Lightbot Jr vs Codenames
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Lightbot Jr
Introduce young children to programming concepts through engaging puzzles. Players guide characters to solve challenges using sequencing, debugging, and loops, fostering a foundational understanding of computer science. Supports multiple players and languages.
- Sequencing instructions
- Debugging problems
- Creating reusable procedures
- Executing loops
- 42 challenging levels
- Multiple player profiles
- Multilingual support
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Apple Features, in over 100 countries: *Best New Apps and Games* *Best for Learning to Code* *Best in Hot Educational Games* It's never too early to start programming! Lightbot Junior gets your little ones 'coding' within minutes! Lightbot Junior is specifically designed for ages 4-8, and is an easier version of the popular Lightbot: featuring a gentler learning curve and not-as-complex puzzles. You can play as Boybot or Girlbot as you solve puzzles that use game mechanics that are based on Computer Science ideas; Lightbot Junior cultivates a real understanding of sequencing instructions, debugging problems, creating reusable procedures and executing loops. Educators around the world are choosing to use Lightbot first when introducing their students to programming, coding and Computer Science. Lightbot Junior features 42 levels. This version can be played in English, French, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Norwegian, Slovenian, Romanian, Indonesian, German, Polish, Danish, Croatian, Dutch, Slovak, Czech, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Thai, Hindi, Swedish, Finnish and Hungarian! Just hit the associated flag icon on the main screen to select a language. Lightbot features multiple save slots and separate progress tracking for multiple players. Multiple players can advance at their own pace in their own save slot, and also compete on number of levels finished, number of stars collected and number of overall commands used to complete the game. There are NO in-app purchases in Lightbot Junior.
Codenames
Engage in a strategic word game of deduction and teamwork. Give one-word clues to help your team guess associated words before the opposing team. Enjoy a blend of casual fun and deep thinking with turn-based multiplayer matches.
- Turn-based multiplayer
- One-word clue system
- Teamwork and deduction
- Multiple game modes
- Spymaster and Operative roles
- Logic and creativity challenges
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Codenames is available in ENGLISH, GERMAN, FRENCH, ARABIC, ITALIAN, PORTUGUESE, SPANISH, and CZECH. Codenames is a clever word game of deduction, teamwork, and strategy, inspired by the popular board game loved worldwide. Give one-word clues, link multiple words, and read your teammates’ minds to win before the other team does. Easy to learn, hard to master Codenames is simple to understand and instantly rewarding. Every match tests your logic, creativity, and intuition — a perfect blend of casual fun and deep thinking. Play at your own pace Turn-based matches let you play whenever you want, as much as you want. Start several games at once and return when it’s your turn — perfect for busy players. Smart fun for sharp minds If you enjoy games that make you think, this is for you. Every clue and guess matters — there’s no autoplay, no idle waiting, just pure wordplay and deduction. Why players love Codenames • Turn-based multiplayer — play with friends or online opponents. • Based on a beloved board game concept: give one-word clues, guess multiple words. • Exclusive twists and new game modes available exclusively in this version. • Choose your role — Spymaster or Operative — and master both perspectives. • One-time purchase unlocks a full experience — no freemium grind, no intrusive ads—just the pure enjoyment for the price of a cup of coffee for the dev team. Join millions of players and test how well you can get into the minds of others. Download Codenames today — the top multiplayer word game for clever thinkers.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Codenames at 4.7 against Lightbot Jr's 4.2. Codenames also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 11) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Lightbot Jr's advantage is review sentiment (79% vs 66%) and price ($2.99 vs $4.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Lightbot Jr costs $2.99 and Codenames $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Codenames holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Codenames has 1.1K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Lightbot Jr's written reviews are positive against 66% of Codenames's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Lightbot Jr ships an update every 2 months, Codenames fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Lightbot Jr | Codenames |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 4.2 (11 ratings) | 4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 78.9% of reviews — better | 66.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 | 1.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #13 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 5.1.1 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 221 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | SpriteBox LLC | CGE Digital s.r.o. |
Customer experience
Lightbot Jr
Codenames
Bugs and requests
Lightbot Jr
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Codenames
Reported bugs
2 issues- Initial launch with only Czech language support
- Occasional app crashes and server disconnections
Requested features
5 requests- Add Codenames Duet mode
- Implement AI/bot players for faster games
- Allow custom word packs and themes
- Add a 'speed mode' for faster gameplay
- Improve the jury system to maintain game integrity
In-app purchases
Lightbot Jr
No in-app purchases
Codenames
No in-app purchases









