Reviews of Penn & Teller Magic Chat

By: Michael Brennan App

List of user reviews and ratings for Penn & Teller Magic Chat

Total ratings

4.10 (Rating count: 28)

Review summary

Overall, users praise the app for its entertaining magic trick and family friendly appeal, plus customization that lets you mimic a Home Screen. Several reviews also note it looks good and has been updated or released for free. However, multiple reviewers report credibility and UX issues: the chat UI resembles Android rather than iMessage, reducing believability; card guessing can be inconsistent and chat history cannot be reset; and some iPhone UI expectations are not met (not designed for iPhone display, hidden status bar).

Pros

Entertaining and family-friendly magic trick.
Strong customization to mimic the iPhone Home Screen (and duplicate screens).
Polished visuals and the app is updated and available for free.

Cons

Chat UI looks like Android chat rather than iMessage, hurting believability.
Card guessing can be unreliable and some responses do not occur.
Chat history cannot be reset, making it hard to reuse the trick with different people.
iPhone UI fidelity issues: not designed for iPhone display, and the status bar can be hidden or the home screen looks odd.

User Reviews

Recent rating average: 3.40

All time rating average: 4.10

5 star

10% (1)

Date	Author	Comment
2022-10-02	LE*****	This app is truly amazing and highly entertaining. I love it! Just ignore the negative reviews and download this app right away.
This app is truly amazing and highly entertaining. I love it! Just ignore the negative reviews and download this app right away.
2022-07-19	Th*****	I saw this app on the show and I thought I could get it a try, but my smarter friends realized that the chat was fake. So I suggest you have a android and iOS option at the beginning of opening the app so they’ll not instantly catch on.
I saw this app on the show and I thought I could get it a try, but my smarter friends realized that the chat was fake. So I suggest you have a android and iOS option at the beginning of opening the app so they’ll not instantly catch on.
2021-06-08	Jo*****	So the previous card guesses don’t stay around to confuse the issue…
So the previous card guesses don’t stay around to confuse the issue…
2021-06-05	Ja*****	Thank you for taking the time to create this for families to have a bit of magical fun during these strange times. No problems with the app, here. Looks great, nice customizations. My 14 year old was/is blown away by the trick (and the fact that I know Penn and Teller). Thanks, guys. You have been great during the pandemic.
Thank you for taking the time to create this for families to have a bit of magical fun during these strange times. No problems with the app, here. Looks great, nice customizations. My 14 year old was/is blown away by the trick (and the fact that I know Penn and Teller). Thanks, guys. You have been great during the pandemic.
2021-05-27	Ch*****	I had bought the old P&T trick app back when I had an iPhone 4. The app was perfect because it looked exactly like the phone Home Screen, and when you entered the “messaging” it looked exactly like the current iOS messaging app. Then the app stopped being updated, and the iPhone screens got larger and the app looked weird and didn’t work to convince anyone. This app is now updated (and free), but the Home Screen looks odd. Not a real bother because you can set a custom screen—just take a screenshot of your Home Screen and set that. The issue is the messaging app that is clearly an android chat knock off. When I hand my iPhone to a friend to complete this trick, there’s no way they’re going to think it is anything other than a trick app because it doesn’t look anything like the message app for iOS . Additionally, in the original app, the suits were alphabetical, I.e. CDHS. In the tutorial, they show was that order, but in the actual app they are out of order, which makes it harder to memorize.
I had bought the old P&T trick app back when I had an iPhone 4. The app was perfect because it looked exactly like the phone Home Screen, and when you entered the “messaging” it looked exactly like the current iOS messaging app. Then the app stopped being updated, and the iPhone screens got larger and the app looked weird and didn’t work to convince anyone. This app is now updated (and free), but the Home Screen looks odd. Not a real bother because you can set a custom screen—just take a screenshot of your Home Screen and set that. The issue is the messaging app that is clearly an android chat knock off. When I hand my iPhone to a friend to complete this trick, there’s no way they’re going to think it is anything other than a trick app because it doesn’t look anything like the message app for iOS . Additionally, in the original app, the suits were alphabetical, I.e. CDHS. In the tutorial, they show was that order, but in the actual app they are out of order, which makes it harder to memorize.
2021-05-07	Fl*****	It’s a neat trick and I like the customization allowing me to duplicate the Home Screen. Of course, that doesn’t matter much if it immediately pops up the (not iMessage) chat screen as soon as the card is selected. Not to mention, when the app is opened, the status bar is hidden unless the image is reselected (and, for buttonless iPhones, the swipe bar is displayed even though it wouldn’t appear on the actual Home Screen). The biggest drawback is that the chat threads can’t be reset so, after testing it a few times, I can’t hand it to a friend without them knowing it’s been done over and over again. My normal conversations with Penn and Teller have far more interesting content.
It’s a neat trick and I like the customization allowing me to duplicate the Home Screen. Of course, that doesn’t matter much if it immediately pops up the (not iMessage) chat screen as soon as the card is selected. Not to mention, when the app is opened, the status bar is hidden unless the image is reselected (and, for buttonless iPhones, the swipe bar is displayed even though it wouldn’t appear on the actual Home Screen). The biggest drawback is that the chat threads can’t be reset so, after testing it a few times, I can’t hand it to a friend without them knowing it’s been done over and over again. My normal conversations with Penn and Teller have far more interesting content.
2021-04-22	Sk*****	Just downloaded this app and tried a few times. Sometimes it gets the card number right but the wrong suit or Teller doesn’t respond to my “messages “ to pick my card :( am I the only one that cannot get it to work?? So far not fooled..
Just downloaded this app and tried a few times. Sometimes it gets the card number right but the wrong suit or Teller doesn’t respond to my “messages “ to pick my card :( am I the only one that cannot get it to work?? So far not fooled..
2021-04-10	1T*****	Great app, thanks I have used your How to play with your Food book. Made the valentines heart but changed to kids birthday party Jurassic Park Dinosaur Gave my son big Chef’s Knife he got to stab the dinosaur Blood comes out screaming a-cures. Did another rainbow trout cake Chuck was tearing his birthday on Xmas never got cake. Him Fishing whisperer, asked him if male or female guts had orange eggs AWESOME G Powder for years don’t take to airport like you’re card. Thanks
Great app, thanks I have used your How to play with your Food book. Made the valentines heart but changed to kids birthday party Jurassic Park Dinosaur Gave my son big Chef’s Knife he got to stab the dinosaur Blood comes out screaming a-cures. Did another rainbow trout cake Chuck was tearing his birthday on Xmas never got cake. Him Fishing whisperer, asked him if male or female guts had orange eggs AWESOME G Powder for years don’t take to airport like you’re card. Thanks
2021-04-10	fo*****	I’m not going to be able to pull off this fun idea because it’s not designed for iPhone display style. Too bad because I would’ve really enjoyed trying it in earnest. Also, near the end of the tutorial the word “review” is repeated. That’s the end of my review review.
I’m not going to be able to pull off this fun idea because it’s not designed for iPhone display style. Too bad because I would’ve really enjoyed trying it in earnest. Also, near the end of the tutorial the word “review” is repeated. That’s the end of my review review.
2021-04-09	Ja*****	Does not look like iMessages anymore like it used to. Kinda pointless unfortunately. :-/
Does not look like iMessages anymore like it used to. Kinda pointless unfortunately. :-/