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UNICO STUDIO

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Report updated Apr 19, 2026

Brain Test 2: Tricky Stories

For casual gamers of all ages seeking riddle-based challenges and lighthearted, story-driven mental exercises.

ByUNICO STUDIO

★4.8(2M+)GamesPuzzle

What is Brain Test 2: Tricky Stories?

Brain Test 2: Tricky Stories is a narrative-driven puzzle game that differentiates itself through recurring characters and story arcs, moving away from the abstract logic typical of the genre. With over 1.9 million ratings and a strong presence in the top 50 Free Games (US), it leverages a 'Story' USP to drive high engagement. However, the app faces significant headwinds from aggressive ad frequency and technical issues in its reward mechanics, which threaten its current #82 Grossing position.

Current Momentum

v1.24 · 1d ago

Maintenance

The app is currently in maintenance mode, with the most recent updates limited to bug fixes and performance improvements.

Active Nemesis

Brain Out -Tricky riddle games

By EYEWIND

Other Rivals

7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸

Trivia

#51

▲4

Games PuzzleFree

Rating Pulse 🇺🇸

Overall

Latest

Recent User Mood

What makes this app unique?

What Does It Look Like?

Explore the full version history

Every tracked release and changelog, plus how the app's momentum has shifted over time.

Go deeper

What Are The Key Features?

Story-Based PuzzlesDifferentiator

Integrates narrative elements and colorful characters into traditional brain teasers.

Outside-the-Box LogicDifferentiator

Puzzles designed to break common sense and require unconventional solutions.

Offline GameplayStandard

Allows users to play the full game without an active internet connection.

How much does it cost?

Freemium

Free (Ad-supported)
In-app purchases for hint currency (Light bulbs)
Subscription for ad removal

Monetization is heavily reliant on high-volume ad impressions, which is currently the primary source of user friction.

Who Built It?

UNICO STUDIO

★★★★★

(10.7M)

Providing casual gamers with humorous, narrative-driven brain teasers and logic puzzles designed for short, offline-accessible sessions.

Portfolio

Apps

Free 11Paid 1

Games75%

Juegos8%

游戏8%

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Juegos

Make It 10: Solitaire Puzzle

Games

Explore the full UNICO STUDIO report

Portfolio breakdown, audience, momentum, and every app published by UNICO STUDIO.

Go deeper

What do users think recently?

High confidence · Latest 100 of 160 total reviews analyzed · Based on 160 reviews. Signal may be noisy.

How did the latest release land?

Overall

4.8/ 5

★★★★★

(1.9M)

Current version

4.8/ 5

+0.0 vs overall

★★★★★

(224.6K)

Main signal post-update: engaging and Addictive Gameplay.

What is the recent mood?

Excited

Recent user voice shows a excited sentiment. Users appreciate engaging and addictive gameplay and offline playability, but report excessive ad frequency and broken hint/reward system.

What Users Love

Engaging and Addictive Gameplay

Offline Playability

What Frustrates Users

Excessive Ad Frequency

Broken Hint/Reward System

View the full user-sentiment analysis

Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.

Go deeper

What is the competitive landscape for Brain Test 2: Tricky Stories?

Where is it available?

Localized markets (13)

scanned May 2026

United StatesBrazilGermanySpainFranceIndonesiaIndiaItalyJapanSouth KoreaMexicoPortugalVietnam

How's The Games Market?

How does it evolve in the Games market?

Rank progression

190 active rankings tracked — 30-day window

The rivals identified

The outtake for Brain Test 2: Tricky Stories

Strengths to defend, gaps to attack

Core Strengths

Strong character-driven IP (Tom, Emily, Agent Smith)
High organic trust with 1.9M+ ratings
Robust offline functionality

Critical Frictions

Aggressive ad-to-gameplay ratio
Broken reward/hint mechanics
Lack of hardware-sensor puzzles

Growth Levers

Integrate device-sensor puzzles to match Brain Out
Expand into 'Drama' themed story arcs
Fix hint system to improve IAP conversion

Market Threats

High-velocity updates from Braindom
ASMR-hybrid innovation from Brain Wash
Declining grossing rank (↓7)

What are the next best moves?

high

Optimize ad-to-gameplay ratio

Excessive ads are the #1 complaint theme and the primary driver of negative sentiment.

high

Fix broken hint/reward buttons

Medium-frequency complaint that directly blocks user progression and revenue from ad-rewards.

medium

Incorporate hardware-sensor puzzles

Identified as a key differentiator for the Nemesis (Brain Out) that the target app currently lacks.

Feature Gaps vs Competitors

Hardware-level interactions (shaking, volume, sensors) — available in Brain Out
ASMR/Cleaning mechanics — available in Brain Wash
3D-rendered assets — available in Help Me

Key Takeaways

Brain Test 2 is a category leader in narrative puzzles, but it is currently over-monetizing at the expense of user experience. To maintain its top-50 free ranking, the PM must fix the broken reward loop and reduce ad friction before competitors with higher update velocities erode its market share.

Where Is It Heading?

Stable

v1.24.05 updated April 2026 — indicates active maintenance but a lack of new feature expansion.

Rankings show a downward trend in both Free (↓3) and Grossing (↓7) positions.

Positive mood regarding 'addictive' gameplay suggests strong core retention mechanics.

FAQ

Is Brain Test 2 good for brain training?

Yes, users frequently praise the game for its brain stimulation and tricky puzzles. It is marketed as an exercise for the mind suitable for all ages, though it focuses more on creative logic than traditional academic training.

What is the difference between Brain Test 2 and Brain Out?

Brain Test 2 focuses on narrative stories and recurring characters, whereas Brain Out relies on abstract levels and hardware-level interactions like shaking your device or adjusting volume to solve puzzles.

Can I play Brain Test 2 offline to avoid ads?

The app supports offline play, which users highlight as a major benefit. However, while playing offline may reduce ads, it may also prevent you from accessing hints that require watching a video reward.

Are there similar games with fewer ads?

Competitors like Easy Game offer a more minimalist UI, while Braindom provides a similar tricky-test experience. However, most free-to-play titles in this category utilize a similar high-frequency ad model.