Comparison

Threes! vs Human Resource Machine

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

Head to head
About

Threes!

A captivating number-sliding puzzle game that offers an endless challenge. Swipe to combine matching numbers, grow your score, and discover adorable characters. This is a complete, buy-once experience with no in-app purchases or ads.

Highlights
  • Number sliding puzzle gameplay
  • Endless challenge
  • Adorable characters
  • Heart-warming soundtrack
  • No in-app purchases
  • Universal app for iPhone and iPad
Features
Read full description

Threes is tiny puzzle that grows on you. This is the buy-once-play-forever version. ³ Apple Game of the Year 2014!! ³ Apple Design Award 2014 Winner ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ “You might as well delete Candy Crush Saga now.” ~ Pocket Gamer “It's surprisingly adorable, for a game starring numbers.” ~ Joystiq “It’s the kind of game that embosses the rules on your brain within 30 seconds, but then compels you to spend the next two hours playing.” ~ Pocket Tactics ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Explore our little game’s deep challenge and grow your mind beyond imagination. Optimized for iOS8 and human brains. Universal app for iPhone and iPads. ³ Endless challenge from one simple game mode ³ An endearing cast of characters ³ A heart-warming soundtrack ³ No IAP - Threes is a complete experience the moment you download it Honorably mentioned for Excellence in Design by the Independent Games Festival. ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ From the makers of PUZZLEJUICE: ³ Designed by Asher Vollmer ³ Illustrated by Greg Wohlwend (Ridiculous Fishing, Hundreds) ³ Scored by Jimmy Hinson (Black Ops 2, Mass Effect 2) ³ Optimized by Hidden Variable (Bag It!, Tic Tactics) ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Threes grows with you and you’ll grow with Threes.

About

Human Resource Machine

Solve puzzles by programming office workers to automate tasks. Progress through levels by successfully completing jobs and getting promoted. This game makes programming accessible and fun for everyone, even those new to coding.

Highlights
  • Program office workers
  • Solve logic puzzles
  • Automate tasks
  • Progress through levels
  • Learn programming concepts
  • Extra challenges for experts
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Program little office workers to solve puzzles. Be a good employee! The machines are coming... for your job. - Included in the 'App Store Best of 2016'. - A worldwide App Store Editors’ Choice. - Winner of Excellence in Innovation by the International Mobile Gaming Awards. Human Resource Machine is a puzzle game for nerds. In each level, your boss gives you a job. Automate it by programming your little office worker. If you succeed, you'll be promoted up to the next level for another year of work in the vast office building. Congratulations! Don't worry if you've never programmed before - programming is just puzzle solving. If you strip away all the 1's and 0's and scary squiggly brackets, programming is simple, logical, beautiful, and something that anyone can understand and have fun with! Are you already an expert? There will be extra challenges for you. From the creators of World of Goo and Little Inferno. Have fun! Management is watching. REVIEWS: “Amidst the trend of instant gratification that the internet and gaming as a whole has perpetuated, having a game that both excels in its puzzles and also challenges your wider perception of it is commendable, and makes Human Resource Machine exponentially essential.” - Touch Arcade 5/5 “Sometimes a game catches you by surprise. Be it with its ingenuity, its style, or its sense of humor. Other times a game catches you with all three, like Human Resource Machine.” - Gamezebo 9/10 "Human Resource Machine Could Be The App Of The Year” - Mobile n’ Apps

Screenshots

Threes!4 screens
Human Resource Machine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Human Resource Machine at 4.5 against Threes!'s 4.0. Human Resource Machine also leads on price ($4.99 vs $5.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 12.0). Threes!'s advantage is ratings volume (3K vs 416) and chart position (#23 vs #74). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Threes! costs $5.99 and Human Resource Machine $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Human Resource Machine holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Threes! has 3K ratings behind it against 416, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 79% and 80% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Threes! ships an update every 3 weeks, Human Resource Machine every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Threes! versus Human Resource Machine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThrees!Human Resource Machine
Price$5.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.0 (3K ratings)4.5 (416 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.5% of reviews80.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3K — better416
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#23 — better#74
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.08.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB133 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperSirvo LLCExperimental Gameplay Group

Customer experience

Threes!

All ratings2,994 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral7.2%
Negative21.4%
Written reviews930 reviews
Positive79.5%
Neutral7.3%
Negative13.2%

Human Resource Machine

All ratings416 ratings
Positive85.1%
Neutral6.7%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews387 reviews
Positive80.1%
Neutral7.8%
Negative12.1%

User reviews

Threes!

From 3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Addictive and engaging gameplay
  • 🎨 Charming art style and music
  • 🕹️ Simple yet challenging mechanics
  • 💰 Worth the purchase price
  • 🕰️ Great for short bursts of play

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and performance issues on some devices
  • 🔄 Repetitive gameplay can become monotonous
  • 🤖 Randomness and lack of control can be frustrating
  • 💲 Paid version has unnecessary ads and distractions

Human Resource Machine

From 416 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Challenging puzzles
  • 👍 Engaging gameplay
  • 💡 Teaches programming concepts
  • 🎨 Quirky visuals and humor

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs in certain levels
  • 🔁 Repetitive gameplay
  • 🔇 No option to play own music
  • 🔀 Issues with screen rotation

Bugs and requests

Threes!

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on launch for some users
  • Unresponsive controls and swipe detection issues
  • Syncing problems with Game Center

Requested features

4 requests
  • Undo/redo functionality
  • Customizable difficulty levels
  • Ability to save/load game progress
  • Leaderboards and achievements

Human Resource Machine

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Level 20 expecting incorrect output
  • Scrolling issues causing commands to move
  • Crashing on iOS 14 update

Requested features

3 requests
  • More levels and challenges
  • Ability to save progress across devices
  • Hints or solution guides for stuck players

In-app purchases

None

Threes!

No in-app purchases

None

Human Resource Machine

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Threes! free?
Threes! costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Human Resource Machine free?
Human Resource Machine costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Threes! or Human Resource Machine?
Human Resource Machine is rated higher. Threes! averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3K ratings, while Human Resource Machine averages 4.5 from 416 ratings.
Do Threes! or Human Resource Machine have ads?
Neither Threes! nor Human Resource Machine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Threes! or Human Resource Machine?
Threes! ships an update every 3 weeks, and Human Resource Machine every 5 weeks. Most recently, Threes! was updated on September 27, 2026 and Human Resource Machine on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Threes! or Human Resource Machine?
Threes! currently peaks at #23 in the App Store charts, and Human Resource Machine at #74. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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