Drag n Merge
Drag n Merge is an addictive puzzle game that many users enjoy for its time-passing and challenging gameplay, but recent updates have introduced significant issues with excessive ads, loss of paid ad-free status, and various technical glitches.
Drag n Merge is a popular puzzle game praised for its engaging and addictive gameplay, often used for relaxation or passing time R2R116R121. However, recent updates have led to a surge in negative reviews, primarily due to an overwhelming number of ads, the failure of previously purchased ad-free options, and performance issues like freezing and sound problems R1R7R6R70. The lifetime rating of 4.3 suggests a positive history, but the recent negative sentiment indicates a sharp decline in user satisfaction.
What users like
What users complain about
- Excessive and intrusive ads, often appearing mid-game or causing loss of progressR1R8R9R15
- Paid ad-free versions no longer work, with ads returning and no option to restore purchasesR7R11R17R24
- Game freezes, lags, or is sluggish, leading to lost progress and frustrationR10R64R70R72
- Background audio (music, podcasts) is interrupted or stopped by the gameR19R20R21R22
- Game loses score or progress, especially after pausing or accidental restartsR3R30R69R85
- No sound in game, which detracts from the experience for some usersR5R6
- Phone overheating during gameplayR4
- Game ends prematurely after watching ads to continue or when near completionR13R58R73R76
- Limited levels or lack of progression past certain scores (e.g., 20 or 35)R12R74R93R126
- Concerns about cash-out claims being a hoaxR134R141
Latest update · v2.9.78
What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):
-- Bug Fixes -- Function Optimized Have Fun!
Recurring themes
Who it's for
This game is for puzzle enthusiasts who enjoy merge-style games and are looking for an addictive time-passer R2R116R121. It might appeal to those who don't mind playing in airplane mode to avoid ads R2 or who are willing to tolerate significant interruptions. It is NOT for users who expect a truly ad-free experience after purchase, rely on background audio while playing, or get easily frustrated by technical glitches and lost progress R7R9R19R70.
Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative, particularly regarding ads and technical issues, which contrasts sharply with the high lifetime rating. This indicates a recent and significant decline in user experience, possibly due to recent updates. The developer's notes are vague ('Bug Fixes', 'Function Optimized') and are directly contradicted by user reports of new bugs and worsened functionality.
Frequently asked
Are there ads in Drag n Merge?
Does paying for no ads work in Drag n Merge?
Does Drag n Merge affect background audio?
What reviewers actually said
Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.
- [R2] Pretty good: Okay, the game itself is pretty fun and I often get addicted to playing it when there isn’t anything else to do on my phone. The ads are absolutely the most abundant thing on the app, but if you play on airplane mode and focus entirely on the game itself, you get the full experience. Puzzle is immersive and passes the time well. I think its fun personally.
- [R116] ABSOLUTELY AMAZING GAME: This is a great game!! It’s super addicting I could play it all day would totally give 100/5 stars if I could and would recommend it to anyone
- [R120] The best ever!!!: I love this game 100%!! It is a 100% legit man!! 100% helps me when I’m bored!! High score: 20 x7!!
- [R121] Good😌😇😊👍fun and relaxing: Awsome game peaceful hard but fun 🤩 I like it
- [R11] Time passer: I bought the no AD and got a new phone now it shows ads ugh game is cool and keeps you busy and mind active but I wish I didn’t have to repay for it now I’m stuck watching ads
- [R194] Adult game: Want to keep my mind sharp and this feels like less childish game than others.
- [R45] Was a relaxing game before forced ads: I used to love this game. It was the game I would play before bed to help my brain stop overthinking. I don’t know why a game that requires focus and brain power actually helps to make the brain relax, but it does. Unfortunately, now we are forced to watch ads. This completely defeats the purpose. Charge a one time fee of few bucks for an ad free experience i
- [R117] Stalls...: I love this game. It’s very relaxing. The problem didn't start until I began getting good at the game. After a while of playing the game began stalling when trying to move blocks. It would glitch and move other blocks I didn’t touch or not move blocks at all. The time wouldn’t change but the amount of time I could move the blocks became longer and it’s very frustrating.
