Comparison

Hidden City vs Secret City

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

Head to head
About

Hidden City

Embark on a thrilling detective adventure to rescue a friend from a mysterious phantom city. Solve puzzles, explore dark dungeons, and battle strange creatures as you uncover secrets and confront evil.

Highlights
  • Hidden object scenes
  • Quests and puzzles
  • Dungeon exploration
  • Combat against monsters and cults
  • Offline play
  • Friend assistance
Features
Read full description

Hidden City is a hidden object detective adventure for players who enjoy cozy mystery games, search-and-find puzzles, story-rich quests and richly detailed scenes. Explore a mystical Victorian city, find hidden objects, follow clues, solve puzzles, meet unique characters and uncover magical secrets in the City of Shadows. Your next investigation awaits in a game where detective cases, beautiful search scenes, puzzle variety and magical events blend into one captivating mystery story. Look closer, collect clues and discover why every object, note and artifact matters. What will you investigate? Search atmospheric scenes filled with hidden items, evidence, notes, artifacts, keys, symbols, curiosities and visual clues. Every location invites careful observation and rewards players who love to find meaningful details in beautiful environments. Explore foggy streets, ornate halls, manor-like rooms, curious shops, gardens, arcades, laboratories and magical city districts. Each place supports the mystery and turns object search into part of the investigation. Which search modes can you play? Hidden City keeps the main investigation fresh with different modes designed to test your observation skills: • Words mode: Classic hidden object searching using text lists. • Silhouettes mode: Visual challenges based on object shapes. • Night mode: Focused searches in dim scenes using a spotlight. • Pairs mode: Matching identical or logically related objects to test your attention. These modes support players who enjoy search-and-find adventures, visual puzzles, detective games and finding hidden items through careful observation. Are there mini-games and puzzles? Yes. The core search mechanics are supported by puzzle modes that add variety without taking over the main experience. Take a break from the investigation and play through: • Spot the difference: Compare two scenes using sharp observation. • Match-3 levels: Crystal and gem matching for satisfying puzzle breaks. • Brain teasers: Logic mini-games, memory challenges and story-driven riddles. This mix works well for players who want a detective game with brain teasers, a mystery puzzle with clues or a search-and-find adventure with match-3 elements. How does the story unfold? Follow narrative-driven quests, character stories, special cases and event investigations. Assemble artifact collections, solve anomalies, complete requests and unlock rewards that help you continue your detective journey. Every quest connects detailed scenes, puzzle challenges, magical discoveries and story progression into one polished mystery adventure. Play Hidden City your way • Play offline: Continue your investigation anywhere, even without an internet connection. • Follow the story: Return to character quests, detective cases and magical events as your mystery unfolds. • Regular updates: Discover new cases, quests, search scenes and special events added over time. • Cross-device sync: Save your progress and switch between your devices. While this game is absolutely free to play, you have the ability to unlock optional bonuses via in-app purchases from within the game. You may disable in-app purchases in your device settings. You can play this game even if you’re offline! Game available in: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, Ukrainian. ____________________________ Sign up now for a weekly round-up of the best from G5 Games! https://www.g5.com/e-mail ____________________________ Download more great games here: https://store.g5.com G5 Games — World of Adventures™! Collect them all! Search for ""g5"" in the App Store! ____________________________ Visit us: https://www.g5.com Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/g5enter Find us: https://www.facebook.com/HiddenCityGame/ Join us: https://www.instagram.com/hiddencity_ Follow us: https://x.com/g5games

About

Secret City

Embark on a free-to-play detective adventure in a hidden magical London. Investigate a series of murders threatening peace between magical races. Explore fantastical locations, solve puzzles, and find hidden objects to uncover the truth.

Highlights
  • Free-to-play hidden object gameplay
  • Mystery and detective storyline
  • Explore magical London and fantasy worlds
  • Solve puzzles and riddles
  • Collector's Edition bonus content
  • Hints available for purchase
Features
Read full description

A new free to play version of Secret City: London Calling that many players will like! This version has no plot differences with the original hidden object games, and its main feature is that you can play the entire game for free! Welcome to London in this new adventure games! But it’s not the London you used to know. The magical glasses show you that just beneath the surface of a well-known capital of Great Britain lies a mysterious world of magicians, giants, dwarves, and magical creatures. You have been called in by your Lakrian friend Sakir beneath London’s surface and investigate a series of strange murders that threatens to break the centuries-old peace between the races of Lakrians, Dwarves and blue-skinned giants Yotuns. Go on a quest of hidden objects games to explore these unique and dangerous worlds as you track down the mysterious killer playing this thrilling brand new series detective games - Secret City: London Calling Collector’s Edition! · EXPLORE THE HIDDEN CITY IN OUR GAME! Enjoy your unique adventure in the Secret City and as you play hidden pictures, explore great landscapes, fantasy locations full of magician Lakrians, Dwarves and blue-skinned giants Yotuns! · UNTANGLE THE MYSTERIOUS CHAIN OF EVENTS AND FIND THE CULPRITS! Who’s responsible for the series of murders? Can it be the local residents, or some interveners? Be attentive to find all the seek and find games that will lead you closer to the answer! · ENJOY COLLECTOR’S EDITION BONUS GAME AND MORE! Magic puzzles, riddles, search and find games are waiting for you in this marvellous game, as well as a Bonus Chapter, Wallpapers, Concept Art and Mini-games that you can replay many times! Download one of the most amazing free hidden object games – Secret City: London Calling! Play the game for absolutely free, but if you feel stuck or don’t want to solve a mini-game, you may buy hints to help you proceed quicker! ----- Questions? Email us at support@dominigames.com Find other games on our official website: https://dominigames.com/ Become our fan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dominigames Check out our Instagram and stay tuned: https://www.instagram.com/dominigames

