# DEATHSMILES — user reviews

> 203 indexed App Store user reviews of DEATHSMILES by CAVE CO.,LTD., rated 4.60/5 from 111 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deathsmiles/id429870273/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deathsmiles/id429870273.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 93 · 4★ 6 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 2 · 1★ 5

## What do users think of DEATHSMILES?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Excellent gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and art style
- 🎶 Fantastic soundtrack
- 🕹️ Smooth and responsive controls
- 🔁 High replay value
- 🤩 Unique and fun gameplay mechanics

**Cons**

- 🔒 Lack of controller/arcade stick support
- 🔍 Difficulty tracking enemies/bullets on small screen
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 8 and newer
- Save data corruption issues
- Unresponsive controls near screen edges

**Most requested features**

- Add support for Backbone controller
- Implement full screen mode without borders
- Add widescreen/HD display options
- Provide cloud save/sync functionality

## Newest reviews (19 of 203)

### 3/5 — find ports… but the lack of controller/arcade stick support is no good

*2025-11-08*

I enjoy playing games with a controller on iPad. Being able to play these games with the controller would be amazing but unfortunately there doesn't appear to be any functionality for it.

### 3/5 — 楽しいけど操作性が…

*2025-08-10*

iPad mini 7でプレイしています。
キャラが動く方向がスクロールした方向と微妙にズレていたり操作性がかなり悪いです。
またローディングも長めで時代遅れなアプリだとも思います。
でもまあそれ以外は内容は楽しめましたし悪くはないのですが…。

### 3/5 — Backbone Support

*2023-02-14, version 1.1.3*

I purchased this game specifically so I can use my Backbone controller but it doesn’t support, Please add Backbone support to this game

### 4/5 — I need Bug Princess, Cave-sama!

*2022-08-25*

We love you and your beautiful games, Cave, but please please please update Bug Princess for ios 11 to 15?  If not, that's okay, too.  Like a fondly remembered lover from the past, only bittersweet memories remain.

### 4/5 — Wish this developer would support games better

*2021-09-16*

I’ve really enjoyed the Cave shooters but their titles keep falling off the store and I’m done paying $6 for a game the won’t be supported within a couple of updates, then another iteration pops up and I’m expected to fork over another $6. Great shooters but I won’t keep getting gouged.

### 4/5 — Gut.

*2021-08-20*

Bis auf die verwaschene Grafik ziemlich guter Shooter.

### 4/5 — Amazing

*2021-06-25*

This game is top quality. My only complaint is that there’s no widescreen option. That would make it perfect. Also, it would be even better if there was a HD version.

### 3/5 — iOS 14

*2020-10-18*

早く対応お願いします。

### 5/5 — I love this game

*2020-05-21*

Great characters/atmosphere, exciting gameplay. One of the best shmups for me. Really liked it. Hoping Deathsmiles 2 comes to ios. Thanks.:)

Edit: May 21, 2020.
Dear Cave, there is no longer any background music when we beat The final boss.:( Music returns during ending credits. I hope you can bring back the music for the ending scene. Thanks Cave.:)

### 5/5 — 画質は悪いが面白い

*2020-05-05*

スマホ専用モードがあると聞いて購入

手軽に難易度も選べて良い。普段横スクという形式はあまり好まないが、楽しかった。買い切りアプリでは無いものの、この移植度なら満足

### 5/5 — 正直諦めてた

*2020-05-02*

ゲームが何故か英語になったり起動しなくなったりと正直諦めてたのですがまさかの最新OS対応で本当に嬉しい。デススマイルズはよくできていたからまた1からだけど楽しもうかな。
虫姫さま等他のタイトルも遊べるようにお願いします。

### 3/5 — 해상도 업그레이드 좀

*2020-03-01*

실행 안되다가 업뎃했단 말에 깔아봤는데 그래픽이 흐려거 눈이 아픔

### 5/5 — SHMUP Heaven

*2020-02-03, version 1.1.3*

DEATHSMILES is my favorite all-time SHMUP and this version is bliss. I’ll buy anything CAVE co. publishes till the end of time. Perfectly suited for touch screen. 10/10

### 5/5 — Best Danmaku

*2020-01-20*

First off, thank you very very much for updating this for a newer phones. I was very sad that I couldn’t play this game for the longest time.

I have Deathsmiles for the 360 which is one of my favourite games for the system. This version seems to be so much better, the smart phone version makes for multiple play Throughs and just all-around fun gameplay aspects. I highly recommend this game. 

Thanks Cave!

### 2/5 — 遅過ぎた64bit対応

*2019-12-23*

メーカーとして最低限の誠意も見せなかったせいで、信頼を大きく失った。
ファンとして残念に感じる。

### 5/5 — Update

*2019-11-02, version 1.1.3*

Thanks for the fix. Can control on curtain area now. 👍
Bug panic please! And bug princess!

### 2/5 — Deathsmiles

*2019-10-27, version 1.1.3*

(updated after the October 23, 2019 update) ::: STILL... For some reason, with the Lucky Charm equipped, I am only getting gold treasure items. Not one equip item after playing through a whole game. I have no idea why the developers have changed this in the update. I just checked my old version that's on my iPhone 5, iOS 7, and I got 10 equip items in 1 novice game. This new version? ZERO! Zero in an ENTIRE GAME! I had to play 3, 3 entire playthroughs to get ONE equip item. WITH THE LUCKY CHARM EQUIPPED!!! 
Why?!?! Why in the world would you change this?! Building up 9 of one item in order to get the bonus will now take upwards of who knows how many playthroughs (I'm going to go ahead and give a rough estimate of AT LEAST 30) instead of 9-15. 

