Comparison

Engineering Adventures vs Osmo Detective Agency

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

Head to head
About

Engineering Adventures

This app complements an out-of-school engineering curriculum by providing audio messages triggered by QR codes in accompanying journals. It covers 11 different engineering units, from building earthquake-resistant structures to designing space gloves.

Highlights
  • QR code scanner
  • Audio messages from characters
  • 11 engineering units
  • Complements curriculum
  • Interactive learning
Features
Read full description

Messages from the Duo is designed to be used in conjunction with the out-of-school time engineering curriculum Engineering Adventures. Eleven units are available, including: 1. Hop to It: Safe Removal of Invasive Species 2. Bubble Bonanza: Engineering Bubble Wands 3. To the Rescue: Engineering Aid Drop Packages 4. Shake Things Up: Engineering Earthquake Resistant Buildings 5. Go Green: Engineering Recycled Racers 6. Liftoff: Engineering Rockets and Rovers 7. The Sky’s the Limit: Engineering Flying Technologies 8. Music to My Ears: An Acoustical Engineering Challenge 9. A Slippery Slope: Engineering Avalanche Protection Systems 10. Light Up the Night: An Electrical Engineering Challenge 11. In Good Hands: Engineering Space Gloves Educators and kids can use the special QR code scanner in this app to scan the codes in their Engineering Journals and play audio messages from India and Jacob, Engineering Adventures’ “travelling duo.” For more information about how to download or purchase an Educator Guide and Engineering Journal, visit the Engineering Adventures website at engineeringadventures.org. Produced by Owen Berliner and the Engineering is Elementary Team Developed by Sean Fitzgerald and Tarrant Cutler Illustrated by Ross Sullivan-Wiley

About

Osmo Detective Agency

Become a world-traveling detective and solve mysteries using physical game pieces and your device. Explore diverse locations, find hidden clues, and develop critical thinking skills. This app offers an engaging, hands-on learning experience for aspiring investigators.

Highlights
  • Solve global mysteries
  • Search for hundreds of clues
  • Explore eight exciting maps
  • Learn geography and culture
  • Develop critical thinking
  • Hands-on play with physical pieces
Read full description

ABOUT DETECTIVE AGENCY Get your maps, your magnifying glass, and detective skills! As the head of your own detective agency, your job is to travel the world helping people solve mysteries! But be careful! You’ll need sharp eyes, a clever mind, and a taste for adventure. Are you ready to crack the case? GET HANDS-ON WITH THE CLUES USING OSMO MAGIC! Search for hundreds of clues and solve mysteries using your magnifying glass and the maps. MASTER NEW SKILLS WITH EVERY MYSTERY! Learn about geography, landmarks, and local culture — clues are everywhere! Bring your critical thinking into play, as you connect the dots and unravel the mystery! SOLVE MYSTERIES AROUND THE WORLD! Explore eight exciting maps, including Paris, New York City, Beijing, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, and Cairo, Osmo Town, and The World! *Play your favourite Osmo Detective Agency on iPad! Use your iPad with the Osmo Base and Detective Agency game hardware - each can be found at playosmo.com. *Requires the Osmo Play System and Detective Agency Play Pieces (including a Magnifying Glass, a Map Holder, and eight Maps) to play, found at www.playosmo.com. * Please see our device compatibility list here: https://support.playosmo.com/hc/articles/115010156067 ABOUT OSMO -- 21ST CENTURY PLAY AND LEARNING Osmo uses the screen to create a new healthy, hands-on learning experience that promotes creativity, problem-solving and social interaction. We do this with our reflective artificial intelligence technology.

Screenshots

Engineering Adventures3 screens
Osmo Detective Agency4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Osmo Detective Agency at 64% against Engineering Adventures's 33%. Osmo Detective Agency also leads on rating (4.1 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (471 vs 3). Engineering Adventures's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Osmo Detective Agency holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Osmo Detective Agency has 471 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Engineering Adventures's written reviews are positive against 64% of Osmo Detective Agency's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Engineering Adventures ships an update every 7 months, Osmo Detective Agency every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Engineering Adventures versus Osmo Detective Agency: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEngineering AdventuresOsmo Detective Agency
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings)4.1 (471 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews64.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3471 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size159 MB631 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMuseum of ScienceTangible Play

Customer experience

Engineering Adventures

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

Osmo Detective Agency

All ratings471 ratings
Positive76.2%
Neutral5.9%
Negative17.8%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive64.4%
Neutral13.6%
Negative22.0%

Bugs and requests

Engineering Adventures

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Osmo Detective Agency

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Magnifying glass fails to detect items consistently
  • Game board not recognized by camera
  • Auto-read text feature non-functional
  • Osmo World connection drops frequently
  • App crashes or fails to load
Show 3 more
  • Game detection circle closes but item not registered
  • Rio map flowers not detected in specific location
  • App incompatible with current iOS versions requiring older versions

Requested features

7 requests
  • More maps and game content
  • Additional chapters or cases
  • Longer gameplay duration
  • Wider camera mirror piece
  • Improved magnifying glass stability
Show 2 more
  • Better Osmo World connectivity
  • Ability to access settings without multiplication knowledge

In-app purchases

None

Engineering Adventures

No in-app purchases

None

Osmo Detective Agency

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Engineering Adventures free?
Engineering Adventures is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Osmo Detective Agency free?
Osmo Detective Agency is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Engineering Adventures or Osmo Detective Agency?
Osmo Detective Agency is rated higher. Engineering Adventures averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Osmo Detective Agency averages 4.1 from 471 ratings.
Do Engineering Adventures or Osmo Detective Agency have ads?
Neither Engineering Adventures nor Osmo Detective Agency shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Engineering Adventures or Osmo Detective Agency?
Engineering Adventures ships an update every 7 months, and Osmo Detective Agency every 2 months. Most recently, Engineering Adventures was updated on November 11, 2026 and Osmo Detective Agency on November 13, 2026.

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