- [R1] Just make the game abt ads at this point: It’s kind of fun but the ads are going to drive me insane
- [R8] NOT AT ALL RELAXING!!: This was my favorite game for years but the ads have ruined it. I would’ve gladly paid for a totally ad free version of the game but that isn’t an option. The ads are intrusive and totally interrupt the flow of the game. I loved this game because it was relaxing but now it just irritates me. Sorry to say goodbye to this game but it is not playable anymore.
- [R9] Ruins games by running ads with NO PAUSE IN GAMEPLAY: When in the middle of a game, an ad blocking all visibility of gameplay will appear, without warning. That’s bad enough. But worse, blocks keep dropping during these seconds! So that when the ad finally stops, you return to a lost game. I understand the ads pay the bills. But such poor execution is inexcusable. Deleted.
- [R15] Way too many adds: I have to quit playing this game which would be extremely relaxing were it not for the ads that constantly pop up. They are a waste of time and very annoying.
- [R7] Paid, But Still Ads: I paid for the game awhile ago. One day, the ads returned and it is prompting me to pay the $3.99 again. I’ve tried deleting and redownloading the game, losing all my game data in the process. Nothing has worked and now I have to continue sitting through the LONG ads.
- [R17] Do NOT Recommend!! Paid for No Ads but Get Constant Ads: I used to love this game and gladly paid for the Ad Free version. It was great until it no longer was. It has become beyond annoying with numerous video ads. I have emailed the developer many, many times. Response time was extremely slow. When they do reply, they either say that it has been fixed (it has not been) or that they are trying to
- [R24] Paid for ad free and still have ads: Not cool for you to charge to be ad free then introduce ads again with no option to “restore purchase”.
- [R10] Game freeze: Game freezes at a certain point. Has medals on a track in the middle of the screen but then can’t continue playing.
- [R64] It’s fun….but: I love this game because it keeps me busy. I start off really good, the blocks move nicely. But after I lose my first life and continue the game freezes and the blocks get stuck while the timer continues to go. It makes me mad because I’ll be so close to getting the number I want but the game will not cooperate due to the constant freezing. Can you please fix this issue.
- [R70] Unfortunate: I’ve been playing this game for years, I get sucked into it so quickly. Recently though, it has been freezing CONSTANTLY and the timer goes faster and faster the more it freezes. When it unfreezes, it is SUPER laggy and the numbers won’t always combine. Usually I can rack up a bunch of 20s but because of the glitches, the numbers pile up so fast and all I wanna do is delete the game :
- [R72] Constantly have to reload: I love the game, but it freezes on the ads quite often. Because of this, I have to delete the app then reload.
- [R19] Update- can’t listen to podcasts while playing anymore!: This has been my favorite game for years, but the new update that made it IMPOSSIBLE to listen to podcasts (Apple podcast app) while playing has ruined it for me. Please fix this! We don’t need the audio of this game!
- [R20] Cancels music: This turns off your music when youre playing its sooooo annoying
- [R21] Bad update: Last update introduced a bug that turns off any other app I’m listening too. Won’t use the app if I can’t listen to audiobooks or podcasts while playing.
- [R22] Blocks background audio after update: I used to play as I listened to podcasts or videos on the background. Now it forces audio to pause once the game is opened. I’m not going to silently move numbers around; that’s no fun. I use this game to preoccupy my mind so I can listen to audio - so I will not be using it anymore until it’s fixed.
