Comparison

Shift II vs Dungeon Tracer

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

Head to head
About

Shift II

A challenging puzzle game with three distinct modes: managing energy, maintaining streaks, or beating a timer. Upgrade and downgrade tiles to achieve high scores and compete on online leaderboards. Enjoy a meditative experience, except for the frantic mode.

Highlights
  • Three gameplay modes (Calm, Frantic, Tactical)
  • Online leaderboards
  • Tile upgrading and downgrading
  • Streak management
  • Timed challenges
  • Color themes
Features
Read full description

“The Hyperspatial Directive Node has been upgraded to a subdermal implant. All of its original functionality remains in place, quite literally at your fingertips. Please report any itching, spontaneous combustion or redness to your supervisor immediately.” A sequel to 2022's award nominated puzzle game for the Playdate, Shift II takes the familiar and adds all new mechanics, strategy and ways to play, and now on your phone! And sort of in color! Featuring three game play modes, The Calm tasks you with managing your energy supply, The Tactical only cares about your ability to maintain a streak, while The Frantic pits you against a thirty second countdown timer and was specifically designed for those of you who were disappointed that the original game wasn't stressful enough. Keeping up your streak count, upgrading and downgrading tiles and making the most efficient moves as possible are all critical to your high score chances. No ads and no in-app purchases. It won't even harass you to rate it (Though it would be nice if you did)! Just a super fun, meditative puzzle game. Well, except for The Frantic, that's not really very meditative. Features: - Three game play modes; The Calm, The Frantic & The Tactical - Online leader boards for all three modes. - Four color themes to choose from. - The same music and sound effects you loved in the Playdate version. - Again: No in app purchases, no ads, no tracking. -- "This sequel is as fun as the first game! Shift II adds a twist to the original, with more shapes to match and more modes. Our favorite new mode is The Tactical, where you must maintain your streak to keep playing!" -- Panic Staff Pick

About

Dungeon Tracer

Engage in a strategic puzzle RPG where you connect tiles to battle enemies and survive challenging dungeons. Master equipment and abilities to overcome obstacles and climb the global leaderboard. Offers multiple difficulty levels and extensive customization options for endless replayability.

Highlights
  • Tile-connecting puzzle combat
  • Roguelike dungeon exploration
  • Item collection and upgrades
  • Diverse character abilities
  • Multiple difficulty levels
  • Global leaderboard competition
  • Persistent save system
Features
Read full description

Survive in endless dungeons by connecting blocks to attack, defend, and heal. Dungeon Tracer is a roguelike puzzle RPG that combines strategic turn-based combat with dungeon exploration. Connect identical blocks to unleash powerful sword attacks, shield defenses, and life-saving potions. Your decisions each turn shape the outcome of battles and your survival. ■ Recommended for - Players who enjoy puzzle RPGs and roguelikes - Fans of turn-based strategy combat - Those seeking offline dungeon adventures - Gamers who love crafting new builds and strategies through replay ■ Core Gameplay - Connect blocks to attack, defend, and heal - Every turn's choice impacts your strategy - Combo effects grow stronger with longer connections - Embrace the roguelike challenge where death means starting anew - Develop survival strategies in ever-changing scenarios ■ In-Depth Strategic Combat Experience the blend of intuitive block connection puzzles and the tactical depth of roguelike RPGs. Your play style varies with block placements, enemy types, skill selections, and item combinations. ■ 10 Classes and 10 Races Each class features unique skills and traits. Combine these with racial traits for diverse builds. Experiment to find your ideal strategy. ■ Diverse Skills and Builds Mix over 40 active skills and growth elements to create your unique combat style. Each skill and item choice leads to different outcomes. ■ Special Monsters and Block Debuffs Face 43 unique monsters, including liches, avengers, kamikazes, and assassins. Block debuffs like freeze, fire, poison, and lock can turn the tide of battle. Simply connecting blocks won't guarantee victory. ■ Fair Roguelike Challenge A seed-based deterministic random system ensures consistent results in each run. Enjoy a challenge where strategy and judgment outweigh luck. ■ More Fun with Repeated Growth Skill choices evolve with each level-up Builds focus on upgrades and items Dungeons reconfigure with each playthrough A structure where a single mistake heightens the tension ■ Global Leaderboard Compete with players worldwide. Test your skills against global rankings and showcase your best scores. ■ 4 Difficulty Levels Choose from Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard Enjoyable challenges for both newcomers and veterans. ■ Premium Offline RPG - No ads - No in-app purchases - Enjoy offline play Once purchased, access all content fully. ■ Support for Multiple Languages and Cloud Save Supports 22 languages, ensuring you can continue your adventure seamlessly across devices. Endless dungeons await, filled with powerful monsters and strategic choices. How long can you survive? Experience the depth of puzzle roguelike RPGs in Dungeon Tracer today!

Screenshots

Shift II4 screens
Dungeon Tracer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Dungeon Tracer at Free against Shift II's $4.99. Dungeon Tracer also leads on ratings volume (77 vs 3) and device support (3 vs 1). Shift II's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (100% vs 76%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Dungeon Tracer is free to download; Shift II costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shift II holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dungeon Tracer has 77 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Shift II's written reviews are positive against 76% of Dungeon Tracer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shift II ships an update every 5 days, Dungeon Tracer every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Shift II versus Dungeon Tracer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShift IIDungeon Tracer
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.5 (77 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better75.6% of reviews
Number of ratings377 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB431 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperScenic Route Softwaresang wook Jang

Customer experience

Shift II

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Dungeon Tracer

All ratings77 ratings
Positive88.3%
Neutral3.9%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews90 reviews
Positive75.6%
Neutral10.0%
Negative14.4%

In-app purchases

None

Shift II

No in-app purchases

None

Dungeon Tracer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shift II free?
Shift II costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dungeon Tracer free?
Dungeon Tracer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shift II or Dungeon Tracer?
Shift II is rated higher. Shift II averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Dungeon Tracer averages 4.5 from 77 ratings.
Do Shift II or Dungeon Tracer have ads?
Neither Shift II nor Dungeon Tracer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shift II or Dungeon Tracer?
Shift II ships an update every 5 days, and Dungeon Tracer every 3 days. Most recently, Shift II was updated on September 18, 2026 and Dungeon Tracer on September 23, 2026.

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