# Blackbox vs Phoenix Games

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.

Both are free to download. Blackbox sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Phoenix Games asks for nothing beyond the download.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackbox | Phoenix Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (109K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbox/id962969578/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **109K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#33** | — |
| Size | 209 MB | 308 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shapes and Stories LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/962969577) | [Arnaud Jeanroch](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896095609) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackbox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbox/id962969578)

**Currently charting:** #33 Top Free · Trivia, #92 Top Grossing · Trivia (US App Store)

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:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tiny Hint Pack | $1.19 | one-time |
| Small Hint Pack | $2.39 | one-time |
| Erudite Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Push Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coffee for Ryan | $4.49 | one-time |
| Basic Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Medium Hint Pack | $5.00 | one-time |
| All Knowing Pack | $7.99 | one-time |
| Large Hint Pack | $10.00 | one-time |
| Extra Large Hint Pack | $20.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Unique and creative gameplay
- 🤔 Challenges users to think outside the box
- 😄 Humorous and witty comments
- 🔑 Utilizes phone features in innovative ways

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Extremely challenging puzzles
- 💰 Expensive for additional content
- 🤖 Concerns about app accessing device permissions
- 🚗 Puzzles requiring travel/location are inaccessible for some

**Reported bugs**

- Hints not working as expected
- Progress reset after app update

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-games/id6765838599)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*