PiKuBo vs Close Cities
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Over 400 3D puzzles
- Logic-based gameplay
- Adaptive one-handed controls
- Save progress
- Customizable markers
- Portrait and landscape modes
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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.
Close Cities
Build beautiful cities on diverse worlds by solving unique puzzles. This relaxing game guides you through 160 levels with a simple tap or drag interface, requiring no architectural knowledge. Conquer each world's challenges and travel through time with its calming soundtrack.
- Build cities on empty maps
- Solve 160 unique puzzle levels
- Intuitive tap and drag controls
- No architectural knowledge needed
- Travel through different worlds
- Relaxing music and pace
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Close Cities is a relaxing puzzle game in which you will have to build cities in different worlds over time. Find a road and start there. Solve all 160 levels and become a Close Cities legend! UNIQUE PUZZLES You will start each level with an empty map that you will have to fill with beautiful cities. Choose the right road, choose the area and tap or drag with your fingers! DOES NOT REQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OF ARCHITECTURE Close Cities offers a fun experience even if you don't know the difference between a square and a bevel. The game's tutorial will show you everything you need to know at a relaxed pace. CONQUER ITS 160 LEVELS Each world has its king and 16 levels that you must solve to build his empire. TRAVEL THROUGH TIME During the course of the game you will discover different worlds over time with relaxed music to let you go.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: PiKuBo at none against Close Cities's shown. PiKuBo also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 69%). Close Cities's advantage is ratings volume (362 vs 95). On price, rating, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. PiKuBo sells 13 one-off in-app purchases and Close Cities sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Close Cities holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 95 and 362 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 87% of PiKuBo's written reviews are positive against 69% of Close Cities's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
PiKuBo ships an update monthly, Close Cities every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | PiKuBo | Close Cities |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (95 ratings) | 4.8 (362 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 86.6% of reviews — better | 69.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 95 | 362 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 119 MB | 158 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daniel Benito | Juan Manuel Altamirano Argudo |
Customer experience
PiKuBo
Close Cities
Bugs and requests
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
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- 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
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- 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
Close Cities
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
PiKuBo
- Puzzle Pack 02$0.99
- Puzzle Pack 03$0.99
- Puzzle Pack 14$0.99
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- 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
Close Cities
- Hints - Small Pack$0.99
- Hints - Medium Pack$2.99
- Remove Ads + Hints$2.99
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- Hints - Big Pack$5.99








