Exponential Idle

About

"Exponential Idle" is a single-player business simulation game available on Android and iOS. The math-inspired incremental game has you stacking up money through exponential growth by stepping through time and performing variable changes. With great mechanics, phenomenal graphics, and plenty of humor, grind to unlock achievements, buy upgrades, and enjoy the ingenious music while earning virtual money.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,020 reviews

story91 positive mentions

monetization212 negative mentions

The game offers a very relaxing experience with excellent music and a minimalist design that is easy on the eyes.
It serves as a useful tool for teaching basic concepts of numerical explosions and stability, making it engaging for those who may not enjoy traditional learning methods.
The game features a unique math theme that works well, with nicely written story chapters and optional ads that do not intrude on gameplay.

The game can become repetitive and may feel like there is not much to do after a certain point, leading to a sense of stagnation.
Some players have reported issues with the game crashing or not functioning properly after updates, which can disrupt the experience.
The complexity of the math involved may be overwhelming for some players, making it difficult to fully enjoy the game without a strong understanding of the concepts.

monetization
269 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
5%
79%
The monetization model of this game is highly praised for its non-intrusive approach, featuring only optional ads that players can choose to watch for minor boosts. There is a single, reasonably priced in-app purchase available to permanently remove ads, which many players willingly buy to support the developer. Overall, the game avoids aggressive monetization tactics common in the genre, allowing for a satisfying experience without the pressure to spend money or watch ads.
- “No microtransactions to keep playing.”
- “No ads unless you choose to watch them for boosters 👌.”
- “It's a fantastic idle game with no pay-to-win in-game purchases which I personally love, and the only time you'll ever see an ad is if you want a small boost; they aren't being crammed down your throat like other games.”
- “The monetization is not at all predatory: there are optional ads or a single, small purchase will grant you the ad bonus permanently.”
- “No forced ads, beautiful UI, really solid idle game, and a nice reflection on any creative, iterative process.”
- “No annoying ads popping up in the middle of the soothing experience!”
story
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
48%
2%
The game's story is a standout feature, offering a charming and engaging narrative that complements its idle mechanics, making it a unique entry in the genre. While some players find the story a bit short or simplistic, many appreciate its humor and relatability, particularly for those with a background in math or academia. Overall, the integration of story elements enhances the gameplay experience, keeping players invested and curious about the next chapter.
- “The gameplay is well thought out and the story is intriguing.”
- “There's even a story based around the equation, and it's somehow better than most mobile game stories... I didn't expect to like this game, but it's pretty dang good.”
- “E^(x) has an interesting and compelling story, an appropriate atmosphere and succinct, utilitarian layout and design.”
- “The story narrative about studying math is too unrealistic to be engaging, but too deadpan to be funny.”
- “There are not a lot of interesting choices to make and the storyline is garbage, but still a great game.”
- “Only issue (so far) is it gets quite boring after completing the story, but word is it'll change with custom theories in a future update.”
gameplay
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The gameplay of this idle game is praised for its well-thought-out mechanics and engaging mathematical elements, providing a satisfying experience that balances simplicity with depth. Players appreciate the lack of intrusive ads, the intriguing story, and the constant introduction of new mechanics that keep the gameplay fresh and rewarding. However, some users note that the gameplay can become linear over time, with a desire for more variety and complexity in later stages.
- “Gorgeous game that boils the genre down to its basics, peels the curtain back on the mechanics, and delivers fun in the process.”
- “The gameplay is simple yet satisfying, and just when you think you're stuck, it has a way of surprising you.”
- “Incredibly deep idle game, learned a fair amount about math as I played, and it has a lot of different 'phases' of gameplay, each with their own flavor.”
- “The gameplay drags on a bit, but what else do you expect from an idle game?”
- “There's not much gameplay or strategy at all, you simply buy the next upgrade you can each time.”
- “The gameplay concept is bad, but you very quickly automate everything and you have to come back once a day, click one button, then wait again, and after a short while you will finish it.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
52%
7%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist aesthetic that prioritizes clarity and functionality over flashy visuals, appealing to players who appreciate simplicity. While some users find the graphics to be clean and polished, others note that the lack of elaborate designs can detract from the sense of progression. Overall, the game's visuals effectively support its mechanics, making it engaging despite the absence of traditional graphical elements.
- “The graphics are incredibly clean, you get every data you'd need for perfect play, and the developer is heavily engaged with the community on Discord and Reddit.”
- “Absolutely love the art style and using a function as the basis for the idle game is really compelling.”
- “The visuals are polished and there's a pitch black dark mode.”
- “The graphics/UI can be a little plain, bare, and flat; and while it's very in line with their aesthetic, it can undercut the feeling of progression at times.”
- “The game doesn't really have graphics; however, I don't feel like it should.”
- “At first glance, you'd think this game would quickly get boring with its extremely minimalist visuals and design, but that couldn't be farther from the truth.”
music
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
