Cellular Automata icon

Cellular Automata

Watch simple rules create extraordinary complexity.

creative iPhone & iPad Free with Pro (one-time)

The ultimate Conway's Game of Life. Metal GPU-powered, audio-reactive generative art, photo import, time travel, custom stamps, and a curated pattern library.

Cellular Automata hero

Features

Metal GPU Engine

Custom-built Metal compute engine runs massive 256x256 grids at up to 30 generations per second without dropping a frame. Or switch to crisp 1-pixel-per-cell retro mode.

Audio-Reactive Colors

10 built-in ambient and upbeat tracks. Grids and photos pulse, shimmer, and shift hues in real-time to bass, mids, and beats. 6 color presets with full hue shift slider.

Photo Import

Import any photo, type a message, or load one of 21 NASA space images. Edge detection, brightness, dither, or random modes set initial patterns while preserving original colors.

Time Travel

The engine records your last 1,000 generations. Scrub backward and forward through time instantly. Never lose that perfect moment.

Custom Stamps & Painting

Paint with adjustable brush sizes from 1x1 to 10x10. Extract any pattern from the grid and save it as a reusable stamp for future simulations.

Share Your Universe

Export high-res snapshots or animated GIFs of your simulation. Captures your last 3 seconds including audio-reactive colors. Share with a single tap.

Screenshots

Hold Infinity in the Palm of Your Hand

The ultimate Conway’s Game of Life — built natively from the ground up. A high-performance engine for digital evolution and ambient audiovisual meditation. Generative art enthusiast, math student, or just want something mesmerizing to stare at? We built this for you.

Evolve Your World

Turn memories and text into living math. Import any photo, type a custom message, or load one of 21 NASA space images including Hubble captures. Watch them transform into a living cellular grid, perfectly preserving original pixel colors as the simulation evolves.

Audio-Reactive Generative Art

Turn math into a sensory experience. 10 built-in ambient and upbeat tracks drive real-time color modulation — grids and photos pulse, shimmer, and shift hues to the bass, mids, and beats. 6 color presets with a full 0-100% hue shift slider.

Powered by Metal GPU

Custom-built Metal compute engine runs massive 256x256 grids at up to 30 generations per second without dropping a frame. Or switch to crisp, 1-pixel-per-cell retro mode.

Total Control & Custom Stamps

Paint your universe with brush sizes from 1x1 to 10x10. The engine records your last 1,000 generations — scrub backward and forward through time instantly. Find a shape you love? Extract it as a Custom Stamp to drop into any future simulation.

Curated Pattern Library

19 iconic, historically significant patterns ready to load. Classic Still Lifes, Oscillators, and Spaceships. Spawn the Gosper Glider Gun, test the Simkin Glider Gun, or watch the legendary “Acorn” Methuselah evolve for over 5,200 generations.

Share Your Universe

Created a mesmerizing loop? Export high-res snapshots or animated GIFs — the app captures your last 3 seconds of history including audio-reactive colors. Share with a single tap.

Cellular Automata Pro

One-time purchase. No subscription.

  • 256x256 grid size for simulations and photo imports
  • All 10 music tracks and real-time audio-reactive colors
  • Full 1,000-step rewind history buffer
  • Large brush sizes (5x5 to 10x10) and unlimited grid saves
  • Custom stamps: extract any pattern and reuse it
  • Ocean and Pastel color themes

Privacy

Built with 100% native Apple frameworks. Zero third-party ad tracking. Your creations stay on your device. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Ready to try Cellular Automata?

Free with Pro (one-time) on the App Store.