# Star Merge - Magic Match Story — user reviews > 574 indexed App Store user reviews of Star Merge by Plummy Games, rated 4.80/5 from 5,141 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-merge-magic-match-story/id1580697094/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-merge-magic-match-story/id1580697094.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 4,400 · 4★ 507 · 3★ 93 · 2★ 43 · 1★ 98 ## What do users think of Star Merge? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 🚀 Fun, addictive gameplay - 👍 No ads - 🎨 Cute graphics and characters - 🕰️ Can play for long periods without energy limits **Cons** - ⏱️ Slow progress and long wait times - 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics, expensive in-app purchases - 🌱 Limited water resources, plants degrade quickly - 🤔 Lack of guidance and tutorials - 🔍 Difficulty expanding and unlocking new areas **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes and freezes - Syncing and login issues - Disappearing in-app purchases **Most requested features** - More water sources and faster water regeneration - Improved tutorial and in-game guidance - Faster progression and less grindy gameplay - Ability to merge stars to higher levels - More event content and islands to explore ## Newest reviews (13 of 574) ### 2/5 — Fun, BUT……. *2026-08-19, version 1.800* I truly enjoyed this merge game as it helps tremendously to quiet my brain after a busy day HOWEVER with the latest update that now pushes SO much ad watching for literally everything and doing away with buying more energy with coins an moving it to gems I’m going to be looking for another game. Which at this point is sad considering I have spent $ on this game regularly over the past year of playing. This newest update is a tremendous disappointment. ### 3/5 — Fun, but getting old *2026-08-11, version 1.800* I like this game, but the side quest are always the same. The magic spin is a joke it always lands on the same wedge. 30 xp I’ve been playing for about a year now. How about making some new side quest ### 2/5 — Fun, but expensive! *2026-07-25, version 1.790* Fun game. Very expensive though. Ads don’t load half the time. Needs update to fix bugs. ### 4/5 — The game *2026-07-17, version 1.790* Few issues but they are very willing to fix things. One game I’ve loved and play daily. ### 2/5 — I’M DONE 👎🏻 *2026-07-14, version 1.790* Last night I noticed that locked squares of land were no longer 55-99k, they were much more reasonable. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I cleared multiple squares in one night when it usually takes weeks to clear ONE square. Then, I noticed that XP was no longer 300-779k to level up!!! It was 20-50k to level up! I have 3 parts of land that would be unlocked if I was at that level (29, 30, 31) I have those buildings maxed out but it’s going to take me years to level up. Then once you unlock the land you have to spend millions (literally) of star potions to clear each square. I was so excited to finally level up and clear out more space. Today I was working on a square of land for 5k and I noticed that it no longer said 5k, it was back to 55k!!! Then I check the XP and it’s back to hundreds of thousands! I nearly launched my iPad out of shock. I win tournaments often which takes MANY gems, but the most I win is 40-50! You should be able to opt out because it’s not worth it. I went from actually being excited to play to being completely done. I don’t understand how or why they changed it back and I don’t know how I dealt with it for so long but I have better ways to spend my time and money. You’re forced to enter the side maps, you join and there’s pop up after pop up to buy things. Then you get low on energy and get a pop up to buy gems then another pop up to spend gems on energy. Now on the main island you tap the energy at the top and a similar screen pops up to buy energy with gems, instead of just having “fill with gems” then “shop” at the top corner of the screen. It’s small dumb things like that which make no sense to me. Why keep changing little things like that? Putting symbols all over every item on the board and you have your whole screen covered in little icons. You can only zoom out so far. It’s overstimulating and dramatic. I’ve purchased all the extra land that was available for money, $5, $10 and $20 but it’s going to take a year to get to level 29. No thanks! ### 2/5 — Sad *2026-07-02, version 1.790* It takes winning too many points to move up a level in this game. I used to love Star Merge. Now I am frustrated with playing and no movement. It makes me sad that I’m getting bored with the game. ### 3/5 — I love this game but it’s getting lame *2026-06-08, version 1.780* I’ve spent more money than I’d like to admit on this game. It’s the only app game I play anymore. It’s been getting more annoying the higher level you are. It takes months to level up. Then you have to spend millions of star potions and the highest is only worth 810…. not even 1000. 