56%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience and providing a calming backdrop for gameplay. However, many users report persistent issues with the music not turning off despite attempts to disable it in the settings, which detracts from the enjoyment for some players. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated, the functionality regarding music controls needs improvement.
- “The music is calm and fits the atmosphere, and the upgrades, such as auto prestige and supremacy, are super good quality of life mechanics that every idle game needs.”
- “The music and docile tones are a perfect escape when I need a chill vibe, and the mechanics are just enough for me to dip in and out when needed.”
- “Very enjoyable, relaxing atmospheric music, and engaging gameplay that keeps you involved long-term.”
- “However, the music still plays even if you turn it off in settings, which is a problem when I'm trying to play something else in the background.”
- “Another issue I've had is that when offline progress is on, the app keeps playing music out loud at regular intervals.”
- “The game doesn't acknowledge the 'sound off' or 'music off' options, despite selecting them at least four times on both the starting and settings menus.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its clever and unique comedic elements, particularly in the context of its math-themed storyline. While some find the humor to be a standout feature that enhances the gameplay, others feel that the narrative can be hit-or-miss, with moments of deadpan delivery that may not resonate with everyone. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor through its achievements, story, and minigames, making it an enjoyable experience for those who appreciate a lighthearted approach to math.
- “The humor is great, the gameplay is awesome, and it introduces things I have never seen before (auto purchase).”
- “I love the bits of humor in this game too; it's really funny in my opinion.”
- “Pretty straightforward gameplay and a very funny story and minigames that might even be more fun than the game itself.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
Overall, players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game. While some find the grinding necessary but manageable, with well-balanced pacing and enjoyable minigames, others describe early and midgame as tedious and slow, particularly when trying to unlock certain features or currencies. The introduction of automation and auto prestige helps alleviate some of the grind, making the experience less frustrating for many.
- “Not grindy at all.”
- “No ads, and not that grindy.”
- “As for in-game progress, the only slow part is grinding to the first 1000 supremacy currency.”
- “The early game is insanely boring, the midgame is tediously slow as you wait for new students.”
- “After grinding for over a year, I find out the one thing I wanted to try, the custom theories, were locked behind a further 7 levels that the community randomly decided had to be solved without any help whatsoever.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by calming and engaging music that complements its compelling story and utilitarian design. Players appreciate the relaxing ambiance and quality-of-life upgrades that enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable and immersive for long-term gameplay.
- “The music is calm and fits the atmosphere, and the upgrades, such as auto prestige and supremacy, are excellent quality of life mechanics that every idle game needs.”
- “E^(x) has an interesting and compelling story, an appropriate atmosphere, and a succinct, utilitarian layout and design.”
- “Very enjoyable, relaxing atmospheric music, and engaging gameplay that keeps you involved long-term.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
Players find the game highly replayable due to its engaging mini-games and puzzles, with recent updates enhancing this aspect further. The absence of paywalls and a more enjoyable gameplay experience compared to typical idle games contribute to its lasting appeal.
- “I've been playing it pretty hard for a couple of days now, and it looks like I might be through about 3/4 of the achievements, so the replay value will probably come from the fairly well-executed mini-games, which are two different types of puzzles to complete.”
- “It's an idle game just as addicting as the rest, but 100,000 times more playable because it isn't filled with paywalls and casino-esque sounds and lights, making this the only truly playable idle game.”
- “I've been playing it pretty hard for a couple of days now, and it looks like I might be through about 3/4 of the achievements, so the replay value will probably come from the fairly well-executed mini-games (which are two different types of puzzles to complete).”
- “Edit: The latest update added lots of new replayability features, thank you!”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players appreciate the game's robust optimization features, allowing for extensive customization of automatic prestiges through mathematical formulas, which enhances the strategic depth. The game runs smoothly on devices like the Note 10+, catering to both hardcore optimizers and casual players.
- “Runs smoothly too (using on Note 10+ here).”
- “You can sink as much math and optimization as you want, but you can also just let the numbers zoom.”
- “I especially love the ability to customize automatic prestiges with any math formula involving the game's variables, turning the game into an optimization problem.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report good stability with the game, noting only a specific issue where it freezes after completing mini-games, preventing the awarding of stars and achievements. Aside from this bug, there are no significant glitches or stability concerns mentioned.
- “The only bug I have found, which makes the rating a 4-star, is that when I complete a mini-game, regardless of difficulty, the game freezes up and I don't receive the stars and achievements along with it.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game surprisingly emotional, highlighting its ability to create a profound impact despite its focus on numbers. The overall sentiment is that it is a wholesome experience crafted by intelligent developers.
- “I've reached the end tonight, and it's so amazing to have a game about numbers that leaves such an emotional impact.”
- “But it's just a really wholesome idle game, made by some super smart people.”