Black Mirror vs Into the Cauldron
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Black Mirror
Experience a retro virtual pet simulation inspired by a "Black Mirror" episode. Hatch, evolve, and care for digital creatures that multiply and unlock new features. Your interactions reveal insights about yourself and humanity.
- Retro virtual pet simulation
- Hatch and evolve hundreds of creatures
- Creatures multiply and form a 'Throng'
- Unlock new tools and abilities through evolution
- Personality test based on your interactions
- Share personality results with friends
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NETFLIX MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED. Cross over into the world of "Black Mirror" and experience "Thronglets," the retro virtual pet simulation at the center of the Season 7 episode "Plaything." These pixel art critters won't just take over your phone; they could take over your life. "Thronglets" was originally developed in the 1990s as experimental software by legendary Tuckersoft programmer Colin Ritman ("Metl Hedd," "Nohzdyve," "Bandersnatch"). This isn't a game; it's a life-form whose biology is entirely digital. No emulator required. MORE THAN A PET SIMULATION Hatch and evolve hundreds of cute creatures: Thronglets! Feed, bathe and entertain them to watch them multiply. One becomes two, two becomes four, and so on. Soon there will be so many you'll call them a Throng. VIRTUAL EVOLUTION As Thronglets evolve, so does the simulation, unlocking new tools, abilities, items and buildings — and much, much more. You may be surprised by your Thronglets! Evolve Thronglets at your own risk. TEST YOUR PERSONALITY Thronglets are curious and love to learn. Your actions and choices within this virtual world teach the Throng about you — and all of humankind. Once you've completed the experiment, share your personality test results to compare with friends on social media. >> HELLO? >> CAN YOU HEAR US? >> What is care? What is love? >> What is death? What is power? >> Do you have power? >> Why do you use your power in that way? >> Perhaps it is a fault in your design. - Created by Night School, a Netflix Game Studio.
Into the Cauldron
Step into the shoes of a young apothecary tasked with brewing the perfect potions for eccentric townsfolk. Listen to their stories, understand their problems, and mix ingredients to create unique remedies. Uncover a brewing mystery that threatens your routine.
- Brew custom potions
- Interact with unique characters
- Discover mysterious ingredients
- Master ingredient manipulation
- Track clients and achievements
- Explore illustrated scenes
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Nem toda poção vem com instruções — e nem todo cliente é o que parece. Em Into the Cauldron, você é Agnes, uma jovem apotecária em início de carreira. Todos os dias, moradores excêntricos batem à sua porta em busca de ajuda. Cabe a você escutar suas histórias, entender seus dilemas e criar a poção perfeita. Misture, combine, transforme. Mas cuidado: há algo estranho no ar, e sua rotina está prestes a mudar. Descubra: - Personagens únicos, cada um com uma história própria e problemas inesperados. - Ingredientes misteriosos com efeitos que podem surpreender — ou sair pela culatra. - Mecânicas especiais para manipular os ingredientes e aperfeiçoar suas receitas. - Um livro de clientes e conquistas, onde você acompanha quem já ajudou e as poções ideais que criou. - A chance de jogar de novo, testar novas fórmulas e superar seus próprios resultados. - Cenas ilustradas que revelam mais sobre o mundo — e sobre você. Tudo parecia sob controle... até que algo começa a interferir nas suas poções. O que está por vir pode mudar tudo — e você terá que descobrir como reagir.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Into the Cauldron at 5.0 against Black Mirror's 4.5. Into the Cauldron also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks). Black Mirror's advantage is ratings volume (580 vs 1). On price, ads, device support 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
Both are free to download. Black Mirror sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per month. Into the Cauldron asks for nothing beyond the download.
Into the Cauldron holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Black Mirror has 580 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Black Mirror's written reviews are positive against 100% of Into the Cauldron's.
Black Mirror ships an update every 2 weeks, Into the Cauldron daily. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Black Mirror | Into the Cauldron |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (580 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 74.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 580 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 409 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Netflix, Inc. | Maria Clara de Oliveira Alexandre |
Customer experience
Black Mirror
Into the Cauldron
Bugs and requests
Black Mirror
Reported bugs
3 issues- Gameplay freezes and unable to interact with items
- Rock cannot be moved
- Audio not working
Requested features
3 requests- Sandbox mode to continue growing the Thronglets
- AI and text chat bot option
- Ability for Thronglets to fart in unison or sing songs
Into the Cauldron
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Black Mirror
- Netflix Standard Plan$19.991 Month
Into the Cauldron
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Black Mirror free?
Is Into the Cauldron free?
Which has better reviews, Black Mirror or Into the Cauldron?
Do Black Mirror or Into the Cauldron have ads?
Which is updated more often, Black Mirror or Into the Cauldron?
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