Comparison

Stackbound vs Retro Alley

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

Head to head
About

Stackbound

Features
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Stackbound is the block puzzle that finally gives you a reason to keep playing. Drop blocks on a 10x10 grid, clear rows and columns, and chain combos for huge scores - then turn every game into a roguelike run. Every few line clears you draft one of three relics: refill cleared columns, triple every fifth clear, bank gold, and dozens more that stack into wild combos. Survive deep enough and a boss floor appears, bending the rules with locked cells, shorter racks, or score taxes you have to play around. No two runs feel the same. A daily seeded run gives everyone the same board, so you can chase the top of your local leaderboard. Between runs, persistent meta progress unlocks new relics and grid skins that carry forward - the deck of possibilities grows the more you play. FEATURES - 10x10 block puzzle with satisfying row and column clears - Roguelike runs: draft relics, build synergies, push your score - Boss floors every ten floors that change how you play - Daily seeded challenge with a local leaderboard - Persistent meta unlocks: new relics and grid skins - Endless mode for a relaxed score chase - One-handed portrait play, dark mode, and Dynamic Type support - Play free, or unlock Premium once to remove ads forever and open every skin and bonus relic slot Free to play with optional ads. Go Premium with a single one-time purchase - no subscriptions.

About

Retro Alley

Features
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Wander through a nostalgic Japanese shopping alley and search the crowded shelves for the items on your list. Retro Alley is a cozy hidden object game with no time limits, no stamina, and no pressure โ€” just you, eight charming little shops, and shelves full of lovingly drawn knick-knacks. WHO IT'S FOR - You want to play at your own pace, without timers or stamina bars rushing you - You're tired of hidden object games buried under aggressive ads - You want something quiet to sink into before bed or during your commute FEATURES - No time limits, no stamina, no fail states. Search for as long as you like - Eight retro shops to explore โ€” a candy shop, a greengrocer, a hardware store, a bathhouse, a night festival, and more โ€” with 96 stages in all - A new "Daily Special" puzzle every day - A shop cat is hiding somewhere in every shop. Can you spot them all? - Fully offline. Play in airplane mode, anywhere - Ads kept light: no full-screen ads while you are searching. Watching a video for extra hints is always your choice, never a requirement - Forgiving tap detection and pinch-to-zoom make even the tiniest items easy to find Every item in the game is original hand-drawn artwork inspired by everyday Japanese goods of the Showa era โ€” ramune bottles, kokeshi dolls, paper lanterns, wind chimes, spinning tops, and more. Each shop has its own atmosphere, from the sweet haze of the candy store to the lantern-lit night festival. There is nothing to buy and nothing to unlock with money: every stage can be reached simply by playing. This app displays ads so it can remain free to play. For details on the data handled for advertising, please see our privacy policy.

Screenshots

Stackbound4 screens
Retro Alley4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Retro Alley at none against Stackbound's 1. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Stackbound sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Retro Alley asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Stackbound versus Retro Alley: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStackboundRetro Alley
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyโ€”Fortnightly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size4 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristian PedersenERI MUNAKATA

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Stackbound

One-time1
  • Stackbound Lifetime$4.99
None

Retro Alley

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Stackbound free?
Stackbound is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Retro Alley free?
Retro Alley is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Stackbound or Retro Alley have ads?
Both Stackbound and Retro Alley show ads.

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