Comparison

Sand Away! vs Pixel Rescue!

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

Head to head
About

Sand Away!

A satisfying puzzle game where you break apart colorful sand figures by swiping cubes into matching buckets. Follow arrows and think ahead to solve increasingly clever puzzles with unique obstacles.

Highlights
  • Break apart colorful sand figures
  • Sort cubes into matching buckets
  • Follow directional arrows
  • Overcome unique obstacles
  • Satisfying sand effects
  • Increasingly challenging puzzles
Features
Read full description

Break apart colorful sand figures, follow the arrows, and sort every cube into the matching bucket! Welcome to Sand Away!, a satisfying puzzle game where colorful figures are built entirely from tiny sand cubes — and every cube has a direction. Tap and dissolve the arrowed sand cubes in the correct order, clear the figure piece by piece, and guide the sand into matching colorful buckets. Think ahead, choose the right cubes, and make sure every color finds its place. It starts simple, but new obstacles quickly turn every figure into a clever puzzle. Discover unique obstacles: * Hidden Sand – Clear the sand blocking its path to reveal what’s underneath. * Linked Sand – Connected sand cubes move together, so plan your moves carefully. * Hidden Bucket – Clear the way to reveal the bucket and discover its color. * Ice – Break the required sand cubes to crack through the ice. * Cardboard – Clear the required sand and break through the cardboard barrier. Dissolve satisfying 3D figures, uncover hidden colors, manage your buckets, and find the perfect sequence of moves. With colorful visuals, satisfying sand effects, and increasingly challenging puzzles, Sand Away! is easy to learn and hard to put down. Can you clear every cube and send all the sand away?

About

Pixel Rescue!

Engage in a 3D pixel art color-matching puzzle game where you command rescue boats to free adorable baby octopuses trapped in intricate patterns. Strategically match colors, fill boats, and unlock layers to solve challenging puzzles and create satisfying visual disassembly.

Highlights
  • 3D pixel art color matching
  • Rescue baby octopuses with boats
  • Layer-by-layer pattern disassembly
  • Hundreds of unique patterns
  • Strategic docking spot management
  • Brain-teasing mechanics like linked boats and locks
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Pixel Rescue! It's a fun and challenging 3D pixel art color-matching puzzle game! Here, adorable baby octopuses are trapped in giant pixel art patterns. As the rescue team commander, you'll dispatch rescue boats of different colors to safely pick them up! How to Play? • Observe & Match: Check the color of the outermost octopuses, then choose a matching boat to dock. • Fill Up & Set Sail: Once a boat is docked, baby octopuses of the same color will automatically line up and board. Keep an eye on the boat's capacity — once it's full, it will automatically set sail! • Unlock Layer by Layer: The inner octopuses are revealed only after the outer ones are picked up. Plan the pickup order wisely, clear the entire board, and win! Game Features: • A Treat for Perfectionists: Watch giant pixel art patterns get ""disassembled"" layer by layer and enjoy an incredibly satisfying and relaxing experience! • Tons of Beautiful Patterns: From adorable animals to amazing objects, hundreds of 3D patterns made up of baby octopuses are waiting for you. • Strategy Meets Challenge: Docking spots are limited! Plan every move carefully to avoid congestion and failed rescues. • Plenty of Brain-Teasing Mechanics: As you progress through the levels, you'll encounter special mechanics like ""linked boats"" and ""locks and keys,"" making the puzzles even more strategic. • Relaxing & Soothing Experience: Vibrant 3D cartoon visuals, cute baby octopuses, and satisfying sound effects help you unwind anytime, anywhere. Download Pixel Rescue now, set sail on your rescue adventure, and see how many levels you can conquer!

Screenshots

Sand Away!4 screens
Pixel Rescue!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sand Away! at 4.5 against Pixel Rescue!'s 3.0. Sand Away! also leads on ratings volume (17 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Sand Away! sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Pixel Rescue! sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sand Away! holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sand Away! has 17 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sand Away! ships an update every 8 days, Pixel Rescue! weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Sand Away! versus Pixel Rescue!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSand Away!Pixel Rescue!
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (17 ratings) — better3.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings17 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysWeekly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size197 MB367 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperEmirhan CakarPLAYNEXX

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Sand Away!

One-time9
  • Coin Pack 1$1.99
  • Fail Offer$5.99
  • No Ads$9.99
Show 6 more
  • Coin Pack 2$9.99
  • Small Bundle$9.99
  • Coin Pack 3$19.99
  • Coin Pack 4$39.99
  • Coin Pack 5$74.99
  • Coin Pack 6$99.99
12 purchases

Pixel Rescue!

One-time12
  • 1500$1.99
  • LimitedGroup$4.99
  • NoAds$8.99
Show 9 more
  • 7500$8.99
  • SmallGroup$9.99
  • NoAdsGroup$11.99
  • 15000$16.99
  • MediumGroup$19.99
  • 37500$34.99
  • UltraGroup$36.99
  • 75000$64.99
  • 150000$99.99

Questions

Is Sand Away! free?
Sand Away! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pixel Rescue! free?
Pixel Rescue! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sand Away! or Pixel Rescue!?
Sand Away! is rated higher. Sand Away! averages 4.5 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Pixel Rescue! averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Sand Away! or Pixel Rescue! have ads?
Both Sand Away! and Pixel Rescue! show ads.
Which is updated more often, Sand Away! or Pixel Rescue!?
Sand Away! ships an update every 8 days, and Pixel Rescue! weekly. Most recently, Sand Away! was updated on October 31, 2026 and Pixel Rescue! on October 30, 2026.

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