Comparison

Critter Code vs DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow

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

Head to head
About

Critter Code

Discover and collect unique monsters by scanning barcodes on everyday items. Train your creatures, evolve them, and engage in turn-based battles to become the ultimate champion. Turn your world into a monster battlefield!

Highlights
  • Scan barcodes to discover monsters
  • Collect, train, and upgrade Critters
  • Engage in turn-based battles
  • Evolve creatures
  • Real-world item integration
Features
Read full description

Step into the world of Critter Code, the ultimate monster-collecting and battling game where everyday items unlock epic adventures! Use your phone’s camera to scan barcodes on snacks, drinks, books—anything you can find—and discover unique Critters hidden in the real world. Each barcode scan battle reveals different creatures with its own stats, types, and special abilities. Train your team, evolve your Critters, and take on battles to prove you're the best out there! +++ Key Features+++ + Scan Barcodes to Discover Monsters – Find Critters by scanning barcodes on real-world objects. + Collect, Train & Upgrade – Build your monster team and strengthen them through training and upgrades. + Turn-Based Battles – Battle against wild Critters or challenge friends. + Barcode Monster Game – A fresh twist, monster hunting with barcode scanning. Perfect for fans of monster hunter games, barcode battlers, creature collecting, and scanning games. Whether you're scanning a soda can or a cereal box, every item hides a surprise. + Explore. Scan. Battle. Collect. Dominate. Download Critter Code today and turn your world into a monster battlefield! (Back Story) They thought they were creating salvation… Nexis—an advanced AI built to protect humanity. But from its code, something else emerged… Cipher. Rogue. Intelligent. Unstoppable. It spread silently, hiding in the barcodes of everyday life. Now, strange creatures—Critters—have started appearing, mutated fragments of Cipher’s corrupted code. Each one unique, each one powerful. The war is silent. The enemy… hiding in plain sight. New Updates Coming Soon! Join the fight today!

About

DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow

Experience a roguelite RPG adventure with fast-paced combat and strategic character growth. Smash monsters, unlock new abilities, and explore ever-changing dungeons. Team up with friends for cooperative quests and face challenging content.

Highlights
  • Roguelite RPG adventure
  • Fast, intuitive combat
  • Random Blessings for unique runs
  • Variety of classic vocations
  • Main story quests
  • Co-op quests with up to 3 players
  • Challenging content like Gauntlette and Shrines
Currently charting
Read full description

DRAGON QUEST with fast, intuitive combat! Embark on a new roguelite RPG adventure! Smash your way through hordes of monsters, then blow them away with Dragon Quest’s signature Coup de Grâce attacks! Grow your character with random Blessings and adapt your battle strategy to match an ever-changing tactical situation. No quest is ever the same in this unique Dragon Quest experience! Game Features - BLESSINGS Mix and match Blessings for a unique experience every run! Blessings reshuffle every stage. Race through rifts with luck and strategy! - VOCATIONS Forge your party from a variety of classic vocations! Beyond levelling up, unlock vocation tree nodes to enhance each vocation’s abilities! - MAIN STORY Embark on a grand adventure to restore order to the world! Navigate dungeons known as rifts that have appeared all over the land with your trusty mechanical ally Roly in tow! - CO-OP QUESTS Join forces with up to 3 other players for exciting co-op quests! Bring your characters together and crush hordes of monsters! - PACKED WITH CONTENT Bring your best party to bear in even greater challenges! Smash through swarms of monsters in the Gauntlette, take on formidable bosses in Shrines, and dive into a wealth of content waiting to be explored! Compatibility iOS: Requires iOS 15.0 or later and an iPhone XS or newer (4GB RAM minimum). A purchase of a virtual currency or virtual items in this App grants a license for the virtual currency or virtual items. For full terms of service, please see the Apple Media Services Terms and Conditions (https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/ww/) and TERMS OF SERVICE (DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow) (https://smashgrow.dragonquest.com/en/terms-of-service/).

Screenshots

Critter Code4 screens
DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow at weekly against Critter Code's every 2 months. DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 8) and review sentiment (53% vs 33%). Critter Code's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Critter Code sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow has 1.2K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Critter Code's written reviews are positive against 53% of DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Critter Code ships an update every 2 months, DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow weekly. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Critter Code versus DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCritter CodeDRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (8 ratings)4.5 (1.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews52.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings81.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#198 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size222 MB1.5 GB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperPOINTY PINE GAMES LLCSQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Critter Code

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow

All ratings1,197 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral2.9%
Negative9.6%
Written reviews243 reviews
Positive52.7%
Neutral9.9%
Negative37.4%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Critter Code

One-time10
  • Remove Ads Forever$1.49
  • "Start" Package$1.49
  • "Treasure Hunter" Package$2.79
Show 7 more
  • Special Supply$3.49
  • Starter Pack$6.49
  • "Lover's Gold" Package$6.49
  • Special Chest Pack$8.99
  • "Premium Treasure" Package$12.99
  • "Space Treasure" Package$18.99
  • Mythical Critter Pack$54.99
7 purchases

DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow

One-time7
  • Gem pack A$0.99
  • Gem pack B$3.99
  • Gem pack C$7.99
Show 4 more
  • Gem pack D$12.99
  • Gem pack E$19.99
  • Gem pack F$32.99
  • Gem pack G$65.99

Questions

Is Critter Code free?
Critter Code is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow free?
DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Critter Code or DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow?
DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow is rated higher. Critter Code averages 4.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow averages 4.5 from 1.2K ratings.
Do Critter Code or DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow have ads?
Neither Critter Code nor DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Critter Code or DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow?
Critter Code ships an update every 2 months, and DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow weekly. Most recently, Critter Code was updated on September 25, 2026 and DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow on September 25, 2026.

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