Idle Ants - Simulator Game
- September 4, 2020
- Madbox
- 5h median play time
Get on Play Store
Get on Apple Store"Idle Ants - Simulation Game" is a simulator game with satisfying ant-watching gameplay, featuring impressive graphics. However, expect a lot of grinding, frequent bugs, and excessive advertisements. The game describes itself as a satisfying experience where you watch ants eat, which accurately sums up its unique and amusing gameplay.
iPad
iPhone
Phone
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- The game is fun and satisfying, especially watching the ants collect food.
- It's a great time killer and can be played offline.
- The graphics are cute and the concept is enjoyable.
- The game is plagued with forced ads, even when opting out of watching them.
- There are significant bugs, especially in the final world where money decreases instead of increases.
- The game crashes frequently, making it unplayable at times.
- monetization788 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of this game has drawn significant criticism, with many players expressing frustration over the excessive number of forced ads that interrupt gameplay. While some users appreciate the option to watch ads for bonuses, the overwhelming frequency of mandatory ads—often occurring after every level or action—has led to a perception that the game prioritizes ad revenue over player experience. Additionally, the cost to remove ads, typically around $10, is viewed as steep given the game's limited content, further fueling dissatisfaction among players.
“It is absolutely free (excluding in-app purchases) and really fun.”
“This game has loads of potential because it has next to no ads and next to no pay-to-win services.”
“I love this game because no ads pop up, which is really good.”
“It's almost like they didn't expect anyone to continue playing after the first world because of how many ads are forced on you.”
“This game has potential to be very addictive, but forced ads kind of ruin the experience.”
“You will literally spend more time watching the ads than watching the ants.”
- stability75 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and glitches, particularly as they progress to higher levels. Many players experience issues with ads causing the game to freeze or crash, leading to lost progress and rewards. While some users enjoy the gameplay, the overwhelming presence of bugs significantly detracts from the overall experience, making it nearly unplayable for many.
“The game begins to glitch and freezes a lot in the higher levels.”
“Something is wrong with your game once you get into higher numbers; I can no longer upgrade certain things. If I do, the game just freezes and I have to close and reset. It's happening more times than I can count; it's a serious game-breaking problem.”
“Every time it plays a video or you come to the end of a level, it freezes and kicks you out of the app.”
- graphics53 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the cute and simplistic art style, while others criticize the low-quality visuals and frequent graphical glitches. Many users report issues with lag and crashes, particularly after certain stages, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these problems, some find the graphics charming and satisfying, especially in relation to the gameplay mechanics involving ants and food.
“The graphics are simple but charming, and the progression system keeps you engaged.”
“Cute graphics.”
“I downloaded this game as I liked its minimalist aesthetic.”
“It's completely unplayable with flashing graphics as if it's stuck in a leading sequence.”
“This game has graphics from 30 years ago, no effort, a 30 second ad after every minute.”
“Doesn't even deserve one star, graphics are so low that games I played 25 years ago are more advanced with way more options to choose from for growth and fun interactive play.”
- gameplay42 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as slow-paced and simplistic, typical of idle games, but heavily marred by an overwhelming presence of ads, which users report occupy about 50-90% of their experience. Many players find the mechanics shallow and repetitive, leading to boredom and frustration, especially due to frequent crashes and freezes. While some appreciate the calming nature of the game, the monetization strategy detracts significantly from overall enjoyment.
“Besides that, the ads are bearable and the gameplay is as advertised - a slow-paced idle game which is great for killing spare time.”
“Its a pretty cute app. I enjoy taking it slow with the gameplay because it helps with my PTSD and it's very calming watching little ants help each other.”
“The gameplay is typical of incremental games.”
“I think this game is created just to make money from ads. One minute into the gameplay and there are five buttons flashing to watch an ad for double money, free money, squad bonus, whatever that means. After I finished the first stage, it presented me with free money (small sum) and the option to watch an ad for more.”
“Gameplay is literally 50% ads, 50% gameplay. Everywhere you look, you see things trying to make money off of you, and the gameplay is boring with no storyline or reason!”