I will say thank you for fixing the unresponsivness when touching the borders and re-enabling screen rotation, but really, these should not have been issues/removed from the game in the first place.
It's so disappointing. Whoever is going in and literally changing code to make the game worse in these ridiculous ways is REALLY dropping the ball.

### 5/5 — Finally!

*2019-10-27*

"Updated for latest iOS." Thank you! 😭🥳

### 3/5 — It’s Back!!

*2019-10-07*

Great to see this back in thenApp store but like with the first version of the game rotation has been locked meaning the speaker is blocked by my hand.
But still a great game.

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Time to update!

*2020-01-03*

Cave, I love your games but you seriously need to update all of them to work on iOS 12+

I paid a lot of money to get every one of your iOS games and now I can’t play most of them! Please do your fans a service and update them all! I miss Bug Princess the most. Thanks for updating Dodonpachi and Deathsmiles, but you must support your fans an update these games!

### 1/5 — Update please

*2019-05-04*

iOS 11 ! We paid for your games :-(

### 1/5 — Was great doesnt work in ios 11 or newer

*2018-12-27, version 1.0.19*

This was a 5 star game but the developer has not updated it so it will work in ios 11 or newer! What a waste of my money!! Not happy

### 1/5 — iPhone X

*2018-08-13, version 1.0.19*

Can y’all update it for the iPhone X. I miss playing it😭

### 1/5 — Inadmissible !!!

*2018-07-07*

Acheter depuis plusieurs années et bloqué à cause des mises à jours Apple et celle du développeur non faite !!! 15€ x 5 jeux !!! Du même éditeur éviter d’urgence cette éditeur malgré les bon titres car Tot ou tard ils ne fonctionneront plus !

### 1/5 — 64비트 지원해서 게임은 되게 만들어줘야하지 않겠습니까?

*2018-05-01*

유료게이머가 적은 숫자도 아니고 버전에 맞게 업데이트는 해줘야지요. 정신 좀 차리세요.

### 1/5 — Not updated for IOS 11

*2018-04-02, version 1.0.19*

Why is there no update for iOS 11?

### 1/5 — Needs update

*2018-03-03, version 1.0.19*

IOS 11 is the reason why all of a sudden I’m unable to open/play many of the best apps in the world. Screw Apple. Anyway, Cave, if you still read our reviews, I hope you can update this app so that it works with iOS 11 +

### 1/5 — DON'T WORK WITH iOS 11 !!!

*2018-01-22*

PLEASE MAKE A PATCH !!!

### 1/5 — Does not work on new iOS

*2017-12-14, version 1.0.19*

Great game but does not work on new IOS. Please fix :(

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Pure Gothic Fun

*2025-02-11, version 1.1.4*

I’m happy to report that this gothic classic is functional on modern hardware on the latest versions. God Bless Cave

### 5/5 — levels get harder and harder

*2022-11-10*

once I passed the second level or stage whatever it was game over for me.

### 5/5 — amazing

*2022-06-23, version 1.1.3*

i totally recommend this for people who like shmups. the controls are easy to learn, and all characters are fun to use. totally worth the money!

### 5/5 — A hidden gem of a game!

*2021-11-18*

Great replay value. With good controls, good visuals, awesome soundtrack, and extra content, this game is a must have!

### 5/5 — Amazing port in general

*2021-11-15*

The game itself is still high quality fun and overall a blast as its transition to mobile is perfected.
My main worry is that the game might be very well unplayable in the coming years due to os updates on this smarthphone among others.

I IMPLORE YOU, DEV TEAM PLEASE KEEP THIS GAME UPDATED COMPATIBILITY WISE!

### 5/5 — Works for iOS11 and up again.

*2021-04-29*

This was one of my favorite games on iOS and I’m glad it finally works with iOS11 and up now!

### 5/5 — Deathsmiles? More like, all smiles!

*2021-01-19*

Fantastic shmup with much appreciated iPhone X widescreen support. Now, please can we have HD support, too?

Oh and CAVE, if you can please re-release Espgaluda II on the App Store, then I’ll be really happy!

### 5/5 — 10/10 BEST SHMUP I EVER PLAYED

*2020-12-01*

As a first time virgin gamer to the “Cave” SHMUPs this game was a delightful treat, i love the music, gameplay, and overall style of the whole thing, definitely worth the $$$

### 5/5 — Ios11 update!

*2020-09-08, version 1.1.3*

Thanks for the ios11 update. It would be great if the same happens to bug princess.

### 5/5 — !?

*2020-05-29*

やっと最新のosに対応‼️
ずっと待ってました。シューティング下手だけどデススマやりたくて数年前箱360とソフト買ったけど箱の起動が面倒で数回遊んで360邪魔なのでしまう。
ずっと諦めてたけど、先ほど検索したらアプデが来てるしかも7ヶ月前に‼️
気づかなかったけど、早速再インストール。
また遊べる事に感動。有難うございます‼️
スマホで気軽に遊びたい時に遊べるのは嬉しい。

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-07.*