Comparison

ZOOKEEPER DX vs PiKuBo

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

Head to head
About

ZOOKEEPER DX

Engage in a classic match-three puzzle game where you swap adjacent panels to line up three or more of the same color. Clear levels by catching a quota of animals, with multiple modes offering different challenges and scoring opportunities.

Highlights
  • Swap adjacent panels
  • Match three or more animals
  • Catch animals to clear levels
  • Normal Mode
  • Tokoton Mode (unlimited time)
  • Score Attack Mode (3-minute challenge)
  • Online multiplayer
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

10 million people are playing! Zoo Keeper, the definitive action puzzle game finally available for iPhone/iPad/iPod touch! Aim for it! The Best Opp Zookeeper! [game description] This is a simple puzzle game with a simple rule: swap two panels next to each other, and line up three or more panels of the same color to make them disappear. Touch the animal you want to move and slide it in the direction of the animal you want to replace. If you line up 3 or more same animals vertically or horizontally, you can catch the animal. The level is cleared when a quota of animals are caught. [mode description] *Normal Mode Catch more than your quota of animals to clear all levels! *Tokoton Mode Level up with 100 animals! This is a challenging mode with unlimited time. *Score Attack Mode Try to score as many points as possible in a 3-minute challenge in Fever mode! You will receive a time extension when you score over 10,000 points and 100,000 points. *Play Zoo Keeper Online Play Zoo Keeper online for free! (Link to App Store "ZOOKEEPER BATTLE".) [ranking description] You can participate in the ranking by logging into Game Center and using Leaderboards. Compete with players around the world for high scores! [System Requirements] iOS 11 or later; iPhone 5s or later, iPad 5th generation or later, iPod touch 6th generation or later

About

PiKuBo

This app offers a unique 3D twist on classic nonogram puzzles. Players reveal hidden shapes by strategically removing blocks from a cube. It features over 400 puzzles, adaptive controls, and a logic-based gameplay experience.

Highlights
  • Over 400 3D puzzles
  • Logic-based gameplay
  • Adaptive one-handed controls
  • Save progress
  • Customizable markers
  • Portrait and landscape modes
Features
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Dive into the delightful world of PiKuBo, a captivating puzzle game that brings the excitement of cubic nonograms to your iOS device. With a unique twist on a beloved classic, PiKuBo challenges you to carve out shapes from a larger cube by removing unnecessary blocks. You can think of it as a 3D Minesweeper. • Interactive Puzzle Fun: Engage with over 400 puzzles, each offering a cute shape to uncover. • Adaptive Controls: Whether you’re right-handed or left-handed, our controls are designed for easy, one-handed play. • Progress at Your Pace: Save your progress effortlessly and return to solve puzzles whenever it suits you. • No Guesswork Needed: All puzzles are solvable through logic alone—perfect for puzzle purists! • Customizable Markers: Use up to four paint colors to mark and manage your strategy without losing track of your solution. • Immersive Experience: Enjoy soothing bossa nova tunes that enhance your puzzle-solving ambiance, whether at home or on the go. • Flexible Viewing: Choose between portrait or landscape modes to suit your play style. • Shared Fun: Purchase level packs once and share them with your entire family group. • Visual Rewards: Relish the thumbnails of completed puzzles, a colorful testament to your puzzle prowess. Whether you have a few minutes or a few hours, PiKuBo is the perfect game to relax and test your brain. Start solving today! NOTE: The first pack, which consists of 31 puzzles and 5 tutorials, is provided for free. The rest of the packs are available as in-app purchases within the game.