- [R3] Love this game but it continually loses my score: I’ve played this game for years on my iPhone. I really enjoy it. But at some point a few years ago, it began just forgetting my score whenever I pause the game and later resume. I’ve sent multiple requests to the developer politely asking if this could be fixed, but no response and no fix. If you don’t care about your score, then maybe get this gam
- [R30] Accidentally started a new game.: I had a score of 1.6 million points. I accidentally started a new game rather than hitting continue. I need help
- [R69] Why?!?!: Why is there a ‘start a new game button’ without a security step. I have accidentally restarted two very high scoring games because I hit it by accident. It shows up where the ‘continue’ button usually shows up. It makes me not want I play anymore, so disappointing!😭
- [R85] Like game: Very interesting game, I play every day. I pause the game if I busy and when I enter the game again it starts another level, I don't like this, I have accumulated many points, I want to keep playing, I don't want start a new level. Please fix that. Thanks
- [R5] No sound when playing: I really enjoy the game minus the irritatingly long ads, however in recent weeks there has been ongoing issues with no sound during play. The clicks when merging tiles really adds to the fun and keeps the game interesting. Playing the game in silence is not the same and just a bore. Please fix this as I don’t want to have to quit.
- [R6] USED to be obsessed with this game: I have been playing this game for YEARS and today i open the game up to completely no sound!! there’s nothing wrong with my phone as all my other games are working fine. I loved the clicking noise because it would help me with my anxiety while playing and now it’s just down right awful with no sound! please send an update!!
- [R4] Phone gets hot: Ever since the iOS 26.0 update, my phone gets very hot when I play this game. This has never happened before in the five years I’ve had the game.
- [R13] Fun and challenging but…: This is my 100th time playing the game, running out of room, watching the ad to continue and then automatic loss. It wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t take 30 mins to get to the place where the game is a challenges. I wish I could start the duly challenges at 20.
- [R58] Frustrating glitches: It’s frustrating that this game has constant issues because I did enjoy playing it. But when it would go to and ad (after I reached a level) it would often end the game. Very frustrating.
- [R73] Lose game after ad: Many times after watching an ad for a lost life, the game will just end and tell me to try again.
- [R76] Issues: This used to be my favorite game by far now because of all the issues lately I am really getting frustrated and considering deleting it. You have one or two stars left and the game automatically ends. At first I thought I was imagining it and maybe I didn’t have extra chances left. Now it happens all the time. Another issue is it constantly freezes up in ads. So annoying.
- [R12] Higher please: I already got to 35 make it go to 50 otherwise great game
- [R74] Higher levels please: Can we go higher than level 35? Let it be unlimited.
- [R93] Poorly Designed Game: This is not a game as there are no rewards or bonuses - unless you consider watching ads as one - and no strategic way to win. You basically “play” until they give you so little time of gameplay that you can no longer unlink the blocks anymore. Why there are no levels or goals to allow rows of blocks so gameplay continue, I’ll never know. You’re just merging blocks to watch a
- [R126] Why does game stop at Level 20?: I love playing this game but stopped after I had mastered reaching Level 20. Started playing again when I discovered the daily challenges allowed me to play to Level 35. I have since mastered this level as well so the game has lost excitement to me. Please update the game to allow play to continue past Level 35.
- [R134] Deceiving: I played this game way too much for my own liking. The game itself if fun and addicting however once you reach a certain monetary amount all you get are ads and you only receive $.02-$.04 per play. This makes the games actual playing time very low and the rewards aren’t worth your time at that point.
- [R141] Merge numbers: I’ve reached the $200.00 level to cash out to Pay pal. It will not cash out when I hit the button. Do you have a problem with the system or me cashing out is a hoax. I would’ve given you 5 Stars if I was able to collect my money. If the system allows me later on to collect I will upgrade my post letting everyone know this game is really real.
- [R18] I like it so much🩷: I love it so much that when it has a timer, it makes me go faster and I’m so proud of myself doing it at 20 so I made the highest. I love it so much, thank you for making the game 😁
- [R16] Excessive ads: Fun game but the excessive quantity and lengthy ads make the app not worthwhile.
Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store