Screenshots

Hidden City4 screens
Secret City4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Secret City at 4.7 against Hidden City's 4.3. Hidden City's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (73% vs 50%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Hidden City sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Secret City sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Secret City holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hidden City has 95K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of Hidden City's written reviews are positive against 50% of Secret City's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hidden City ships an update every 9 days, Secret City every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Hidden City versus Secret City: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHidden CitySecret City
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (95K ratings)4.7 (1.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.6% of reviews — better49.5% of reviews
Number of ratings95K — better1.5K
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#125 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size335 MB1.3 GB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperG5 Entertainment ABDO GAMES LIMITED

Customer experience

Hidden City

All ratings94,782 ratings
Positive85.6%
Neutral10.4%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews2,569 reviews
Positive72.6%
Neutral10.6%
Negative16.9%

Secret City

All ratings1,525 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral3.9%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews101 reviews
Positive49.5%
Neutral18.8%
Negative31.7%

User reviews

Hidden City

From 95K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Challenging
  • 👍 Fun and challenging
  • 👍 Great fun
  • 👍 Fabulous
  • 👍 Never knew I could be such a clever person

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Hidden City: You have a VERY offensive ad in your line up
  • 💰 Too costly, not enough bang for your hard earned bucks
  • 💰 Game is the most frustrating I have ever played, very little in return for achieving goals
  • 💰 Game is getting more and more difficult to play without making in-app purchases
  • 🐛 Quite often when visiting friends, the game freezes and I can no longer continue playing

Secret City

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Interesting story and puzzles
  • 🎨 Good graphics and visuals
  • 💡 Free-to-play model with optional paid content
  • 🕹️ Challenging but not overly difficult puzzles

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches (e.g., lock pick puzzle, screen freezes)
  • 💰 Monetization issues (e.g., misleading pricing, lack of free hints)
  • 🔍 Difficulty navigating the interface (e.g., hard to see hidden objects, back button issues)
  • 🕹️ Some puzzles too difficult without hints

Bugs and requests

Hidden City

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Can not access the game to sign in after changing password
  • Game freezes and crashes frequently
  • Losing progress and achievements when switching devices
  • Glitches with events and mini-games
  • Disappearing items and rewards
Show 1 more
  • Compatibility issues with older devices

Requested features

9 requests
  • Give more free rubies, game is too expensive
  • Make the game less expensive
  • Give more rewards for completing goals
  • Make the game less frustrating and more enjoyable
  • Fix the glitches and technical issues
Show 4 more
  • Provide better instructions and tutorials
  • Offer an ad-free version for a one-time purchase
  • Make the mini-games less difficult and frustrating
  • Improve the social features and gifting system

Secret City

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Lock pick puzzle in bonus chapter not working properly
  • Screen freezing or blacking out issues
  • Pricing and in-app purchase discrepancies

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add a back button or easier way to navigate between locations
  • Improve visibility and contrast of hidden objects
  • Provide more free hints or a difficulty setting option

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Hidden City

One-time10
  • Special Offer$0.99
  • Cluster of Rubies$1.99
  • Tray of Rubies$4.99
Show 7 more
  • Super Deal$4.99
  • Platter of Rubies$9.99
  • Hyper Deal$9.99
  • Drawer of Rubies$19.99
  • Special Deal$19.99
  • Trunk of Rubies$49.99
  • Stockpile of Rubies$99.99
10 purchases

Secret City

One-time10
  • 10 Coins$1.99
  • Bonus Chapter$2.99
  • 1 Hour Endless Hints$3.99
Show 7 more
  • 30 Coins$3.99
  • Bonus Chapter$3.99
  • 55 Coins$5.99
  • Special Offer$5.99
  • 80 Coins$6.99
  • 120 Coins$8.99
  • Endless Hints$8.99

Questions

Is Hidden City free?
Hidden City is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Secret City free?
Secret City is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hidden City or Secret City?
Secret City is rated higher. Hidden City averages 4.3 out of 5 from 95K ratings, while Secret City averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.
Do Hidden City or Secret City have ads?
Both Hidden City and Secret City show ads.
Which is updated more often, Hidden City or Secret City?
Hidden City ships an update every 9 days, and Secret City every 2 months. Most recently, Hidden City was updated on September 24, 2026 and Secret City on September 10, 2026.

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