Screenshots

ZOOKEEPER DX4 screens
PiKuBo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PiKuBo at Free against ZOOKEEPER DX's $0.99. PiKuBo also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.7) and review sentiment (87% vs 60%). ZOOKEEPER DX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and chart position (#192 vs unranked). On ratings volume, 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

PiKuBo is free to download; ZOOKEEPER DX costs $0.99 up front. PiKuBo sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. ZOOKEEPER DX asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PiKuBo holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43 and 95 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of ZOOKEEPER DX's written reviews are positive against 87% of PiKuBo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ZOOKEEPER DX ships an update every 3 months, PiKuBo monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
ZOOKEEPER DX versus PiKuBo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZOOKEEPER DXPiKuBo
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating3.7 (43 ratings)4.6 (95 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.5% of reviews86.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4395 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#192 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size206 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKITERETSU INC.Daniel Benito

Customer experience

ZOOKEEPER DX

All ratings43 ratings
Positive58.1%
Neutral18.6%
Negative23.3%
Written reviews263 reviews
Positive60.5%
Neutral17.9%
Negative21.7%

PiKuBo

All ratings90 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral4.4%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews67 reviews
Positive86.6%
Neutral7.5%
Negative6.0%

User reviews

ZOOKEEPER DX

From 43 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Cute and charming visuals
  • 👍 Great for passing time
  • 👍 Nostalgic for DS players
  • 🚀 Smooth performance on newer devices

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Compatibility issues on older devices
  • 🐛 Choppy animations and frame rate
  • 🐛 Unresponsive controls
  • 🐛 Difficulty ramps up too quickly
  • 🐛 Partial screen cutoff on iPhone

PiKuBo

From 95 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💡 Innovative 3D nonogram puzzle concept
  • 🎮 Engaging and addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Intuitive and well-designed user interface
  • 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visual presentation
  • 💰 Affordable pricing for puzzle packs ($0.99 each)

Room to improve

  • ⏱️ Timer system feels rushed and stressful
  • ❤️ Heart/lives system frustrating for some players
  • 🐛 Occasional accidental block touches
  • 🔧 Controls reset when rotating puzzle
  • 💸 Pricing model requires multiple purchases for full content

Bugs and requests

ZOOKEEPER DX

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Game crashes on launch for some users
  • Leaderboards show impossible high scores
  • Pause function can be exploited
  • Inconsistent performance across devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add quest mode from DS version
  • Include time attack and other game modes
  • Allow disabling timer for casual play
  • Implement local high scores with names
  • Add colorblind accessibility options

PiKuBo

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • In-app purchase error preventing pack purchases
  • Purchase not received after payment
  • Support email bouncing back
  • Color contrast issue in Pack 12 (blue on blue)
  • Inability to expose enough blocks at certain angles for decision-making
Show 2 more
  • Mark/delete button deactivates when rotating puzzle
  • Cooldown timer on mark/delete buttons causes frustration

Requested features

15 requests
  • More puzzle packs released more frequently
  • Undo button for accidental moves
  • Save progress mid-puzzle
  • Ability to move puzzle around (pan feature)
  • Full 360-degree rotation capability
Show 10 more
  • Bundle purchase option for all puzzle packs at discount
  • Larger puzzles optimized for iPad
  • Difficulty-specific puzzle packs (all expert level)
  • Remove or improve timer system
  • Remove or improve heart/lives system
  • Persistent mark/delete selection across rotations
  • Three-state axis selector for slider control
  • Double-tap to start puzzle instead of GO button
  • Flatten rate option to purchase all future content
  • Webpage explaining all settings and features

In-app purchases

None

ZOOKEEPER DX

No in-app purchases

13 purchases

PiKuBo

One-time13
  • Puzzle Pack 02$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 03$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 14$0.99
Show 10 more
  • Puzzle Pack 13$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 12$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 11$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 10$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 09$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 08$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 07$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 06$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 05$0.99
  • Puzzle Pack 04$0.99

Questions

Is ZOOKEEPER DX free?
ZOOKEEPER DX costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is PiKuBo free?
PiKuBo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ZOOKEEPER DX or PiKuBo?
PiKuBo is rated higher. ZOOKEEPER DX averages 3.7 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while PiKuBo averages 4.6 from 95 ratings.
Do ZOOKEEPER DX or PiKuBo have ads?
Neither ZOOKEEPER DX nor PiKuBo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ZOOKEEPER DX or PiKuBo?
ZOOKEEPER DX ships an update every 3 months, and PiKuBo monthly. Most recently, ZOOKEEPER DX was updated on October 26, 2026 and PiKuBo on October 24, 2026.

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