Comparison

Evolution vs NCA Memories

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Evolution

Explore a 2D world where creatures evolve through natural selection. This simulator allows you to experiment with settings and observe how genomes influence adaptation. Witness the fascinating process of evolution in action.

Highlights
  • 2D natural selection simulation
  • Neural network-powered creatures
  • Genome-defined creature behavior
  • Experiment with evolutionary settings
  • Observe creature adaptation
Features
Read full description

Evolution is a natural selection simulator in a 2D world. Each creature is powered by a neural network defined by its genome. Experiment with settings and watch as creatures evolve to adapt. _______ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

About

NCA Memories

Read full description

Unleash a Universe in Your Pocket Dive into the mesmerizing, complex world of cellular automata with NCA Memories! This isn't just another simulator; it's a high-performance digital laboratory powered by Apple's Metal API. We harness the full power of your device, running simulations at full native resolution to reveal a level of detail you've never seen before. Watch intricate patterns emerge, evolve, and react to your touch. Use the intuitive brush interface to paint new life onto the canvas, erase sections to see what happens, or inject chaos with a spray of noise. You are in complete control of your own digital ecosystem. Key Features: Explore Diverse Rules: Go beyond the classics. Experiment with a library of different cellular automata update rules, each creating its own unique patterns, "organisms," and behaviors. Blazing Metal Performance: Our custom Metal shader is designed for one thing: speed. Experience fluid, high-FPS simulations without compromising on resolution. Interactive Brush: Don't just watch - create! Paint, draw, and interact with the simulation in real-time. It's a dynamic canvas for digital life. Total Tunability: You're the one in charge. Update Rate: Slow things down to study every change or crank it up for high-speed evolution. Noise Parameters: Introduce random elements and watch the simulation adapt. Simulation Resolution: Run at glorious native resolution or scale it down for different effects. Target FPS: Manually set your target frame rate to balance performance and battery life. Whether you're an artist looking for a new source of inspiration, a student of complex systems, or just looking for a beautiful, interactive toy, NCA Memories is your sandbox. Download now and start creating worlds! Note: The simulation rules in this app are based on the research paper "Exploring the Landscape of Non-Equilibrium Memories with Neural Cellular Automata" by Ehsan Pajouheshgar, Aditya Bhardwaj, Nathaniel Selub, and Ethan Lake (arXiv:2508.15726). This app is an independent implementation inspired by their work. You can explore their original research and interactive demo at: memorynca.github.io/2D/

Screenshots

Evolution3 screens
NCA Memories4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: NCA Memories at Free against Evolution's $1.99. NCA Memories also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 8 days). Evolution's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

NCA Memories is free to download; Evolution costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Evolution ships an update every 8 days, NCA Memories daily. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 5 level
Evolution versus NCA Memories: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEvolutionNCA Memories
Price$1.99Free โ€” better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysDaily โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac โ€” better
Requires iOS18.0 โ€” better26.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size10 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSeungwoo ChoeQuinten Preiss

In-app purchases

None

Evolution

No in-app purchases

None

NCA Memories

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Evolution free?
Evolution costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is NCA Memories free?
NCA Memories is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Evolution or NCA Memories have ads?
Neither Evolution nor NCA Memories shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Evolution or NCA Memories?
Evolution ships an update every 8 days, and NCA Memories daily. Most recently, Evolution was updated on September 16, 2026 and NCA Memories on September 8, 2026.

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