# Zaga-33

> Top-down exploration adventure game on a hostile alien planet. (iPhone/iPad app by Michael Brough.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zaga-33/id516903940 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Michael Brough](https://appshunter.io/developer/490257881)
- Category: Games, Adventure, Strategy
- Price: $3.99
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 30 App Store ratings · 94 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 10.0 · 33 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-04-11
- Data updated: 2026-08-31
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zaga-33/id516903940/reviews.md

## What is Zaga?

You are stranded on rogue planet Zaga-33!  Explore deep into its mysterious caverns.  Fight off horrible green monsters and discover esoteric alien artifacts.  Destroy the alien Cortex to escape.

"Few games are as hypnotic or menacing as Zaga-33, a top-down exploration adventure in which you somehow work your way through an oppressive alien world. Fast-paced and pleasingly nasty." - 500 Must-have Apps, The Telegraph, 3 October 2012

## Key features

- Explore mysterious caverns
- Fight horrible green monsters
- Discover alien artifacts
- Destroy the alien Cortex
- Top-down exploration adventure

## Chart rankings

- #195 in Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 94)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zaga-33/id516903940/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Puzzling

*2025-07-05, version 5.1*

roguelike from an exceptional game designer. 

Edit: Thanks very much for the unexpected update!

### 5/5 — Updated?!?

*2023-05-26, version 5.1*

Yes!!!! Updated to run on current devices! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Michael!  I thought this was long abandoned.  Very pleased to play it again on mobile!!!

### 5/5 — My favorite phone game designer!

*2023-05-22, version 5.1*

Huge fan of Michael Brough’s games. Such a delight to play these seemingly simply-executed yet deep and complex (and crushingly hard!) tactical games. This is the spiritual precursor to the brilliant 868-HACK (my all time favorite and most-played phone game). 

These are such welcome throwback-style games in a world of overwrought animations and in-game ads. Every one of Brough’s games are absolute bargains.

### 5/5 — Puzzling

*2023-05-15*

roguelike from an exceptional game designer. 

Edit: Thanks very much for the unexpected update!

### 5/5 — The classic is back!

*2023-05-14, version 5*

I really missed this little game.

It’s a lovely simple(?) glitchy rogue like that is just fun to play.

### 5/5 — All hail the Zaga!

*2023-05-13*

It’s back and it works! Thank you Michael Brough

### 5/5 — A gem!

*2023-05-13*

So good to see this back on the App Store! It was the first Michael Brough game I really got into (many more since) and I remember the excitement and tension of closing in on my first complete run. Excited to try another one after years away from it. As with so many of Michael’s games, this is a tightly constructed piece of turn-based strategic genius.

### 5/5 — Has been updated

*2023-05-13*

Runs perfectly on my creaky 1st gen iPhone SE. Thank you for the update Michael!

### 5/5 — Perfektes minimalistisches Roguelike

*2023-05-13*

Eines meiner Lieblingsmobilspiele ist endlich zurück im Store! Ein minimalistisches Roguelike, indem man sich durch zufällig generierte Floors kämpft, dahei hilfreiche Items sammelt, deren Funktion man erst beim Auslösen herausfindet. Gegner haben ihre jeweils eigenen Bewegungsmuster, und meist ist ausweichen und davonlaufen die best Taktik. Absolut geniales Spiel. Nun im Rerelease im Portrait-Modus spielbar, was noch ein großes Plus ist. Fantastisch!

### 3/5 — c'mon

*2021-04-20, version 4*

this was your best game

## Frequently asked questions about Zaga

### What is Zaga-33 about?

Zaga-33 is a top-down exploration adventure game where players are stranded on a hostile alien planet. The objective is to explore its caverns, fight monsters, discover artifacts, and ultimately destroy the alien Cortex to escape.

### What are the main gameplay mechanics?

The game involves deep exploration of mysterious caverns, combat against alien creatures, and the discovery of esoteric alien artifacts. The ultimate goal is to destroy the alien Cortex.

### Is Zaga-33 free to play?

Based on the provided information, Zaga-33 is a paid application. It does not mention any in-app purchases or advertisements, indicating a one-time purchase model.

### What kind of experience does Zaga-33 offer?

Zaga-33 offers a hypnotic and menacing experience, described as a fast-paced and pleasingly nasty top-down exploration adventure set in an oppressive alien world.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.1 — 2023-05-19

unsurprisingly, in the process of fixing everything i also unfixed a couple of other things. those things are now also fixed.
(specifically: touch controls are now adjusted correctly when screens have a weird notch thing, and the menu buttons are no longer invisibly active in the game)

### 5 — 2023-05-12

fixed everything

### 4 — 2015-03-09

i think i've fixed that crash that's been happening, thanks to a little help from Jim and Ciro on twitter!  i've fixed /something/ anyway, let me know if there's still any problems.

### 3 — 2014-11-11

- updated for ios8.  thanks for your patience, it's just me here
--> aargh turns out i didn't fix everything!  working on another update soon, sorry!
- swipe controls improved and are now the default

### 2 — 2012-04-30

- swipe controls
- portrait orientation
- some bugfixes
- simple attack animation
- nothing secret

## Apps similar to Zaga

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [PixelRun](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelrun/id1560628700) | — | Free | Games |
| [Kingdom Guards](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kingdom-guards/id1593199900) | 1.0 (2) | Free | Games |
| [ひとりぼっち惑星](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1121283620) | 4.7 (3) | Free | Games |
| [Prehistoric world adventure](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prehistoric-world-adventure/id1644500220) | — | Free | Games |
| [Train Simulator: Train Games](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/train-simulator-train-games/id1667009660) | 1.0 (1) | Free | Games |
| [Survivor Series: The Islands](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/survivor-series-the-islands/id1584565660) | 2.0 (1) | Free | Games |

## More apps by Michael Brough

- [Helix](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helix/id562550427)
- [Corrypt](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/corrypt/id588935336)
- [868-HACK](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/868-hack/id635749911)
- [Imbroglio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imbroglio/id969264934)
- [Cinco Paus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cinco-paus/id1249999336)

All apps by Michael Brough: https://appshunter.io/developer/490257881

## Related topics

[zaga](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/zaga)

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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 2026-08-31.*