810. 😂 HONEY! Honey is used for so many things but we only get 4-7 while the others are 5-8. Honey is used more so why give us less? I almost ALWAYS get 4 honey. The lucky shamrock deal on the side island used to give you 500 gems, then it went to 400, NOW IT’S AT 360. Now instead of 50 mangoes + 500 gems for $5, it’s 450 gems. This game is on my last nerve. They want money money money while they give you less and less. I’m done spending real money. I can’t even get on my phone, only iPad. Also you can lose 347 gems in one accidental click but you can’t even open a chest without tapping the chest then tapping “open.” Why does every item have to have a symbol on it? I know my crops can be watered and I know my rocks can be hit. We don’t need a symbol on every item plus buildings. There’s icons all over the edge of the whole screen and you can only zoom out so far. It’s so overstimulating now. ### 3/5 — Trouble shooting *2026-06-07, version 1.780* I’ve been playing this game for over a yr now , and all of a sudden I can’t ope it , every time I try it immediately shuts down . I’ve deleted the app and reinstalled it today and it’s doing the same thing. Is the game discontinued or something? What’s going on I’ve sen few emails and got no response. Also it’s hard to move to the next levels , seems like it takes or ever. ### 4/5 — Can’t open game *2026-06-06, version 1.780* I love this game, but since the last update it will not open on my iPad. I tried app support but since the game won’t open I can’t get my user I’d so I am asking for suggestions here. ### 3/5 — I’ve been playing over 2 years *2026-06-06, version 1.780* The new update crashes. I can’t play now and I don’t know what to do about it. ### 3/5 — 3rd time asked for help *2026-06-05, version 1.780* Very disappointed in Star merge. Still Play but not much fun. When my stars come as a reward and I press on them they go to my extra land except when I get the amount of stars I need the item says Path Is Locked. I know that wrong and have asked several times and sent messages and photos and no one has responded ### 2/5 — Les boites *2026-05-09, version 1.771* On doit cliques deux fois pour les ouvrir ou encore les points d’exclamation sur les maisons….pu capable ### 4/5 — Great game but …. *2026-05-08, version 1.770* I have been playing this game for a long time and it is one of the best merge games I have ever played. My main issue is the amount of orders you have to do to get stars, to unlock new land. I feel like the game becomes stagnant for a long time due to this. Could you please lower the amount of star power it takes to unlock more land please? ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Don’t bother…… *2026-07-14, version 1.790* Update after update and still no resolution. Things will be changed and then the next day go back to being messed up. I don’t have time to complain every day when they keep messing things up. ### 1/5 — New update 😖 *2026-07-02, version 1.790* Absolutely love this game but the new update is HORRIBLE!!! Requiring so many unnecessary “clicks” to get through what was so simple and enjoyable has made it tedious and frustrating. Not sure I will continue to play, which is very disappointing to me because I have a lot of time invested… ### 1/5 — Furious *2026-06-28, version 1.785* The game used the magic hat to merge my level 9 pieces without my ok! I’m mad! I worked hard to get those and spent real money and now there is 2 days left not enough time to replace them, assuming they were worth 1000 coins each that’s 5000 coins I really needed! I’ll delete this game if not fixed and get rid of the hat! Hat not needed! Grrr!! ### 1/5 — Crashing *2026-06-27, version 1.785* This game worked flawlessly for a year