# Shadowmatic vs hocus.

The clearest difference is rating: Shadowmatic at 4.8 against hocus.'s 4.3. Shadowmatic also leads on ratings volume (2.1K vs 234) and chart position (#25 vs #86). hocus.'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and price ($1.99 vs $3.99). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Shadowmatic costs $3.99 and hocus. $1.99 up front. Shadowmatic sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. hocus. asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shadowmatic holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shadowmatic has 2.1K ratings behind it against 234, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of Shadowmatic's written reviews are positive against 87% of hocus.'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Shadowmatic ships an update every 2 months, hocus. every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadowmatic | hocus. |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmatic/id775888026/reviews)** | [4.3 (234 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hocus/id1030548464/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 234 |
| Positive reviews | 85.8% of reviews | **87.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#25** | #86 |
| Size | 388 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TRIADA Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/775888029) | [GAMEBRAIN YAZILIM TEKNOLOJILERI ANONIM SIRKETI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822763537) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadowmatic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmatic/id775888026)

**Currently charting:** #25 Top Paid · Family, #60 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Rotate abstract objects in a spotlight to cast recognizable silhouettes. Explore unique environments with captivating music and stunning visuals. Discover unexpected shapes and solve mind-bending puzzles.

**Highlights:** Rotate abstract objects, Create recognizable silhouettes, Stunning visuals, Relaxing gameplay, Unique thematic environments, Assistant button for hints

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pack of 20 Hint-Points | $0.99 | one-time |
| "Other Worlds" chapter | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 50 Hint-Points | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 150 Hint-Points | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pack of 500 Hint-Points | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Unique and creative gameplay
- 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visuals
- 🧠 Challenging puzzles that exercise the mind
- 🎶 Soothing background music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Precision issues with controls, especially for complex puzzles
- 🤔 Unclear objectives at times, making it difficult to understand what the desired solution is
- ⏱️ Frustration when getting stuck on a puzzle for a long time
- 👀 Difficult for left-handed players due to the positioning of the controls

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes on certain devices, especially newer iPad models
- Progress not saving properly, causing players to lose progress

**Requested features**

- More levels and new puzzle types to keep the game fresh
- Ability to save progress and resume puzzles
- Option to mirror the game screen for left-handed players
- Hints that provide more useful guidance, not just the final solution


### hocus.

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hocus/id1030548464)

**Currently charting:** #86 Top Paid · Family (US App Store)

Engage with a collection of mind-bending puzzles featuring impossible shapes. Create and share your own levels, or get assistance from AI when you're stuck. Explore both handcrafted challenges and an endless mode.

**Highlights:** 120 mind-bending handcrafted levels, Create and share custom levels, Load levels from pictures, Endless mode, AI-assisted gameplay

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadowmatic free?

Shadowmatic costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is hocus. free?

hocus. costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shadowmatic or hocus.?

Shadowmatic is rated higher. Shadowmatic averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while hocus. averages 4.3 from 234 ratings.

### Do Shadowmatic or hocus. have ads?

Neither Shadowmatic nor hocus. shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shadowmatic or hocus.?

Shadowmatic ships an update every 2 months, and hocus. every 5 weeks. Most recently, Shadowmatic was updated on September 22, 2026 and hocus. on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Shadowmatic or hocus.?

Shadowmatic currently peaks at #25 in the App Store charts, and hocus. at #86. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*