Comparison

Catch the Ark vs Cooped Up

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

Head to head
About

Catch the Ark

Guide three adorable creatures down treacherous jungle rapids on a raft to escape an impending flood. Dodge hazards, outrun enemies, and collect coins to purchase power-ups and new boats in this action-packed adventure.

Highlights
  • Steer raft down perilous rapids
  • Dodge rocks, crocs, and fish
  • Collect coins for power-ups
  • Unlock new boats
  • Colorful graphics and animations
  • Challenge friends on leaderboards
Features
Read full description

Can you survive the jungle and Catch The Ark in this amazing former EDITOR'S CHOICE game? A flood is coming and Catch the Ark’s three adorable creatures Titan, Boon, and Zuzu haven’t got an invite to board Noah’s Ark. Armed with just a raft, the trio must brave the jungle rapids where outrageous hazards, hungry enemies, and even grumpy old Noah himself is out to ensure they don’t make it out alive. Can you catch the ark? WITHOUT A PADDLE Steer the creatures’ raft down perilous rapids filled with rocks, hungry crocs, snapping fishes, and Noah’s explosive barrels to out run the tidal wave behind you and catch the ark. EYES ON THE PRIZE Take in Catch the Ark’s stunning scenery, wild water and jungle packed with everything from monkeys to dinosaurs. Keep an eye on your raft-bound trio to see some hilarious reactions and rich animations. A RAFT OF EXTRAS Collect shiny coins and spend them in the in-game store on power-ups such as the Pterodactyl and new boats such as the Hovercraft and Rubber Ducky. Game Features: • Colorful graphics and impressive animations • Easy to pick up gameplay that’s hard to put down • Full of missions to complete and ranks to obtain • Challenge your friends through Facebook and climb the leaderboards • UNIVERSAL: Works on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad PLEASE NOTE: This game features non-compulsory In-App Purchases. If you do not wish to use this feature please disable In-App Purchases in your device settings.

About

Cooped Up

Navigate a vibrant sanctuary as a new exotic bird, flinging yourself upwards while avoiding obstacles and other quirky birds. Snack on tasty insects along the way and use boosts to ascend further. Compete with friends via Game Center.

Highlights
  • Intuitive twanging fling gameplay
  • Simple pick up and play
  • Game Centre support
  • Collect and eat insects
  • In-game boosts
Features
Read full description

You are the latest addition in the exotic bird sanctuary. The other older birds have been Cooped Up a little too long and are a branch short of a perch! Ahhemmm... they is a bit crazy! Fling yourself up up and away but watch out, there's more than just birds that you must avoid. However don't be afraid to snack on the way... ...and don't let the other birds laughing at you get you down! Pick yourself up and twang twang twang again! Features: - Intuitive twanging fling gameplay. - Simple pick up and play for all! - Full game centre support to compete with friends and foes - Eat worms, spiders and flies! Hmmm yummy!!! - Boost you way up like a steam train! Important information This game contains third party advertising which can be removed via a one time IAP. This game contains coins which can be collected within the game for free, bought with real money or via earned via promotions. This game contains cross promotion for other Nitrome games and this is not removed with the IAP for removal of ads.

Screenshots

Catch the Ark4 screens
Cooped Up4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Cooped Up at 4.5 against Catch the Ark's 3.9. Catch the Ark's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 17 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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

Both are free to download. Catch the Ark sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Cooped Up sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cooped Up holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 124 and 84 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Catch the Ark's written reviews are positive against 71% of Cooped Up's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Catch the Ark ships an update every 3 months, Cooped Up every 17 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Catch the Ark versus Cooped Up: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCatch the ArkCooped Up
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (124 ratings)4.5 (84 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.5% of reviews70.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings124 — better84
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 17 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS6.0 — better11.0
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB157 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperPlaySideNitrome

Customer experience

Catch the Ark

All ratings124 ratings
Positive67.7%
Neutral8.9%
Negative23.4%
Written reviews569 reviews
Positive64.5%
Neutral9.7%
Negative25.8%

Cooped Up

All ratings85 ratings
Positive84.7%
Neutral7.1%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews198 reviews
Positive70.7%
Neutral8.1%
Negative21.2%

User reviews

Catch the Ark

From 124 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Cute characters
  • 🚀 Great graphics
  • 👍 Fun for all ages

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🐛 Compatibility issues
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
  • 🐛 Missions not tracking properly

Cooped Up

From 84 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Highly addictive gameplay mechanics
  • 🎨 Charming and unique pixel art style
  • 😄 Quirky humor and entertaining animations
  • 🎵 Catchy banjo music and sound design
  • ⚡ Fast-paced and responsive controls

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
  • 🐛 Screen flickering after watching ads
  • 🐛 Game incompatibility with iPad
  • 🐛 Upside-down screen glitches
  • 📺 Excessive and repetitive ads

Bugs and requests

Catch the Ark

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Game crashes after intro
  • Boats not registering for missions
  • Freezing and black screens
  • Inability to load or open the app

Requested features

5 requests
  • More levels and progression
  • Ability to continue from last checkpoint
  • Multiplayer mode
  • Customization options
  • Optimization for newer devices

Cooped Up

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • Game crashes on launch or during gameplay
  • Screen flickering and glitching after ads
  • Upside-down screen display
  • Phone freezing or requiring restart
  • Jump mechanics not responding
Show 8 more
  • Achievement notifications not displaying
  • Trophy/score button unresponsive
  • Invincibility frames missing after bug collection
  • Screen rotation causing control issues
  • Frame rate drops during star animations
  • Black screen on startup
  • Incompatibility with iPad devices
  • Pixelated app icon on iPhone 6

Requested features

12 requests
  • Unlockable characters and skins
  • New maps and backgrounds
  • Additional enemy types and difficulty levels
  • In-game currency and upgrade system
  • Customizable bird options
Show 7 more
  • Story mode or narrative elements
  • Different game modes (rush mode, challenge mode)
  • Tutorial for new players
  • Leaderboard functionality improvements
  • Power-ups and special abilities
  • Bird care mechanics (feeding, washing, growing)
  • Mute settings that persist between sessions

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Catch the Ark

One-time8
  • Pack of 20,000 Coins$0.99
  • Pack of 50,000 Coins$1.99
  • Pack of 100,000 Coins$2.99
Show 5 more
  • Coin Multiplier$4.99
  • Pack of 250,000 Coins$4.99
  • Pack of 1,000,000 Coins$12.99
  • Pack of 2 Million Coins$19.99
  • Pack of 5 Million Coins$39.99
1 purchases

Cooped Up

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is Catch the Ark free?
Catch the Ark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cooped Up free?
Cooped Up is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Catch the Ark or Cooped Up?
Cooped Up is rated higher. Catch the Ark averages 3.9 out of 5 from 124 ratings, while Cooped Up averages 4.5 from 84 ratings.
Do Catch the Ark or Cooped Up have ads?
Cooped Up shows ads; Catch the Ark does not.
Which is updated more often, Catch the Ark or Cooped Up?
Catch the Ark ships an update every 3 months, and Cooped Up every 17 months. Most recently, Catch the Ark was updated on November 1, 2026 and Cooped Up on November 1, 2026.

Other comparisons