Comparison

NonoQuest vs Squared2

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

Head to head
About

NonoQuest

Embark on a retro-style adventure solving 100 handcrafted nonogram puzzles across ten themed campaigns. Uncover pixel-art scenes and enjoy a guided tutorial, multiple display modes, and offline play with saved progress.

Highlights
  • 100 handcrafted nonogram puzzles
  • 10 themed campaigns
  • Pixel-art scenes
  • Retro display modes
  • Offline play
  • Guided tutorial
Features
Read full description

NonoQuest blends classic picture logic puzzles with a retro handheld presentation and light adventure storytelling. Every puzzle can be solved with logic alone — you never have to guess. Mistakes surface early, and any move can be undone. Travel through 19 themed campaigns and solve 190 handcrafted puzzles from 5×5 to 20×20, including color puzzles where the logic plays out in several colors. The ten pictures of each campaign come together as one large chapter picture. What you get: - 190 handcrafted nonogram puzzles across 19 campaigns - Color puzzles in which every clue number has its own color - A large mosaic picture for every chapter - Up to three stars per puzzle: one for solving it, one for using no help, one for making no mistakes - Hints that explain the next logical step, plus a catalog of techniques with examples - A daily puzzle, the same one for everybody worldwide, with a streak and monthly badges - An endless mode in five grid sizes - An album that keeps every solved picture in view - A guided tutorial for new players - Seven retro display modes inspired by classic hardware - Chiptune music for every campaign; sound is off by default - Offline play with saved progress, no ads and no tracking You can play First Steps, the color campaign Paint Box, the tutorial, the daily puzzle and the techniques without buying anything. A one-time in-app purchase unlocks all other campaigns and endless mode. There is no subscription. If you bought NonoQuest before version 3.0, you get everything without buying again. The game is fully playable with VoiceOver, Switch Control and a keyboard. Every grid cell speaks its position, its state and its clue numbers. Whether you call them nonograms, Japanese crosswords, or picture logic puzzles, NonoQuest focuses on readable controls, satisfying reveals, and a distinct retro atmosphere.

About

Squared2

Features
Read full description

No Ads, No Subscriptions, No Tracking. Draw the fourth side. Claim the box. Take another turn. In Squared2, one well-timed move can open a whole chain and turn a close game around. The pencil-and-paper classic Dots and Boxes is back for quick matches and friendly rivalries. Play with two, three, or four people, or challenge the computer. This is a game I remember playing in school with my friends, and I am so pleased to bring it to a new, modern digital format. This game goes by a few other names too, depending on where you grew up: Boxes, Squares, Paddocks, or Pigs in a Pen. MORE WAYS TO PLAY TOGETHER - Pass & Play: gather around one screen and take turns. - Live online: challenge friends and trade moves in real time. - Turn-based online: take your turn when it suits you, without needing everyone online together. - Nearby: connect on separate devices and play people in the room. Each seats two, three, or four players. Online matches use Game Center. Local and nearby play do not require a Game Center account. Online features are subject to account restrictions. THE PAPER CLASSIC, MADE FOR YOUR SCREEN Clean dot grids, colorful claims, and an ink-on-paper design in light and dark keep the board easy to follow. Play on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac, with support for 50 languages. One purchase covers all four: play with the Siri Remote on the TV, or with menus and the keyboard on the Mac. OPTIMIZED FOR IPHONE DUO Open the phone and the board fills the inner display; close it and your game carries on, on the outer display, right where you were. SIMPLE RULES. SATISFYING TACTICS. Join two dots with a line. Complete a box and it belongs to you, marked with your initial or player number. You also get another turn. Finish with the most boxes to win. The challenge is knowing which line to leave. Give away the wrong opening and your opponent may collect a chain of boxes before you play again. Look ahead, time your moves, and make the next turn count. How to Play and the Video Instructions teach the chain strategy. PICK YOUR PACE Choose eight board presets, from 3×3 dots to a sprawling 12×12 grid. Start small for a quick round or settle into a larger contest. The Swedish opening begins with the border already drawn, changing the choices from the first move. Four computer strengths, Easy through Expert, give you room to learn and a reason to improve. Ask for a hint when you want a nudge, undo during local play to try another approach, and revisit a finished game with Watch Replay. KEEP YOUR PLACE. BUILD YOUR RECORD. Local games save as you play, with room for up to six unfinished games, and iCloud carries them to your other devices. Return when you're ready for the next round. Earn XP in qualifying games, climb the levels, and pursue 28 achievements and six Game Center leaderboards. Track your wins, boxes, chains, and progress. Pass & Play is for the rivalry, not XP. One purchase. No subscriptions or in-app purchases. No third-party ads or tracking. We may show you our other games. Pick a board. Bring your friends. Leave them one less box.

Screenshots

NonoQuest4 screens
Squared24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: NonoQuest at Free against Squared2's $1.99. Squared2's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On ads 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

NonoQuest is free to download; Squared2 costs $1.99 up front. NonoQuest sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Squared2 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NonoQuest ships an update every 2 months, Squared2 weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
NonoQuest versus Squared2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNonoQuestSquared2
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB12 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperTobias ReithmeierHOLLENDER CONSULTING LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

NonoQuest

One-time1
  • Full Game$0.99
None

Squared2

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NonoQuest free?
NonoQuest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Squared2 free?
Squared2 costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do NonoQuest or Squared2 have ads?
Neither NonoQuest nor Squared2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NonoQuest or Squared2?
NonoQuest ships an update every 2 months, and Squared2 weekly. Most recently, NonoQuest was updated on October 28, 2026 and Squared2 on October 31, 2026.

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