Pull the Pin is a physics-based puzzle game for casual players, structured around pin-removal mechanics on iOS and Android.
Product velocity
Maintenance
Daily rank 🇺🇸
—
Games
Sentiment
3.6
1.6M reviews
Nemesis
Hero Rescue
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
The app removes the friction of complex game rules, serving players who want a relaxing, short-session experience during idle time.
For Casual gamers seeking short, relaxing puzzle sessions that test spatial reasoning and physics intuition.
What does it look like?
Key features
Players remove pins to manipulate gravity and guide balls into a collection pipe.
Colorless balls must contact colored balls to gain color before entering the pipe.
How much does it cost?
Monetization relies on ad-supported gameplay and in-app purchases, typical for high-volume casual puzzle titles.
Velocity
Maintenance developmentperformanceopaqueShow more...
The app currently operates at a maintenance cadence, with the latest release occurring 103 days ago. Development has been limited to minor stability and performance polish, with no new features or live events introduced in the recent history. The release pattern shows a consistent, low-frequency delivery of generic updates, indicating a focus on basic upkeep rather than active feature expansion.
Who built it?
Popcore
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Cosmo LoopUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
The recent review mood reads frustrated. Users appreciate the core puzzle mechanics provide a relaxing and enjoyable experience for casual players during short sessions, but report frequent application crashes and freezing during gameplay prevent users from completing levels and progressing through the game.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- The core puzzle mechanics provide a relaxing and enjoyable experience for casual players during short sessions
- Frequent application crashes and freezing during gameplay prevent users from completing levels and progressing through the game
60 of 99 recent reviews analyzed · high confidence · Frustrated overall
Read the full review analysisUnlock 2 more frustration themes and 1 user request, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Pull the Pin
How's the Games market?
Pull the Pin sits #194 Free (AE) and #193 Grossing (AR) in the Puzzle category. The gap between discovery and monetization signals that technical instability is preventing the conversion of casual players into long-term revenue.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By Super Candy
The primary competitor that popularized the pin-pulling mechanic as a standalone game with nearly identical physics-based logic.
Pull the Pin vs Hero Rescue
FishdomContender
Hero Rescue - Pin PullContender
Save The Fish! Rescue PuzzleContender
Screw Puzzle: Pin Nuts BoltsContenderUnlock the deeper market read.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Pull the Pin
Where is it heading?
Casual puzzle traffic is consolidating around stable, high-cadence entrants, leaving Pull the Pin exposed. Maintenance-mode updates without addressing core stability will accelerate churn into the next quarter.
- Frequent crashes prevent level completion, which erodes the daily active habit and compounds the negative sentiment already visible in reviews.
- Users report: Deceptive monetization practices (failed ad-removal) drive high churn, which limits the lifetime value of the existing user base.
The SWOT
- Physics-based mechanics create high-frequency session loops
- Localized pricing in high-ARPU markets could capture value
Next best moves
Audit ad-removal logic because users report paying for ad-free experiences that fail to remove ads → reduce refund surge
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The app's high volume of accumulated currency without…
Read the full takeSince the last report: The app has entered a maintenance-only lifecycle, characterized by a 103-day development silence and the emergence of critical technical and monetization failures. These issues have effectively stalled the app's competitive momentum, shifting the focus from growth to basic stability upkeep.
Bottom line
Fixing the ad-removal logic and implementing cloud-save would address the primary churn drivers, unlocking the revenue potential of the existing user base.
Unlock 3 critical frictions, 1 market threat, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Pull the Pin safe for kids?
Does the ad-free purchase work?
Can I save my progress across devices?
Sources
Report last updated