Comparison

lil tic vs Action Codenames

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

Head to head
About

lil tic

Features
Read full description

three minimalist tic-tac-toe games in one tiny app. ultimate tic-tac-toe nine boards in a 3 × 3 grid. where you play decides which board your opponent plays on next. win three boards in a row to win the game. sequence players take turns adding an x or an o to one shared string. each player has their own goal, like "any 5-symbol pattern twice" against "any 3-symbol pattern four times". overlaps don't count, and every move you make helps your opponent too. heXO tic-tac-toe on a large hexagonal board. get six in a row. play your way - over the board with a friend - against the computer, with adjustable difficulty (via in-app purchase) - online with game center a minimalistic app inspired by lil apps by jordan singer (@jsngr) and @webgoatguy. immerse yourself in the elegance of strategic gameplay. perfect for casual and competitive gamers alike. enjoy :)

About

Action Codenames

A fast-paced, team-based word association game for parties and gatherings. Players give and guess clues based on a 5x5 grid of words, aiming to identify their team's secret words before the opposing team or hitting a losing card. Offers offline play and multiple languages.

Highlights
  • Team-based word association gameplay
  • 5x5 grid of secret words
  • Spymaster clue-giving mechanic
  • Offline play support
  • Multilingual options
  • Built-in rules and strategy tips
Features
Read full description

Codenames is a fast, team‑based word association game built for parties, family nights, study breaks, and quick office fun. Two teams—Red and Blue—race to find all of their secret words on a 5×5 grid of 25 cards. The twist: touch the black card and you lose instantly. Each round has two roles. The Spymaster sees the entire key and gives exactly one clue: a single word plus a number. Operatives discuss and guess based on that clue. With “Animal 2”, you may guess up to three times (number + 1). Picking your color lets you continue; choosing an opponent or neutral card ends your turn; hitting the black card ends the game on the spot. Red needs 9 words; Blue needs 8. A clean, modern interface keeps everyone focused: a clear current‑turn indicator, crisp card layout, smooth animations, score cards with progress bars, and handy one‑tap controls (New Game, End Turn, View Team). The dedicated Team view lists your team’s words—revealed and remaining—so you can decide whether to press your luck or bank the lead. If the game ends, a friendly Game Over screen summarizes the result and lets you restart immediately. Built‑in rules cover the objective, setup (9/8/7/1 split), roles, “clue + number” format, restrictions, and examples. Practical tips and an advanced strategy section help Spymasters craft multi‑card clues (categories, hypernyms, shared context) and help Operatives debate links, avoid traps, and converge on the safest picks. Robust local word libraries power high replayability: fruits, vehicles, school supplies, animals, weather and nature, places and buildings, family, sports, seasons and nature, food and drinks, colors, occupations, electronics, clothing, toys and games, gems and minerals, and more. Every new game shuffles a fresh 25‑word grid with the asymmetric distribution that keeps tension high and choices meaningful. Multilingual and classroom‑friendly: English, German, French, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, and Korean. Switch languages instantly; the grid regenerates on the spot. Fully playable offline—no sign‑up or connection required—so you can play anywhere. Why you’ll love it: Quick to teach, deep to master; perfect for mixed groups Laughs, tension, and real “aha!” moments in minutes Fast turns and near‑infinite replay value Thoughtful design that prioritizes readability Start a new game in seconds, give your first clue, and watch the table come alive. This digital adaptation pays homage to the classic party word game by Czech designer Vlaada Chvátil—faithful to team spirit and clever associations.

Screenshots

lil tic1 screens
Action Codenames3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Action Codenames at Free against lil tic's $0.99. Action Codenames also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 37 months). lil tic's advantage is device support (4 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

Action Codenames is free to download; lil tic costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

lil tic ships an update every 37 months, Action Codenames every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
lil tic versus Action Codenames: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterlil ticAction Codenames
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating—3.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 37 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.617.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHenrik Storch梦成 李

In-app purchases

None

lil tic

No in-app purchases

None

Action Codenames

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is lil tic free?
lil tic costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Action Codenames free?
Action Codenames is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do lil tic or Action Codenames have ads?
Neither lil tic nor Action Codenames shows ads.
Which is updated more often, lil tic or Action Codenames?
lil tic ships an update every 37 months, and Action Codenames every 3 weeks. Most recently, lil tic was updated on October 24, 2026 and Action Codenames on October 24, 2026.

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