Comparison

Kaodoku vs dekis

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

Head to head
About

Kaodoku

This puzzle game offers a unique twist on Sudoku using symbols instead of numbers. Solve grids where only parts of symbols are revealed, requiring strategic deduction. Enjoy a rich puzzle experience with various difficulty levels and helpful hints.

Highlights
  • Symbol-based Sudoku puzzles
  • Partially revealed symbols
  • Multiple difficulty levels
  • Sophisticated hint system
  • Pencil notes and candidate marks
  • Export and print puzzles
Features
Read full description

Kaodokus are a new variation of sudoku with symbols that are only partially given. Originally invented for Belgian Mensa magazine Commensal, kaodokus offer a lot more variety than ordinary sudokus. Instead of numbers, the cells contain smiley faces which can have three possible shapes and three possible mouths. Each of the nine unique combinations has to appear exactly once in each column, row or other marked area just like in a normal sudoku. The big novelty is that in some cells only the mouth or shape is given, leaving the missing part for you to find. You can even ask for grids that initially don't include a single full symbol! This makes the puzzle experience a lot richer, requiring complex strategies combining bits and pieces of information in original ways. Features: - Normal grids completely free, with as many randomly generated puzzles as you like in many different levels of difficulty. - With a single in-app purchase, you can unlock more complex puzzles with extra diagonals, gray squares and chaotic grids which require even deeper thinking combining all those intersecting regions. - Sophisticated hint system which actually suggests possible ways forward using step by step logic. Especially in the beginning this is very helpful since even the easiest kaodoku grids can be daunting for those not used to them. - Activate pencil notes in the settings so you can zoom in and freely draw whatever doodles you like, just like you would on paper. - Alternatively, you can also use standard candidate marks to keep track of the possible symbols in each cell. In very difficult puzzles, the hints function will take these candidate marks into account if they are the only way of making progress. - Share puzzles with others, export them in pdf or png format, or print them on paper to solve them the old-fashioned way. Feel free to publish puzzles in magazines or on websites, as long as you don't remove the kaodoku web address.

About

dekis

Features
Read full description

Discover the Daily Challenge That Will Delight Your Mind! DEKIS – The addictive puzzle that will test your ingenuity every day. Main Features: Solve Intricate Puzzles: Tap the marked squares and watch the surrounding ones change. Every move counts! New Daily Challenges: Enjoy 4 new puzzles each day in different sizes: 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, and 6x6. Exclusive Access: • Free: Access puzzles from the last five days with 3x3 and 4x4 boards. • Premium with a One-Time Payment: Get unlimited access since 2001, all board sizes, and all daily challenges. No Ads or Subscriptions: Play without interruptions, no need for an Internet connection, and with a one-time payment. Premium Benefits: • Complete access to all historical puzzles. • Full variety of board sizes for a constant challenge. • Smooth and distraction-free gaming experience. Available Now on the App Store: Download DEKIS and start challenging your mind today. Dare to solve each puzzle and become the master of wit! #PlayWithoutLimits #DailyPuzzle #MentalChallenge

Screenshots

Kaodoku4 screens
dekis4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: dekis at fortnightly against Kaodoku's every 6 months. Kaodoku's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Kaodoku sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and dekis sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kaodoku ships an update every 6 months, dekis fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Kaodoku versus dekis: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKaodokudekis
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB79 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichel ColmanGarage Imagina SL

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Kaodoku

One-time1
  • Full version of Kaodoku$0.99
1 purchases

dekis

One-time1
  • tamaños y meses$2.99

Questions

Is Kaodoku free?
Kaodoku is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is dekis free?
dekis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Kaodoku or dekis have ads?
Neither Kaodoku nor dekis shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kaodoku or dekis?
Kaodoku ships an update every 6 months, and dekis fortnightly. Most recently, Kaodoku was updated on October 8, 2026 and dekis on October 5, 2026.

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