Comparison

Shadow Node vs Petri Dish

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

Head to head
About

Shadow Node

Features
Read full description

Welcome to Shadow Node – the ultimate hacker idle experience. You are an elite hacker on a mission to infiltrate global networks, breach high-security servers, and mine valuable data fragments. Your ultimate goal? The legendary Shadow Node—a network so secretive it is only spoken of in whispers on the deepest dark web forums. Are you ready to bring the digital world to its knees? FEATURES Progressive Hacking Network Work your way up from simple local networks to complex government databases. Every successful hack brings you closer to the top of the digital food chain. Idle Gameplay: Your Botnet Never Sleeps Progress even while you’re offline. Your scripts automatically gather data fragments while you're away. Return to collect massive rewards—perfect for hackers on the go. Deep Upgrade System Invest in cutting-edge hacking tools, AI assistants, massive botnets, and quantum processors. Optimize your mining rate with hundreds of unique upgrades. Strategic Prestige System Perform a strategic reset to unlock permanent bonuses and multipliers. Plan your ascension carefully to exponentially increase your earning potential. Milestones & Achievements Complete challenging objectives to unlock legendary Dark Matter upgrades that fundamentally transform your gameplay. Immersive Cyberpunk Atmosphere Experience an atmospheric soundtrack and a dark aesthetic designed to pull you deep into the world of cybercrime. HIGHLIGHTS Offline Progression: Your mining operations run 24/7. Fully Customizable: Tweak visual effects, haptic feedback, and choose from multiple languages. Mobile Optimized: Smooth gameplay and intuitive touch controls. PREMIUM MODE (Optional) Maximize your efficiency with the Premium Upgrade: 2x Mining Rate: Double the speed of your data extraction. Ad-Free: No interruptions, just pure hacking. Instant Boosts: Get immediate payouts with zero delays. Leave no trace. Download Shadow Node now and begin your ascent to hacker stardom!

About

Petri Dish

Features
Read full description

A zen-like game where you play as a biological cell in a petri dish viewed through a microscope. Tap to move via chemotaxis, engulf nutrients, grow, and divide. Every mechanic is inspired by real biology — from phagocytosis and mitosis to quorum sensing and bacteriophage infection. Start as a single cell. Attract nutrients with a tap. Grow large enough to divide and build a colony. Navigate an ecosystem of bacteria, diatoms, viruses, predators, and more — each generation introduces new biological challenges. Features: • Soft-body cell physics with realistic membrane deformation • 20+ generations of escalating biological challenges • Real organisms: bacteria, diatoms, paramecia, rotifers, tardigrades, slime molds • Light and dark-field microscopy modes • Procedural ambient soundscape • No ads, no in-app purchases, no data collection

Screenshots

Shadow Node4 screens
Petri Dish3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Petri Dish at none against Shadow Node's 1. Petri Dish also leads on ads (none vs shown). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Shadow Node sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Petri Dish asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Shadow Node versus Petri Dish: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadow NodePetri Dish
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB8 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperNETBYTE UG (haftungsbeschränkt)Francesco Moramarco

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Shadow Node

One-time1
  • Premium$1.99
None

Petri Dish

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shadow Node free?
Shadow Node is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Petri Dish free?
Petri Dish is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Shadow Node or Petri Dish have ads?
Shadow Node shows ads; Petri Dish does not.

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