# Hoplite vs Square Valley

The clearest difference is update cadence: Square Valley at every 2 weeks against Hoplite's every 3 months. Square Valley also leads on price ($2.99 vs $3.99). Hoplite's advantage is chart position (#144 vs unranked) and ratings volume (787 vs 93). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Hoplite costs $3.99 and Square Valley $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Hoplite against 4.8 for Square Valley. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hoplite has 787 ratings behind it against 93, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Hoplite's written reviews are positive against 86% of Square Valley's.

Hoplite ships an update every 3 months, Square Valley every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hoplite | Square Valley |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | [4.7 (787 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoplite/id782438457/reviews) | **[4.8 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/square-valley/id1609779877/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **787** | 93 |
| Positive reviews | **90.8% of reviews** | 85.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#144** | — |
| Size | 39 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Douglas Cowley](https://appshunter.io/developer/782438460) | [Ryan Becijos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1609779879) |

## What reviewers say

### Hoplite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoplite/id782438457)

**Currently charting:** #144 Top Paid · Puzzle, #177 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Engage in challenging turn-based tactical combat on small maps. Strategize your moves carefully to overcome procedurally generated levels and unlock upgrades. Compete with friends on leaderboards and test your skills in daily challenges.

**Highlights:** Turn-based tactical movement, Procedurally generated levels, Quest mode with upgrades, Challenge mode with daily challenges, Leaderboard rankings, Hard but fair gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple yet deep gameplay
- 👍 Addictive and challenging
- 🕹️ Elegant and intuitive controls
- 💎 Excellent value for money
- 🔍 Surprising depth and strategy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or compatibility issues
- 🔧 Lack of landscape mode support
- 🔊 Mutes music/podcast playback
- 🕹️ Accidental moves due to controls

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on launch with certain OS versions
- Agility upgrade not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- More game modes or levels
- Customization options for the character
- Landscape mode support
- Ability to start at higher levels


### Square Valley

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/square-valley/id1609779877)

Shape unique lands by strategically placing tiles like houses, farms, and natural elements. Connect them with roads and rivers while overcoming placement challenges. Progress through levels to unlock new tiles and face increasingly complex world-building puzzles.

**Highlights:** Tile placement for world creation, Connect tiles with roads and rivers, Strategic planning and puzzle solving, Three chapters with 45 levels, Unlock new tiles and overcome obstacles, Replay levels for higher scores, Sandbox mode for custom experiences

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging tile placement puzzle mechanics
- 🎵 Relaxing and pleasant background music
- 🎨 Beautiful minimalist art style and visuals
- 😌 Calming and stress-relieving gameplay
- 💰 No ads or in-app purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ Unclear tile descriptions and requirements
- 🎲 High randomness can lead to unwinnable scenarios
- 📊 No real-time score feedback during gameplay
- 🐛 Occasional scoring calculation bugs
- 📱 Portrait-only mode (no landscape on iPad)

**Reported bugs**

- Leaderboard freezes when displaying top 10 scores
- Tile scoring miscalculations (e.g., Cherry Orchard, Fir Grove)
- Tutorial bug where selected tiles change unexpectedly
- Some tiles don't work as described in requirements
- Scoring feedback unclear until level completion

**Requested features**

- More levels and chapters
- Landscape/iPad support with larger maps
- iCloud synchronization across devices
- Real-time score feedback per tile placement
- Glossary with detailed tile explanations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hoplite free?

Hoplite costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Square Valley free?

Square Valley costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hoplite or Square Valley?

Square Valley is rated higher. Hoplite averages 4.7 out of 5 from 787 ratings, while Square Valley averages 4.8 from 93 ratings.

### Do Hoplite or Square Valley have ads?

Neither Hoplite nor Square Valley shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hoplite or Square Valley?

Hoplite ships an update every 3 months, and Square Valley every 2 weeks. Most recently, Hoplite was updated on September 23, 2026 and Square Valley on September 23, 2026.

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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.*