“Completely awful 'game.' 30 seconds of automatic gameplay followed by a forced ad, over and over again.”
- music10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's music aspect is heavily criticized, with multiple users noting the complete absence of background music or sound effects, leading to a monotonous experience. Many players express frustration over the lack of audio, suggesting that the game would be significantly improved with even minimal musical elements. Overall, the consensus is that the silence detracts from the enjoyment and engagement of the gameplay.
“No distracting background music either, just the soothing sound of ant jaws crunching on stuff.”
“The game is fine, but it has no music; not even a generic cheer for finishing the level, which makes it feel a bit boring.”
“Well first of all there is no music or any sounds at all in the game.”
“The game is fine but it has no music, not even a generic 'yay' for finishing the level. Nothing, so you'll get bored quickly. There are a lot of ads, and it makes me mad that they have offers to buy ants but can't afford to add music. What?”
“Just add some music and this will be the game for me.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the availability of boosters that reduce the grind, others express frustration with the high costs and the rarity of certain materials, leading to excessive farming. The presence of ads after each round further exacerbates the irritation for those trying to collect special items. Overall, the game is seen as fun, but the grinding can become tedious, especially when material counts do not reflect the effort put in.
“Especially when you combine the expensive prices with the ads after each round, it makes grinding for these special ants especially irritating.”
“Generally fun, but when I was trying to get the final star in one of the stages, I wasted a solid amount of time farming for materials only for it to tell me I basically hadn't gained anything in about 20 minutes (I grabbed the drops and was keeping track of what I needed; the material counts didn't change).”
“Only issue is that the second world resource is ridiculously rare, leading to excessive grinding in some areas.”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a lack of a cohesive story in the game, with some users feeling that the developer intended to include one but ultimately did not. Players express frustration over the absence of a narrative, which contributes to a sense of boredom and a focus on monetization rather than engaging gameplay. However, some users appreciate the simplicity of gameplay without a guided mission.
“It feels like the developer wants to put a story in but hasn't gotten around to it yet.”
“Everywhere you look, you see things trying to make money off of you, and the gameplay is boring with no storyline or reason!”
“Maybe add a story to the game?”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by amusing scenarios, such as the exaggerated antics of bugs and the absurdity of collecting a plane, which adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. However, some players feel that the humor is overshadowed by the game's monetization aspects and technical issues, like ad loading problems. Overall, while the game offers entertaining moments, it is perceived more as a casual idle experience than a fully developed game.
“It's fun watching the little bugs mill about, and kinda funny having them ridiculously sped up with boosted strength.”
“Awesome game for just idling and funny watching a lot of ants collect a plane, but sometimes the ads don't load and I have to close the application and reopen to continue playing.”
“It's a very 'funny' game in the last world; last object, I made -170 million cash.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for performance issues that detract from the overall enjoyment, despite its fun gameplay. While the graphics are not highly detailed, they do allow for decent performance on older Android devices; however, the optimization patches released have not effectively addressed the existing problems.
“Graphics aren't extremely detailed, but that allows decent performance on older Android devices.”
“Please fix the performance issues with this game because it is fun when it works.”
“Only 'optimization' patches come out, and they don't actually optimize the game.”
“Graphics aren't extremely detailed, but that allows for decent performance on older Android devices.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that the game's atmosphere significantly enhances overall enjoyment, creating an immersive experience that draws players in.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's world.”
“Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
“The sound design and visuals create a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through online events that reward players with gems, as well as the opportunity to ascend after completing a full set of worlds, which includes a free gem bonus. This encourages players to revisit content for additional rewards and progression.
“The online events are fantastic, rewarding gems that keep me coming back for more.”
“I love how I can ascend after completing a full set of worlds, and the free gem bonus is a great incentive to replay.”
“The replayability is enhanced by the variety of online events that offer exciting rewards.”
“The game lacks meaningful content updates, making it feel repetitive after just a few playthroughs.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to replay, as the side quests feel uninspired.”
“The online events are fun, but they don't offer enough variety to keep players coming back for more.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report that the game evokes a sense of unease or discomfort, suggesting it successfully taps into complex emotional responses.
