Comparison

Notebook Artillery vs BUTTERCUP...

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

Head to head
About

Notebook Artillery

Engage in strategic cannon combat with this arcade-simulation-action game. Adjust firing angle and powder to hit targets or opponents, accounting for wind and random stage layouts. Features hand-drawn art and multiple game modes.

Highlights
  • Adjust firing angle and powder
  • Account for wind and stage layouts
  • Solo target practice mode
  • CPU opponent
  • Local multiplayer vs mode
  • Hand-drawn game art
  • Unlockable stickers
Features
Read full description

Apple called it "sketchy — in a good way." Multiple-time Game of the Day in 80+ countries. Nintendo Force gave it 8.5/10. And it started as a doodle. Once upon a time in a middle school computer lab, a student ignored every assignment for an entire semester to fire cannons at a friend. That student grew up, spent 20 years making games professionally, and eventually decided the world needed a proper love letter to that wasted time. This is it. Notebook Artillery is a hand-drawn artillery game inspired by the classic Mac game that got confiscated off school computers everywhere. Set your angle. Load your powder. Fire. Account for the wind. Try not to hit your own tower. Play your way: Solo target practice — break floating targets across randomly generated stages VS CPU — take on a computer opponent Local multiplayer — challenge someone in the same room What makes it feel different: Every frame hand-drawn in Procreate — ruled lines, coil binding, pencil textures, the whole notebook aesthetic Trees splinter. Towers explode. Cannonballs collide mid-air. Wind changes everything. Read the flag. Use your shot trails. Unlock stickers by pulling off feats — first-shot eliminations, mid-air collisions, and yes, accidentally destroying your own tower Randomly generated stages mean no two games play the same Made by one person, with audio by Kevin Samuels and Switch/console ports by PolyCrunch Games. No AI tools were used in making this game. All art hand-drawn. Developed in GameMaker Studio.

About

BUTTERCUP...

Embark on a whimsical adventure combining stage challenges, precision platforming, and side-scrolling action. Battle enemies, navigate treacherous environments, and rescue a friend from a witch's clutches. Explore colorful worlds with unique gameplay mechanics.

Highlights
  • Stage-based combat encounters
  • Precision platforming challenges
  • Side-scrolling action
  • Rescue missions
  • Flying mechanics
  • Level-based progression
Features
Read full description

Buttercup blends our favorite genres—stage challenges, precision platforming, and side-scrolling mayhem—into a colorful, whimsical world. Help Buttercup rise to the challenge and save his friend **Ms. Coffeepot**. With guidance from **Butterknife** and his pocket pamphlets, you’ll fight, run, fly, and dodge to prove you’re the cup with the right stuff. - Battle through stage-based encounters with tips from Butterknife’s pamphlets. - Run and jump through the swamp while hunting for answers. - Rescue a friend from a **witch’s** clutches—without waking her. - Fly past relentless minions on your way to **Pan Man**. - Survive maniacal raindrops and other chaotic hazards. Buttercup launches with **5 homegrown levels**, and more are already brewing—**Level 6** is on the way.

Screenshots

Notebook Artillery4 screens
BUTTERCUP...4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BUTTERCUP... at 5.0 against Notebook Artillery's 4.5. BUTTERCUP... also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). Notebook Artillery's advantage is ratings volume (149 vs 5) and chart position (#111 vs unranked). On in-app purchases 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

Notebook Artillery costs $0.99 and BUTTERCUP... $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BUTTERCUP... holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook Artillery has 149 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Notebook Artillery's written reviews are positive against 100% of BUTTERCUP...'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook Artillery ships an update every 2 weeks, BUTTERCUP... every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Notebook Artillery versus BUTTERCUP...: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebook ArtilleryBUTTERCUP...
Price$0.99 — better$2.99
Rating4.5 (149 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings149 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#111 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size115 MB534 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperAustin IvansmithMy Darling Decoy Games, LLC

Customer experience

Notebook Artillery

All ratings148 ratings
Positive87.2%
Neutral6.8%
Negative6.1%
Written reviews87 reviews
Positive81.6%
Neutral10.3%
Negative8.0%

BUTTERCUP...

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Notebook Artillery

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes on iOS 12 and 13 on iPad Pro
  • Inconsistent animation speeds

Requested features

7 requests
  • Online multiplayer
  • Campaign mode with objectives
  • Weapon/tower upgrades
  • Customization options
  • Special game modes (speed run, boss battles, etc.)
Show 2 more
  • Ability to save and continue games
  • Detailed badge/achievement system

BUTTERCUP...

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Notebook Artillery

No in-app purchases

None

BUTTERCUP...

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Notebook Artillery free?
Notebook Artillery costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BUTTERCUP... free?
BUTTERCUP... costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Notebook Artillery or BUTTERCUP...?
BUTTERCUP... is rated higher. Notebook Artillery averages 4.5 out of 5 from 149 ratings, while BUTTERCUP... averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Notebook Artillery or BUTTERCUP... have ads?
Notebook Artillery shows ads; BUTTERCUP... does not.
Which is updated more often, Notebook Artillery or BUTTERCUP...?
Notebook Artillery ships an update every 2 weeks, and BUTTERCUP... every 3 days. Most recently, Notebook Artillery was updated on October 30, 2026 and BUTTERCUP... on October 30, 2026.

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