Comparison

CalystrixCard Carnival vs Hue Gem Merge

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

Head to head
About

CalystrixCard Carnival

Features
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CalystrixCard Carnival is a collection of three original card puzzles, each with its own rule set. One idea holds them together: a deck of cards is a wonderful set of puzzle pieces, and a Joker is the piece that fits anywhere. Joker Orbit asks you to plant cards on three turning rings around a Joker star. Every card you plant makes the whole orrery drift, so you are always planning one step into a board that is about to move. Joker Bloom treats cards as seeds. Each suit grows its own way โ€” hearts spread sideways, diamonds run diagonally, spades creep downward, clubs send out a single runner. Four touching plots of one suit bloom and lock in. Plant in the wrong order and your garden strangles itself. Joker Prophecy shows you the future. You can see the next three cards and the exact square each one will land on. You cannot stop them โ€” but you can spend Joker tokens to redirect them, change their suit, or turn them wild. Then you satisfy the omens the stage demands. Every one of the 36 stages is built from a fixed seed, so a stage is the same puzzle for everybody, every time. Skill decides the outcome, not the shuffle. Features โ€ข Three original puzzles, 36 hand-authored stages, three stars to earn on each. โ€ข Joker Orbit โ€” a drifting three-ring orrery. Nudge a ring, spend a Freeze, align the rays. โ€ข Joker Bloom โ€” suit-directed growth on a 6ร—6 garden, with Joker Suns that revive everything nearby. โ€ข Joker Prophecy โ€” turn-based and untimed. See what is coming, then bend it with Joker tokens. โ€ข Versus (2โ€“6 players) โ€” the host picks one puzzle and stage, everyone solves an identical board, and the best score takes the round. Placing earns XP for everyone. โ€ข No internet, no accounts, no data leaving your device โ€” versus runs peer-to-peer over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. โ€ข Failed attempts still earn XP, so progress only ever moves forward. โ€ข Progression: levels, XP, stars, solve streaks, achievements, a leaderboard, plus Stats and a full run History. โ€ข Sound and haptics, both switchable.

About

Hue Gem Merge

Features
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Slide. Merge. Watch the colors bloom. Hue Merge takes the addictive puzzle mechanic you already love and gives it a fresh coat of color. Swipe to slide blobs across the board โ€” when two blobs of the same hue collide, they merge into the next color in the spectrum. Keep merging, keep sliding, and see how far along the rainbow you can go. HOW TO PLAY - Swipe up, down, left, or right to slide every blob on the board - Matching hues merge into the next color in the gradient - A new blob appears after every move - Keep merging to climb from red all the way to violet โ€” and beyond - Game ends when the board is full and no merges remain WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT - Simple one-touch controls โ€” swipe, that's it - A satisfying "pop" animation and haptic feedback on every merge - Clean, calming visual design built around color, not clutter - Endless mode โ€” once you reach the end of the gradient, the colors loop with a new glowing tier - Track your personal best and try to beat it every session - No timers, no forced ads between moves, no pressure โ€” play at your own pace A FAMILIAR PUZZLE, REIMAGINED If you've ever enjoyed classic number-merging puzzle games, Hue Merge will feel instantly familiar โ€” but the color-based twist makes every merge feel more visual and satisfying than watching numbers double. It's puzzle gameplay for your eyes as much as your brain. Perfect for a quick five-minute break or a longer session when you're chasing a new personal best. Download Hue Merge and start blending your way to the top of the spectrum.

Screenshots

CalystrixCard Carnival4 screens
Hue Gem Merge3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: CalystrixCard Carnival at every 6 days against Hue Gem Merge's every 3 weeks. CalystrixCard Carnival also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CalystrixCard Carnival ships an update every 6 days, Hue Gem Merge every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
CalystrixCard Carnival versus Hue Gem Merge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalystrixCard CarnivalHue Gem Merge
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 days โ€” betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 โ€” better16.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size25 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZEYNEP UMUTEllie Brix

In-app purchases

None

CalystrixCard Carnival

No in-app purchases

None

Hue Gem Merge

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CalystrixCard Carnival free?
CalystrixCard Carnival is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hue Gem Merge free?
Hue Gem Merge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do CalystrixCard Carnival or Hue Gem Merge have ads?
Neither CalystrixCard Carnival nor Hue Gem Merge shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CalystrixCard Carnival or Hue Gem Merge?
CalystrixCard Carnival ships an update every 6 days, and Hue Gem Merge every 3 weeks. Most recently, CalystrixCard Carnival was updated on October 11, 2026 and Hue Gem Merge on October 4, 2026.

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