until yesterday when the game no longer opens. What up? ### 1/5 — Why can’t I open my game? *2026-06-08, version 1.780* I even redownloaded the game ### 1/5 — Can no longer load *2026-06-08, version 1.780* I used to love this game but since the latest update I’ve not been able to load it ### 1/5 — Been playing over a year *2026-06-07, version 1.780* After last update I get a gray screen then app closes ### 1/5 — Crashing *2026-06-05, version 1.780* When I try to open the app it quits immediately. ### 1/5 — Too many carrots *2026-05-31, version 1.775* Too many carrots and not enough of anything else. ### 1/5 — Terms and conditions *2026-05-11, version 1.771* Since the update we are required to sign the terms and conditions agreement every time we open the app. It’s annoying, why isn’t once enough and then at the time of changes to the terms? ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Jeu *2026-07-04* Ce jeu est joli ,très mignon mais dommage qu’on arrive jamais à finir les événements, ce qui démotive ! Trop d’énergie demandé,au début on demande presque rien et ensuite c’est impossible de continuer et lorsque l’on gagne les 30% d’énergie et bien on en a plus à part si on paye ce qui est impossible !!!! Pas d’amélioration pour les événements, c’est impossible à finir et trop démotivent,ou alors il faut payer , payer ………. Plus envie de jouer !!!!!! **Developer response:** Hi, thank you for the feedback and we’re sorry to hear that you're facing difficulties in-game progress. Player satisfaction is important to us, and we’re continuously improving. Please feel free to contact us at help@plummygames.com with your concerns. We’re here to help! ### 5/5 — Почему-то не запускается игра *2026-06-29* Очень Крутая игра))) Но в последнее время не запускается , можно ли что-то с этим сделать? **Developer response:** Спасибо за ваш отзыв! Нам жаль, что у вас возникли трудности со входом в игру. Пожалуйста, напишите нам на help@plummygames.com, и мы постараемся помочь вам как можно скорее. ### 5/5 — unable to open app *2026-06-12, version 1.780* I just did the upgrade on this app 2 days ago and now I am unable to open app and play. ### 5/5 — Purple magic hat needs some work *2026-06-07, version 1.780* Please give a warning with the hat before it takes your items. Twice I accidentally hit the hat and it took items that I didn’t even get a chance to see what they were. ### 5/5 — Not working *2026-06-06, version 1.780* I love this game but the last 2 days when I click on icon it goes to black screen then just goes back to my Home Screen is anyone else having this problem ### 5/5 — Can not access my game *2026-06-05, version 1.780* I have tried everything to get on to my game and no luck please help me ### 5/5 — I love this game *2026-06-05, version 1.780* I love this game. That is all. ### 5/5 — Plz plz *2026-05-08, version 1.770* Thank you!! I truly love this game!!! And I truly recommend this game for all ages! Always new things to do! ### 5/5 — 내 보라에너지 돌려주세요 *2026-05-01* 재밌게하고 있긴 한데… 업데이트 되고 이전에 어드벤처 시작안해서 못받은 300 보라 에너지 왜 사라졌나요ㅠㅠ 돌려주세요 **Developer response:** Hi, we’re sorry to hear about the frustration. Your feedback is important, and we’d like to help! Please email us at help@plummygames.com with your User ID so we can investigate further. ### 5/5 — Please change this !? *2026-04-30, version 1.770* I think this game is one of my all time favorite. I have been playing this game for over a year. It’s the only game I’ll play. But they recently did an update and usually I like their updates. And I hope they see this review because idk how else to get ahold of them. But yall recently updated and changed how you open gifts and those purple onion looking things. You used to just tap and it would open. Now you have to tap on it and click open. If you play the game you know you have to click those onions 5plus times to get the gifts out (which is fine). But since the update, it’s double that. So now everytime I click the onion I have to tap twice before getting stuff out. I know it might not seem like that big of a deal… but those taps add up. I’m playing a merge game not a tap game lol. I love this game so much, but I’m not gonna lie, I have backed off of i playing since the update because I get tired of all the extra tapping. Hope this can be changed back soon. --- *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 2026-08-29.*