Action Codenames vs Pivotal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Action Codenames
A fast-paced, team-based word association game for parties and gatherings. Players give and guess clues based on a 5x5 grid of words, aiming to identify their team's secret words before the opposing team or hitting a losing card. Offers offline play and multiple languages.
- Team-based word association gameplay
- 5x5 grid of secret words
- Spymaster clue-giving mechanic
- Offline play support
- Multilingual options
- Built-in rules and strategy tips
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Codenames is a fast, team‑based word association game built for parties, family nights, study breaks, and quick office fun. Two teams—Red and Blue—race to find all of their secret words on a 5×5 grid of 25 cards. The twist: touch the black card and you lose instantly. Each round has two roles. The Spymaster sees the entire key and gives exactly one clue: a single word plus a number. Operatives discuss and guess based on that clue. With “Animal 2”, you may guess up to three times (number + 1). Picking your color lets you continue; choosing an opponent or neutral card ends your turn; hitting the black card ends the game on the spot. Red needs 9 words; Blue needs 8. A clean, modern interface keeps everyone focused: a clear current‑turn indicator, crisp card layout, smooth animations, score cards with progress bars, and handy one‑tap controls (New Game, End Turn, View Team). The dedicated Team view lists your team’s words—revealed and remaining—so you can decide whether to press your luck or bank the lead. If the game ends, a friendly Game Over screen summarizes the result and lets you restart immediately. Built‑in rules cover the objective, setup (9/8/7/1 split), roles, “clue + number” format, restrictions, and examples. Practical tips and an advanced strategy section help Spymasters craft multi‑card clues (categories, hypernyms, shared context) and help Operatives debate links, avoid traps, and converge on the safest picks. Robust local word libraries power high replayability: fruits, vehicles, school supplies, animals, weather and nature, places and buildings, family, sports, seasons and nature, food and drinks, colors, occupations, electronics, clothing, toys and games, gems and minerals, and more. Every new game shuffles a fresh 25‑word grid with the asymmetric distribution that keeps tension high and choices meaningful. Multilingual and classroom‑friendly: English, German, French, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, and Korean. Switch languages instantly; the grid regenerates on the spot. Fully playable offline—no sign‑up or connection required—so you can play anywhere. Why you’ll love it: Quick to teach, deep to master; perfect for mixed groups Laughs, tension, and real “aha!” moments in minutes Fast turns and near‑infinite replay value Thoughtful design that prioritizes readability Start a new game in seconds, give your first clue, and watch the table come alive. This digital adaptation pays homage to the classic party word game by Czech designer Vlaada Chvátil—faithful to team spirit and clever associations.
Pivotal
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Pivotal, le jeu de déduction de mots en français qui aiguise votre esprit en deux minutes par jour. Comment ça marche ? Le jeu du jour vous pose une question simple : « Quel mot relie ces indices ? » Vous voyez quelques mots à l'écran, tous liés à la même réponse. Vous tapez votre proposition. Si c'est juste, le mot s'illumine en vert. Sinon, re-tentez ou débloquez de nouveaux indices pour vous mettre sur la voie. La partie se joue en quelques minutes, sans pression, sans adversaire. Plusieurs façons de jouer : Le Jeu du Jour propose un mot unique chaque jour, le même pour tous les joueurs : un rituel simple à glisser dans votre journée. Le mode Flash fait défiler les indices rapidement pour jouer vite. L'Entraînement vous laisse jouer à votre rythme, sans contrainte de temps. Le Chrono vous oppose au compte à rebours et les packs thématiques vous permettent de compléter des collections sur les thèmes qui vous passionnent. Conçu pour être simple Aucune inscription : on joue dès l'ouverture. Tout fonctionne hors ligne, partout, même en voyage. Et aucune publicité ne s'impose : elle n'apparaît que si vous choisissez d'en regarder une pour gagner un indice. Les textes sont larges, les contrastes forts, les commandes faciles à toucher, et l'application est entièrement compatible VoiceOver pour les utilisateurs malvoyants.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Action Codenames at none against Pivotal's 3. Action Codenames also leads on ads (none vs shown). Pivotal's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, 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. Pivotal sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Action Codenames asks for nothing beyond the download.
Action Codenames ships an update every 3 weeks, Pivotal weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Action Codenames | Pivotal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 梦成 李 | Pierre-Hugues Laune |
In-app purchases
Action Codenames
No in-app purchases
Pivotal
- Petit pack de pièces$0.99
- Pack de pièces moyen$1.99
- Gros pack de pièces$2.99









