Comparison

Shadowmatic vs Crookhaven

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

Head to head
About

Shadowmatic

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
Read full description

** Apple Design Award Winner ** ** App Store Best of 2015 ** Shadowmatic is an imagination-stirring puzzle where you rotate abstract objects in a spotlight to find recognizable silhouettes in projected shadows, relevant to the surrounding environment. “Other Worlds” is a chapter of Shadowmatic with over 30 levels in 3 unique thematic environments: Ancient Worlds, Music and Space. The chapter is available as a separate purchase. The game combines stunning visuals with relaxing and captivating gameplay. On your journey to discover the right solution you will stumble upon many unexpected and infinitely varied silhouettes. The game features 15 rooms, each flavored with unique concept, atmosphere, and music. - - - - - - - - - - “Simple to the point of beauty, and beautiful to the point of becoming a work of art, this is a game you won't want to win, because you won't want the experience to end” - Pocket Gamer “It's fun, it's unique, and it's the perfect type of game to show off to people who typically don't play video games, as it's almost like an interactive piece of art” - Touch Arcade “It’s always awesome to see a breathtaking, unique, and thoroughly innovative puzzle game pop up on the App Store” - Macworld “Full of whimsical puzzles and thoughtful designs, Shadowmatic is a delightful and captivating iOS game” - CNET “'Fantastically original': Shadowmatic works modern-day wonders with the ancient Chinese art of shadow puppetry” - The Guardian “It’s like a mind-bending shadow-puppet spectacle” - TIME “This game requires you to look at things a little differently” - Washington Post - - - - - - - - - - Hints. The game includes a system of hints. To enjoy the game to its fullest, however, we recommend resorting to them on rare occasions only. Assistant Button. The Assistant button in the upper right corner will help you solve the puzzle by gradually rotating the objects in the correct direction. When you press the button, Hint-Points are used Music. Every room in the game features its own music arrangement, adding up to the distinctive atmosphere and feel in each. The music is best experienced with headphones, and is available separately on iTunes. -- More than 130 levels in 15 unique environments -- Gorgeous graphics -- Secondary objectives -- Assistant Button -- Nonlinear level progression -- 3D parallax view -- Achievements -- Arcade Mode -- Synchronization with Apple TV ** The game is optimized for every iOS device separately (starting from iPhone 5s and newer), however it's best experienced on the latest devices. Follow us on Twitter: @ShadowmaticGame Join us on Facebook: @Shadowmatic Follow us on Instagram: @Shadowmatic Questions? Shoot us an email: support@triadastudiogames.com ----------------------------------------------------- Triada Studio is a computer graphics and animation studio with over 20 years of industry experience. Shadowmatic is the company’s first project that bridges its vast computer graphics experience with an experimental in-house 3D engine.

About

Crookhaven

Embark on a captivating treasure hunt in a charming seaside town. Decipher cryptic clues and uncover the secrets of a lost pirate fortune buried beneath the town's rich history. Prepare for a thrilling adventure filled with intriguing characters.

Highlights
  • Treasure hunt adventure
  • Decipher cryptic clues
  • Uncover lost pirate fortune
  • Explore a seaside town
  • Engage with intriguing characters
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Embark on a captivating treasure hunt in the charming seaside town of Crookhaven, where mysteries unfold and legends come to life. Navigate a quaint coastal landscape, decipher cryptic clues, and uncover the secrets of a lost pirate fortune buried beneath the town's rich history. Prepare for a thrilling adventure filled with intriguing characters in this beautiful new adventure from Fire Maple Games!

Screenshots

Shadowmatic4 screens
Crookhaven4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Shadowmatic at 4.8 against Crookhaven's 4.3. Shadowmatic also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 71%) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 168). Crookhaven's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). On ads, chart position 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

Shadowmatic costs $3.99 and Crookhaven $4.99 up front. Shadowmatic sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Crookhaven asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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 168, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Shadowmatic's written reviews are positive against 71% of Crookhaven's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shadowmatic ships an update every 2 months, Crookhaven daily. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Shadowmatic versus Crookhaven: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadowmaticCrookhaven
Price$3.99 — better$4.99
Rating4.8 (2.1K ratings) — better4.3 (168 ratings)
Positive reviews85.8% of reviews — better71.3% of reviews
Number of ratings2.1K — better168
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#71 — better#96
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size388 MB358 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTRIADA StudioFire Maple Games, LLC

Customer experience

Shadowmatic

All ratings2,090 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews423 reviews
Positive85.8%
Neutral5.4%
Negative8.7%

Crookhaven

All ratings168 ratings
Positive80.4%
Neutral4.2%
Negative15.5%
Written reviews150 reviews
Positive71.3%
Neutral5.3%
Negative23.3%

User reviews

Shadowmatic

From 2.1K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Crookhaven

From 168 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 Beautiful artwork and graphics
  • 🤔 Engaging puzzles and mysteries
  • 🕹️ Fun and immersive gameplay
  • 🕰️ Lengthy and satisfying experience
  • 🎮 Charming and nostalgic Fire Maple style

Room to improve

  • 🗺️ Overly large and confusing map
  • 🔁 Repetitive fetch quests and back-and-forth
  • 🤖 Obvious use of AI-generated art
  • 🔋 Overheating issues on some devices
  • 💰 Expensive for an older-style point-and-click game

Bugs and requests

Shadowmatic

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

4 requests
  • 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

Crookhaven

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Black screen issues on launch
  • Inventory item display glitches

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to teleport between locations
  • More intuitive map with location markers
  • Clearer objectives and less backtracking
  • Option to disable AI-generated art
  • Improved performance optimization

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Shadowmatic

One-time5
  • Pack of 20 Hint-Points$0.99
  • "Other Worlds" chapter$1.99
  • Pack of 50 Hint-Points$1.99
Show 2 more
  • Pack of 150 Hint-Points$3.99
  • Pack of 500 Hint-Points$7.99
None

Crookhaven

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shadowmatic free?
Shadowmatic costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Crookhaven free?
Crookhaven costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shadowmatic or Crookhaven?
Shadowmatic is rated higher. Shadowmatic averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while Crookhaven averages 4.3 from 168 ratings.
Do Shadowmatic or Crookhaven have ads?
Neither Shadowmatic nor Crookhaven shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shadowmatic or Crookhaven?
Shadowmatic ships an update every 2 months, and Crookhaven daily. Most recently, Shadowmatic was updated on October 17, 2026 and Crookhaven on October 16, 2026.
Which is more popular, Shadowmatic or Crookhaven?
Shadowmatic currently peaks at #71 in the App Store charts, and Crookhaven at #96. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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