A variety of upgrades so you can tailor your network. • Normal mode for quick scored games, Endless to relax, or Extreme for the ultimate challenge. • Build your metro exactly how you want to with the Creative mode. • Compete against the world every day in the Daily Challenge. • Colorblind and night modes. • Responsive soundtrack created by your metro system, engineered by Disasterpeace. "If you love the city-planning aspect of Sim City but can't handle the pressure of playing god, then you may have just found your new favorite time-waster." - Ashley Feinberg, Gizmodo "Take my word for it that a game about mass-transit system design can be a tense, white-knuckle thriller." - Owen Faraday, Pocket Tactics "Mini Metro: fun game simulates planning and running public transit system." - Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing

Screenshots

Osmos for iPad4 screens
Mini Metro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Mini Metro at 32K against Osmos for iPad's 499. Mini Metro also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and chart position (#18 vs #191). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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

Osmos for iPad costs $3.99 and Mini Metro $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Osmos for iPad against 4.9 for Mini Metro. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mini Metro has 32K ratings behind it against 499, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Osmos for iPad's written reviews are positive against 89% of Mini Metro's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Osmos for iPad ships an update every 6 months, Mini Metro every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Osmos for iPad versus Mini Metro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOsmos for iPadMini Metro
Price$3.99$3.99
Rating4.8 (499 ratings)4.9 (32K ratings) — better
Positive reviews91.2% of reviews — better88.8% of reviews
Number of ratings49932K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#191#18 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB191 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHemisphere GamesDinosaur Polo Club

Customer experience

Osmos for iPad

All ratings499 ratings
Positive96.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews1,072 reviews
Positive91.2%
Neutral3.4%
Negative5.4%

Mini Metro

All ratings31,792 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews1,509 reviews
Positive88.8%
Neutral4.5%
Negative6.7%

User reviews

Osmos for iPad

From 499 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Timeless and well-designed
  • 🎨 Beautiful visuals and ambient soundtrack
  • 🧠 Challenging yet relaxing gameplay
  • 👍 Addictive and immersive experience
  • 🔍 Unique and innovative concept

Room to improve

  • 🔇 No sound or audio issues
  • 🚫 Lack of support for newer devices/platforms
  • 💰 Perceived as overpriced for the content

Mini Metro

From 32K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Simple and relaxing gameplay
  • 🎨 Beautiful minimalist design
  • ⏱️ Addictive and time-killing
  • 🌐 Wide variety of cities to play
  • 💰 Good value for money

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Trains skipping stations
  • 🤯 Overwhelming difficulty at times
  • 🔍 Lack of clear instructions
  • 🔀 Difficulty removing/rerouting lines
  • 🕰️ No ability to save progress

Bugs and requests

Osmos for iPad

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Disappearing motes making levels unwinnable
  • Compatibility issues on newer devices

Requested features

2 requests
  • Sandbox mode to create custom levels
  • More levels and content updates

Mini Metro

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Leaderboard issues with daily challenges
  • Crashes and compatibility problems on certain devices
  • Unexpected behavior when trains skip stations

Requested features

5 requests
  • Undo/redo functionality
  • Ability to create branching lines
  • More detailed statistics and analytics
  • Additional game modes (e.g. career, scenarios)
  • Integration with real-world transit data

In-app purchases

None

Osmos for iPad

No in-app purchases

None

Mini Metro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Osmos for iPad free?
Osmos for iPad costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mini Metro free?
Mini Metro costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Osmos for iPad or Mini Metro?
Mini Metro is rated higher. Osmos for iPad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 499 ratings, while Mini Metro averages 4.9 from 32K ratings.
Do Osmos for iPad or Mini Metro have ads?
Neither Osmos for iPad nor Mini Metro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Osmos for iPad or Mini Metro?
Osmos for iPad ships an update every 6 months, and Mini Metro every 2 months. Most recently, Osmos for iPad was updated on October 23, 2026 and Mini Metro on October 28, 2026.
Which is more popular, Osmos for iPad or Mini Metro?
Osmos for iPad currently peaks at #191 in the App Store charts, and Mini Metro at #18. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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