Comparison

ZOOKEEPER DX vs Simple Match 3

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
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

Simple Match 3

This is a relaxing puzzle game where you swap tiles to make matches of three. Unlock hundreds of unique tiles, customize your game's appearance, and enjoy satisfying effects. It offers a peaceful experience without ads or excessive story elements.

Highlights
  • No ads or subscriptions
  • Hundreds of unique tiles
  • Customizable appearance
  • Daily levels with leaderboards
  • Zen Mode for relaxation
  • Satisfying visual effects
  • Achievements and boosters
Features
Read full description

Simple Match 3 is a relaxing and challenging puzzle game with absolutely no ads. Swap tiles and make matches of 3 to clear levels. Unlock hundreds of unique tiles and customize to fit your style. Discover a variety of different elements and mechanics as you progress through the game. Use satisfying boosters and power ups. Unlike most match-3 games, Simple Match 3 was created to give players a relaxing and satisfying experience, without annoying ads, obnoxious effects, or time wasting story elements. FEATURES: No ads: Absolutely no ads or subscription purchases. The base price includes 350 levels, a unique daily level with leaderboard, and zen mode. 1 small in-app purchase unlocks even more. Customization: Customize to your heart’s content with hundreds of different tiles and lots of different background colors. You can even choose the color of the user interface buttons to match your theme! Daily Level: Play a unique level every single day. Try to make it to the top of the online leaderboard! Zen Mode: Relax and make matches with no move limits, no goals, and limited obstacles in Zen Mode. Satisfying experience: Enjoy super satisfying effects as you clear tiles, smash through crates, destroy glass, and more! The effects were created to be satisfying, without being too obnoxious or overwhelming. Achievements: Complete a variety of achievements to unlock more tiles. Boosters: Spin the prize wheel every day to gain boosters. You can also get even more boosters by completing the daily goal. Handcrafted levels: Play through 350 handcrafted levels and try to earn 3 stars. Some levels are simple, others are more challenging. Discover a variety of unique elements as you progress. If you want more, 1 small in app purchase unlocks 350 more levels. Created with love and care: Developed by a single person with care. Levels are designed to be fun, challenging, and satisfying without the need to purchase endless boosters. Download Simple Match 3 today and see what makes it so special!

Screenshots

ZOOKEEPER DX4 screens
Simple Match 34 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Simple Match 3 at 4.8 against ZOOKEEPER DX's 3.7. Simple Match 3 also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (90% vs 60%). ZOOKEEPER DX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and price ($0.99 vs $1.99). On ads, chart position 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

ZOOKEEPER DX costs $0.99 and Simple Match 3 $1.99 up front. Simple Match 3 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ZOOKEEPER DX asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simple Match 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Match 3 has 247 ratings behind it against 43, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of ZOOKEEPER DX's written reviews are positive against 90% of Simple Match 3's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ZOOKEEPER DX ships an update every 3 months, Simple Match 3 weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
ZOOKEEPER DX versus Simple Match 3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZOOKEEPER DXSimple Match 3
Price$0.99 — better$1.99
Rating3.7 (43 ratings)4.8 (247 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.3% of reviews90.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings43247 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank#130#53 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size206 MB463 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKITERETSU INC.Mulberry Tree Games, LLC

Customer experience

ZOOKEEPER DX

All ratings43 ratings
Positive58.1%
Neutral18.6%
Negative23.3%
Written reviews262 reviews
Positive60.3%
Neutral17.9%
Negative21.8%

Simple Match 3

All ratings247 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral2.8%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews193 reviews
Positive90.2%
Neutral6.2%
Negative3.6%

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

Simple Match 3

From 247 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Best Match 3 Game
  • 👍 Calming and Engaging
  • 🔒 No Ads or IAPs
  • 👍 Customizable Tiles
  • 👍 Relaxing Music and Sound Effects

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs in Higher Levels
  • 🐛 Impossible Levels Due to Missing Obstacles
  • 🐛 Soft Locks with Rainbow Tiles
  • 🐛 Reward Box Tapping Issue
  • 🐛 Inconsistent Star Rating System

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

Simple Match 3

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Levels with Missing Obstacles
  • Reward Box Tapping Issue
  • Inconsistent Star Rating System
  • Soft Locks with Rainbow Tiles
  • Crashes on Opening

Requested features

6 requests
  • Level Editor
  • Endless/Survival Mode
  • Improved Power-Up Interactions
  • Hints or Shuffle Option
  • Landscape Support for iPad
Show 1 more
  • iCloud Sync Across Devices

In-app purchases

None

ZOOKEEPER DX

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Simple Match 3

One-time1
  • Simple Match 3 Gold$1.99

Questions

Is ZOOKEEPER DX free?
ZOOKEEPER DX costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Simple Match 3 free?
Simple Match 3 costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ZOOKEEPER DX or Simple Match 3?
Simple Match 3 is rated higher. ZOOKEEPER DX averages 3.7 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while Simple Match 3 averages 4.8 from 247 ratings.
Do ZOOKEEPER DX or Simple Match 3 have ads?
Neither ZOOKEEPER DX nor Simple Match 3 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ZOOKEEPER DX or Simple Match 3?
ZOOKEEPER DX ships an update every 3 months, and Simple Match 3 weekly. Most recently, ZOOKEEPER DX was updated on October 17, 2026 and Simple Match 3 on October 14, 2026.
Which is more popular, ZOOKEEPER DX or Simple Match 3?
ZOOKEEPER DX currently peaks at #130 in the App Store charts, and Simple Match 3 at #53. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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