Comparison

Osmos vs Kittens Game

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

Head to head
About

Osmos

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

Highlights
  • Physics-based gameplay
  • Absorb smaller organisms to grow
  • Avoid larger predators
  • Stellar graphics
  • Ambient soundtrack
  • 72 levels across 8 worlds
  • Multiplayer mode
Features
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 “Beyond doubt, a work of genius" — GameAndPlayer.net 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 "iPhone App of the Week" — Apple * Apple Design Award winner (iPad version) * #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.) * Award-winning electronic soundtrack by Loscil, Gas, High Skies, Biosphere, Julien Neto, and more. * Endless replay value: play random versions of any level in Arcade mode. * 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 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 “The best iPad game yet.” — IGN 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 “What iPad Gaming Should Be All About” — Gizmodo “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 “It’s the best iPad game on the App Store” — MTV Multiplayer 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

Kittens Game

Manage a growing village of kittens in this text-based simulation game. Gather resources, research technologies, and expand your settlement. This old-school experience is free of ads and micro-transactions.

Highlights
  • Village simulation
  • Resource management
  • Technology research
  • Text-based gameplay
  • Kitten management
Features
Read full description

Kittens Game is a village simulation text game. You manage a village of kittens as they acquire resources and unlock new technologies. This is an old school game and a product of many years of love and hard labor. It does not have any ads or micro-transactions.

Screenshots

Osmos4 screens
Kittens Game1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Osmos at 92% against Kittens Game's 68%. Osmos also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Kittens Game's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $3.99) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.4). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 costs $3.99 and Kittens Game $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Osmos holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 892 and 322 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Osmos's written reviews are positive against 68% of Kittens Game's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Osmos ships an update every 7 months, Kittens Game every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Osmos versus Kittens Game: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOsmosKittens Game
Price$3.99$2.99 — better
Rating4.8 (892 ratings) — better4.5 (322 ratings)
Positive reviews92.3% of reviews — better67.9% of reviews
Number of ratings892 — better322
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#33 — better#63
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.411.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB22 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperHemisphere GamesDmitrii Popov

Customer experience

Osmos

All ratings892 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews1,212 reviews
Positive92.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative4.5%

Kittens Game

All ratings322 ratings
Positive85.1%
Neutral5.6%
Negative9.3%
Written reviews131 reviews
Positive67.9%
Neutral12.2%
Negative19.8%

User reviews

Osmos

From 892 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Mesmerizing visuals and aesthetics
  • 🎶 Excellent soundtrack and audio design
  • 🧠 Challenging and thought-provoking gameplay
  • 🕰️ Ability to control time/speed
  • 🕊️ Relaxing and meditative experience

Room to improve

  • 🤯 Frustratingly difficult at times
  • 🔋 Battery drain issues
  • 🖥️ Not optimized for larger screens (iPad)
  • 🔍 Lack of zoom/scale controls

Kittens Game

From 322 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Captivating gameplay
  • 👍 Engrossing incremental game
  • 💡 Impressive depth and complexity
  • 🚀 Rewarding progression
  • 👍 Minimal UI, focus on gameplay

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy UI, screen jumping
  • 🐛 Inconsistent save/load behavior
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues on newer devices
  • 🐛 Broken or underperforming features
  • 🔋 Slow progression can be tedious

Bugs and requests

Osmos

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes on certain devices/OS versions
  • Compatibility issues with newer hardware

Requested features

4 requests
  • More levels and content updates
  • Multiplayer mode improvements
  • Customization options (e.g. music, visuals)
  • Difficulty settings or accessibility options

Kittens Game

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Disappearing buttons and UI elements
  • Progress loss or reset when switching apps
  • Broken or non-functional features (e.g. solar farms)
  • Compatibility issues on iPhone X and newer devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Bulk crafting/upgrading options
  • Ability to disable pollution mechanics
  • Better UI optimization for larger screens
  • Vibration/notification support for events
  • More detailed analytics and tracking

In-app purchases

None

Osmos

No in-app purchases

None

Kittens Game

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Osmos free?
Osmos costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Kittens Game free?
Kittens Game costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Osmos or Kittens Game?
Osmos is rated higher. Osmos averages 4.8 out of 5 from 892 ratings, while Kittens Game averages 4.5 from 322 ratings.
Do Osmos or Kittens Game have ads?
Neither Osmos nor Kittens Game shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Osmos or Kittens Game?
Osmos ships an update every 7 months, and Kittens Game every 4 months. Most recently, Osmos was updated on October 2, 2026 and Kittens Game on October 3, 2026.
Which is more popular, Osmos or Kittens Game?
Osmos currently peaks at #33 in the App Store charts, and Kittens Game at #63. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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