Comparison

Blackbox vs Phoenix Games

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

Head to head
About

Blackbox

This puzzle game challenges you to solve intricate problems without touching the screen. It utilizes minimalistic visual cues, sonic interfaces, and haptic feedback to guide you through unique challenges that require thinking outside the box. Discover a new way to interact with your device and prove your cleverness.

Highlights
  • Touchless gameplay
  • Minimalistic visual clues
  • Sonic interfaces
  • Haptic feedback
  • External puzzle solving
  • Easter eggs
Features
Read full description

So you think you understand this thing you’re holding? Think again. Stop tapping. Stop swiping. In fact, stop touching the screen at all. To crack Blackbox’s puzzles you’ll need to find solitude and stillness, climb mountains, call on friends, get in tune with the cosmos, and think outside the box. Minimalistic visual clues make for incredibly satisfying “Aha!” moments, while sonic interfaces provide an extra level of guidance and nuance that makes Blackbox accessible with or without vision. Thoughtful haptic feedback, Easter eggs on Easter eggs, and solutions that can’t be found beneath the glass of your screen redefine what a puzzle can be. You’ll never see your device the same way again. Think you’re clever? Prove it. (Blackbox is a living game under active development by Ryan McLeod. When not eating burritos or drinking coffee, he’s busy designing and developing new Blackbox challenges.) ■

About

Phoenix Games

Discover a vast collection of over 60 diverse mini-games, including word, card, puzzle, and math challenges. Engage with a unique plant idle game that ties everything together.

Highlights
  • Over 60 mini-games
  • Word games
  • Card games
  • Color sorting games
  • Maths games
  • Plant idle game
Features
Read full description

Phoenix Games is a collection of mini games, word games, card games, colour sorting games, maths games, grid games... And a Plant idle game to unite them all

Screenshots

Blackbox4 screens
Phoenix Games3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Phoenix Games at none against Blackbox's 10. Blackbox's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement 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. Blackbox sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Phoenix Games asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Blackbox ships an update every 9 days, Phoenix Games every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Blackbox versus Phoenix Games: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlackboxPhoenix Games
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (109K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews92.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings109K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#37 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size209 MB308 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShapes and Stories LLCArnaud Jeanroch

Customer experience

Blackbox

All ratings108,586 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews4,702 reviews
Positive92.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative3.8%

Phoenix Games

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Blackbox

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Hints not working as expected
  • Progress reset after app update

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to earn hint credits through watching ads
  • Include more free puzzles
  • Improve accessibility for users with limited mobility
  • Provide better guidance and instructions for puzzles

Phoenix Games

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Blackbox

One-time10
  • Tiny Hint Pack$1.19
  • Small Hint Pack$2.39
  • Erudite Pack$2.99
Show 7 more
  • Push Pack$2.99
  • Coffee for Ryan$4.49
  • Basic Pack$4.99
  • Medium Hint Pack$5.00
  • All Knowing Pack$7.99
  • Large Hint Pack$10.00
  • Extra Large Hint Pack$20.00
None

Phoenix Games

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Blackbox free?
Blackbox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Phoenix Games free?
Phoenix Games is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Blackbox or Phoenix Games have ads?
Phoenix Games shows ads; Blackbox does not.
Which is updated more often, Blackbox or Phoenix Games?
Blackbox ships an update every 9 days, and Phoenix Games every 2 months. Most recently, Blackbox was updated on October 13, 2026 and Phoenix Games on September 25, 2026.

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