Comparison

Gridlocks vs Pivot & Merge

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

Head to head
About

Gridlocks

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Gridlock - The Ultimate Puzzle Game Transform numbers, master strategy, and unlock your puzzle-solving potential with Gridlock - the most addictive tile-based puzzle game that combines mathematical precision with strategic thinking. HOW TO PLAY: Slide tiles in four directions to merge matching numbers Create higher values by combining tiles strategically Reach your target number to complete each level Master special tiles: Anchors (stationary), Halve (÷2), Double (×2), and Reset (back to 2) KEY FEATURES: 5 Unique Stages with 22 challenging levels 4 Beautiful Themes: Default, Vertices, Celestial, and DNA Progressive Difficulty with increasing complexity Smart AI Simulation to learn optimal strategies Undo & Hint System with ad-based unlocks Cloud Sync across all your devices Game Center Integration for leaderboards and achievements Ad-Free Option for uninterrupted gameplay STRATEGIC DEPTH: Gridlock isn't just about matching numbers - it's about planning ahead, understanding tile interactions, and making calculated moves. Each level presents unique challenges that require different approaches, from simple number combinations to complex multi-step strategies involving special tiles. STUNNING VISUALS: Experience four distinct visual themes, each with carefully crafted tile designs and color schemes. From the clean Default theme to the cosmic Celestial theme and the scientific DNA theme, every visual style enhances your gaming experience. COMPETITIVE PLAY: Track your progress with detailed statistics, compete on Game Center leaderboards, and unlock achievements as you master each stage. Share your high scores and challenge friends to beat your best times. SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE: Your progress automatically syncs across all devices, so you can start on your iPhone and continue on your iPad. Never lose your progress, unlocked themes, or high scores. PERFECT FOR: Puzzle game enthusiasts Strategy game lovers Anyone who enjoys mathematical challenges Players who love progressive difficulty Fans of clean, modern game design LEARN & IMPROVE: Use the built-in simulation feature to watch the AI play and learn optimal strategies. The hint system provides contextual guidance when you're stuck, helping you understand the game's deeper mechanics.

About

Pivot & Merge

Features
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Rotate. Match. Drop. Chain again. Put a finger on the board and the nearest 2×2 turns with it. That is the whole game — the chains do the rest. ■ Three rules ・Touch the board and the four nearest tiles rotate under your finger. They click every 90°, and the angle you release at is the one that sticks. Let go while the frame is still gray (0°) and the move is cancelled. Swing all the way to 180° or 270° in one go — still one move. ・Tiles with the same number merge when they connect vertically or horizontally (diagonals don't count). Two of them double, three quadruple, four multiply by eight. The more you stack up, the bigger the jump. ・Tiles above fall into the gaps a merge leaves behind, and if they land in a match, that's a chain. Your score is the new number times the chain count — two chains double it, three triple it. ■ The seconds after you let go The rotation takes an instant. Then the board takes over: it drops, it matches, it drops again. "+224 ×3" appears above the grid, showing the total and the multiplier from that one move. The best moment in this game is when a shape you set up on purpose runs longer than you expected. ■ Nothing is chasing you It is turn-based. The board does not move until you touch it, and no tile falls while you think. Stop in the middle and the board is still there when you come back. Three free minutes buy you three minutes of play. Some days one rotation is enough. ■ Made for you if ・You like number-merging puzzles and want a different way to move them ・You love chains in falling-block games but not the time pressure ・You want to make one move while you wait in line ・You enjoy pushing your best tile up one step at a time

Screenshots

Gridlocks4 screens
Pivot & Merge3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pivot & Merge at none against Gridlocks's 1. Pivot & Merge also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence and ads 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. Gridlocks sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pivot & Merge asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gridlocks ships an update every 4 days, Pivot & Merge every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
Gridlocks versus Pivot & Merge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGridlocksPivot & Merge
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMaker Gully LLCTatsuro Saito

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Gridlocks

One-time1
  • Ad Free Experience$2.99
None

Pivot & Merge

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Gridlocks free?
Gridlocks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pivot & Merge free?
Pivot & Merge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Gridlocks or Pivot & Merge have ads?
Neither Gridlocks nor Pivot & Merge shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Gridlocks or Pivot & Merge?
Gridlocks ships an update every 4 days, and Pivot & Merge every 6 days. Most recently, Gridlocks was updated on October 11, 2026 and Pivot & Merge on October 29, 2026.

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