Comparison

Swoop Card Game vs Samba Game

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

Head to head
About

Swoop Card Game

This card game challenges players to be the first to empty their hand by strategically playing cards onto a central pile. Special card combinations or 'Swoops' clear the pile, while playing higher cards or being unable to play forces players to take the pile. Mystery cards add an extra layer of strategy.

Highlights
  • Play all cards first
  • Create 'Swoops' to clear pile
  • Mystery cards for strategy
  • Play against AI opponents
  • Two decks plus Jokers
  • Point scoring system
Features
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In Swoop Card Game players attempt to be the first to play all the cards in their hand into a pile in the center of the table. The pile is removed whenever four cards* of the same number are played in succession, or when a 10 or Joker is played. Players who cannot play a card equal in number or lower than the top pile card must pick up the pile and add it to their hand. Four face-down mystery cards add a unique element of strategy. A hand ends when a player plays his/her last card. Remaining players count points of unplayed cards in their hands, and a game ends when a player reaches 300 points. Players: You play against three AI Opponents - Left, Top, and Right. Card Deck: Swoop uses two combined decks of standard playing cards. Additionally, four Jokers are added, making a total of 108 cards. Point values of cards are as follows: - Ace-Nine: face-value (1-9) points - Jack, Queen, King: 10 points - Ten, Joker (Swoop Card): 50 points   Playing the Game: 1. Play begins by dealing 19 cards to each player. Players then place 4 of these cards face-down on the table (Mystery Cards) and cover each of them with 1 card face-up. The remaining 11 cards are held in players' hands.   2. Player to the left of the dealer is first to play. With the dual objectives of getting rid of both cards and points, the player creates the Pile by placing up to four cards of the same number (suit is irrelevant) face-up in the center of the table. Cards may be played from the player's hand, or the 4 face-up cards covering the Mystery Cards. Any time the top four Pile cards* are of the same number a Swoop is achieved, and the Pile is removed from the table. Player continues until he/she plays less than four cards of the same number, at which time play passes to the left.   3. Subsequent players play cards according to the following options: - Cards of the same number that are equal to or less than the number of the top Pile card. Any time the last four cards* on the Pile are of the same number, a Swoop is achieved, the Pile is removed, and the player takes another turn. - Cards of the same number that are greater than the number of the top Pile card. Player must take and add the Pile to his/her hand at the time the higher card is played. Player may then play additional cards* of the same number from his/her hand, including those from the Pile. If four cards* of the same number are played, a Swoop is achieved and the player takes another turn. - A Swoop card (10 or Joker). The Pile, along with the Swoop card, are removed and the player takes another turn. Swoop cards can only be played at the start of a turn. - A face-down Mystery Card whose covering top card has already been played. Player may not look at the Mystery Card before playing it. If it is higher in number than the top Pile card, the Pile must be taken and added to the player's hand. Player may continue to play additional cards of the same number as the Mystery Card, up to four cards* which achieve a Swoop. Mystery Cards can only be played at the start of a turn.   Winning the Hand: When a player plays his/her last card, the hand is over. Remaining players count the points of all unplayed cards, including any face-down Mystery cards. The deal passes to the next player on the left.   Winning the Game: The game is over when one or more players reach 300 points. Player with the lowest score is the winner. In the event of a tie, the rule is two-tie, all-tie, and a win is not awarded. *Rules Options (available in Settings) - Maximum of four cards allowed in a Swoop: Yes/No - Matching cards can be played after the Pile is taken: Yes/No

About

Samba Game

Engage in strategic card gameplay with multiple variants of a popular melding game. Play against AI, friends online in real-time or asynchronously, and even create your own custom rules.

Highlights
  • Multiple Samba and Canasta variants
  • Play against AI or friends online
  • Real-time and turn-based multiplayer
  • Create custom game rules
  • Intuitive interface with animated cards
  • Available in nine languages
Features
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Deal yourself into Samba: outsmart computer rivals, play friends live or at your own pace, master beloved variants, and invent custom games with rules all your own. Samba is a rich and strategic member of the Canasta family, combining familiar melding gameplay with sequences, multiple decks, and exciting high-scoring possibilities. Whether you already love Canasta or are discovering this style of card game for the first time, Samba makes it easy to deal in and start playing. Learn at your own pace, challenge computer opponents, or gather friends around a flexible online table. PLAY YOUR WAY • Enjoy classic Samba and a wide selection of regional variants • Play popular Hand and Foot variants • Challenge computer players in solo games • Play online in real time or take turns at your own pace • Invite friends, add computer players, and manage your table • Create your own variant with custom rules and scoring • Share custom games with other players BUILT FOR CARD PLAYERS Animated, interactive cards and intuitive controls keep the table easy to follow. Quickly review open and completed melds, zoom in to inspect every card, and stay focused on strategy instead of bookkeeping. MORE THAN ONE WAY TO WIN Build melds, complete canastas, form Sambas, manage your hand, and decide exactly when to take the discard pile. Every round presents new choices, and every variant changes the strategy. From relaxed solo games to competitive multiplayer tables, Samba brings the wider Canasta family together in one polished card-playing experience. Available in nine languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Bosnian, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Arabic, and Persian.

Screenshots

Swoop Card Game1 screens
Samba Game4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Samba Game at 100% against Swoop Card Game's 52%. Samba Game also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.3) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 8 days). Swoop Card Game's advantage is ratings volume (37 vs 4). 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Samba Game holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Swoop Card Game has 37 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Swoop Card Game's written reviews are positive against 100% of Samba Game's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Swoop Card Game ships an update every 8 days, Samba Game every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Swoop Card Game versus Samba Game: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwoop Card GameSamba Game
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (37 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews51.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings37 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBradley JohansenIYAD NAHAS

Customer experience

Swoop Card Game

All ratings36 ratings
Positive52.8%
Neutral8.3%
Negative38.9%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive51.9%
Neutral7.4%
Negative40.7%

Samba Game

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Swoop Card Game

No in-app purchases

None

Samba Game

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Swoop Card Game free?
Swoop Card Game is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Samba Game free?
Samba Game is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Swoop Card Game or Samba Game?
Samba Game is rated higher. Swoop Card Game averages 3.3 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while Samba Game averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Swoop Card Game or Samba Game have ads?
Neither Swoop Card Game nor Samba Game shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Swoop Card Game or Samba Game?
Swoop Card Game ships an update every 8 days, and Samba Game every 2 days. Most recently, Swoop Card Game was updated on October 30, 2026 and Samba Game on October 31, 2026.

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