Comparison

What the Shell vs Animal Reversi !!

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

Head to head
About

What the Shell

Experience a unique twist on a classic board game where both players move simultaneously and secretly. Outwit your opponent by capturing pieces, hatching eggs, and strategically lining up five in a row. Enjoy face-to-face play, online matches, or offline challenges.

Highlights
  • Simultaneous secret moves
  • Piece capture mechanics
  • Egg hatching and capture
  • Local and online multiplayer
  • Offline AI opponent
  • Controller support
Features
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You both move at the same time, in secret. Only when the turtles land do you find out whose plan just fell apart. Oh no — this ain't your traditional five-in-a-row. What the Shell is the one you reach for when you and a friend are bored on the couch: "Wanna play What the Shell?" A game between two beginners can be over in three minutes, and somehow you're still at it two hours later, laughing every time your minds collide and another egg turns up on the board. "Simultaneous play boosts the fun of this intuitive, yet surprisingly deep board game." — Matthias Titze, Clarc producer (German Computer Game Award winner) There's no taking turns, and nobody goes first — so nobody gets the first-player edge. You lock in your move, your friend locks in theirs, and the board resolves both at once. Strategy still wins games, but you're up against a mind you can't see, and you never know where she just played. Sandwich two of their turtles and they're gone. Both reach for the same square and your turtles crash into an egg — and an egg is a curious thing: you can capture it, or hatch it. One bold move flips a game you'd already written off. Capture at the right moment and a chain reaction can tear through the position your friend spent the whole game building. It's never won or lost until the last move. Made for two: • Sit down together, each on your own phone or tablet, and battle it out face to face — best enjoyed in the same room • Or play online at your own pace, whether your friend's across town or across the world • No one around? Tap Quick Match for a random opponent, or take on the panda offline, from an easygoing Newcomer to a tough Expert • Got a controller? Connect it to your iPad or iPhone and play however you want Read the board, then read your friend. Capture a couple of turtles, deal with the eggs, line up five in a row — and enjoy the look on his face when it all comes together.

About

Animal Reversi !!

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A cute and gentle Reversi game that is easy to enjoy, thanks to its quick 6×6 board. The controls are simple, but the strategy is real. Fun for both kids and adults. In Version 2.0, a brand-new mode has been added: Animal Theater, where you can enjoy stories featuring the animals. Now you can enjoy not only Reversi battles, but also cute conversations and stories with the animals. How to Play Take turns placing black and white pieces. Sandwich your opponent’s pieces to flip them. The player with the most pieces at the end wins. Because the board is 6×6, each match is short and easy to play. Perfect for a quick break or a little free time. Features New Mode: Animal Theater A new mode has been added where you can read stories about the animals. Enjoy cute stories featuring the cat, chick, and many other animals. Animals Chat on the Results Screen After each match, the animals will talk depending on the result. Whether you win or lose, a fun little conversation is waiting for you. 8 Animal CPU Opponents Battle against 8 different animal CPU opponents, including the chick, mouse, cat, panda, wolf, gorilla, lion, and robot. Each CPU has a different difficulty level. On very rare occasions, the strongest animal, Piyo King, may appear. 43 Animals to Collect Meet and unlock a total of 43 animals. Clear conditions to unlock more animals and complete your very own animal encyclopedia. Two-Player Mode Play against a friend or family member on the same device. Customize Your Pieces and Board Choose your favorite animal pieces and board design, and play with the look you like best. Cute Animations and Sounds Placing pieces, flipping pieces, and finishing a match all come with fun and satisfying animations and sounds. Defeat every CPU character and take down the strongest opponent, the Robot! Enjoy the cute world of Reversi together with your favorite animals!

Screenshots

What the Shell4 screens
Animal Reversi !!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: What the Shell at none against Animal Reversi !!'s 2. What the Shell also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). Animal Reversi !!'s advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price 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. Animal Reversi !! sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. What the Shell asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

What the Shell ships an update every 8 days, Animal Reversi !! every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
What the Shell versus Animal Reversi !!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWhat the ShellAnimal Reversi !!
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size138 MB312 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChuck SmithHisashi Yoshizawa

In-app purchases

None

What the Shell

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Animal Reversi !!

One-time2
  • Remove Ads$0.99
  • Unlock All Animal Characters$1.99

Questions

Is What the Shell free?
What the Shell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Animal Reversi !! free?
Animal Reversi !! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do What the Shell or Animal Reversi !! have ads?
Animal Reversi !! shows ads; What the Shell does not.
Which is updated more often, What the Shell or Animal Reversi !!?
What the Shell ships an update every 8 days, and Animal Reversi !! every 3 weeks. Most recently, What the Shell was updated on November 6, 2026 and Animal Reversi !! on October 30, 2026.

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