Comparison

Model Engine Builder vs Tuning Simulator

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

Head to head
About

Model Engine Builder

Features
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Build, run and collect engines in your own pixel-art workshop. Fit parts, tighten bolts, adjust the setup and time the ignition in four scored stages. Keep each finished engine on your shelf, complete Control and Response inspections, or try an untimed Free Run with throttle, load and start/stop controls. 15 ENGINES Four engines are ready to play. The other eleven can each be permanently unlocked on this device by completing an optional rewarded ad when available. The new designs are an inline three-cylinder, a flat-six and a supercharged V8. A one-time, non-consumable Remove Ads purchase unlocks all 15 engines and removes ads. It is not a subscription. BUILD AGAIN WITH A GOAL Follow your next workshop goal, collect inspection stamps and improve your weakest build stage. Assembly, setup and ignition demands now increase across four-, six-, eight- and twelve-cylinder engines. Compete on the existing online leaderboards through Game Center. Each engine has its own board. Existing board IDs and records are preserved; the three new engines have separate boards. Only completed four-stage build scores from 0 to 1000 are submitted, and higher records are kept. Failed score uploads remain queued for retry. Same-rules comparisons are an on-device coaching aid, not a replacement for online rankings. Core gameplay works offline without a separate account. Online rankings require internet and platform sign-in; ads and purchases require internet. Progress is stored on the device. Engine behavior and readings are game approximations, not engineering measurements.

About

Tuning Simulator

Simulate engine tuning on a virtual dyno. Adjust fuel maps, timing, and boost to optimize power curves and engine health. Features a realistic engine model, multiple engine types, and a career mode with customer jobs and rival shops.

Highlights
  • Realistic engine simulation
  • Adjustable fuel maps and timing
  • Boost and wastegate control
  • Multiple engine types and parts
  • Career mode with customer jobs
  • Daily challenges and leaderboards
  • Guided tutorials and lessons
Features
Read full description

A simulated engine on a dyno, run by a standalone ECU you tune yourself. Change the fuel map, the timing or the boost and watch what happens to the power curve, the mixture and the knock sensor. It behaves like the real thing. The engine model runs every combustion event. Lean it out and it misfires. Add too much timing and it knocks, then cracks a piston. Fit bigger injectors without telling the ECU and it floods. THE ECU - Fuel VE, lambda targets, ignition, boost target and wastegate duty, idle, warmup, cranking, accel enrichment and dead times - Closed loop, knock control, rev and boost limiters, auto learn and "Fix from pull" - Select cells, drag curves, type values, interpolate and smooth, in a grid or in 3D - Lay the data log over any table and see which cells ran lean or knocked THE ENGINES - Ten engines: fours, a flat four, straight sixes, V6s and V8s - Naturally aspirated, turbo, twin turbo, supercharged and nitrous - Nearly 100 parts: injectors, pumps, lines, regulators, turbos, housings, wastegates, blowers, cams, pistons, rods, head gaskets and fuels, E85 included THE DYNO - Hold any rpm at any throttle, or do a full wide open throttle pull - Power, torque, mixture, boost and timing on every run - A full data log you can zoom into - Engine health: knock, over-revving, boost and heat all wear parts out, and some failures are sudden CAREER MODE Start with a rented unit, a small dyno, a stock project car and $1,500. Customers bring in cars with vacuum leaks, tired fuel pumps, stuck wastegates, burnt valves and lying sensors, or ask for a power target on a budget. Find the fault, fix it, tune it and hand it back for a test drive that grades your work. - Eleven kinds of job, from base tunes to E85 conversions, race class builds, blown engine rescues and cars three other shops couldn't fix - Four rival shops with owners and an 8-week season. Beat them at Dyno Day and their customers switch to you - Cars come back weeks later. A tune too close to the edge breaks on a hot day and returns on warranty; a safe one turns the customer into a regular - Intermittent faults that only show hot, cold, under boost or near redline - Eight story customers who bring the same car back chapter after chapter, with your parts and tune still on it - Diagnostic tools, a bigger dyno, more bays, weather, deadlines, rent and 31 achievements DAILY CHALLENGE One broken engine a day, the same for every player. Nine hours on the clock to find the faults and tune it, then see where you land on the leaderboard. Tuesdays and Saturdays are free on the Turbo Four. LEARN A guided tutorial takes a broken project car from flooding on the stand to a full tune. Twelve more lessons cover VE tuning, MBT, knock, boost control, injector swaps, fuel system limits, E85, nitrous, big cam idle and cold starts. GAME CENTER Leaderboards for the daily challenge, peak horsepower and horsepower per litre. A pull only counts if the engine is still alive five seconds later. FREE AND PRO The Turbo Four, the guided tutorial and the Tuesday and Saturday daily challenges are free, with every part and every table. Tuning Simulator Pro is a one-time purchase that unlocks all ten engines, custom builds, every lesson, Career mode and the daily challenge every day. No subscription, no ads, no account.

Screenshots

Model Engine Builder3 screens
Tuning Simulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Tuning Simulator at none against Model Engine Builder's shown. Tuning Simulator also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and chart position (#103 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases, 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. Model Engine Builder sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Tuning Simulator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Model Engine Builder ships an update weekly, Tuning Simulator every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Model Engine Builder versus Tuning Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterModel Engine BuilderTuning Simulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (15 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—72.7% of reviews
Number of ratings—15 — better
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
Best chart rank—#103 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMIN GYu OHScott Busby

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Model Engine Builder

One-time1
  • removeads$1.99
1 purchases

Tuning Simulator

One-time1
  • Tuning Simulator Pro$14.99

Questions

Is Model Engine Builder free?
Model Engine Builder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tuning Simulator free?
Tuning Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Model Engine Builder or Tuning Simulator have ads?
Model Engine Builder shows ads; Tuning Simulator does not.
Which is updated more often, Model Engine Builder or Tuning Simulator?
Model Engine Builder ships an update weekly, and Tuning Simulator every 2 days. Most recently, Model Engine Builder was updated on November 6, 2026 and Tuning Simulator on November 10, 2026.

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