# Downwell vs Castlevania

The clearest difference is rating: Downwell at 4.7 against Castlevania's 3.9. Downwell also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 54%) and update cadence (every 9 months vs every 29 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Downwell costs $2.99 and Castlevania $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Downwell holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.8K and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Downwell's written reviews are positive against 54% of Castlevania's.

Downwell ships an update every 9 months, Castlevania every 29 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Downwell | Castlevania |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downwell/id1032708262/reviews)** | [3.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castlevania-sotn/id1435456830/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **79.6% of reviews** | 53.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 months** | Every 29 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #20 | **#14** |
| Size | 80 MB | 326 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 9.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Devolver](https://appshunter.io/developer/457410262) | [KONAMI](https://appshunter.io/developer/299580230) |

## What reviewers say

### Downwell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downwell/id1032708262)

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Paid · Casual, #63 Top Paid · Action (US App Store)

Venture into a dangerous well with special gun boots to collect gems and battle creatures. Discover shops for upgrades and uncover hidden riches in this procedurally generated action game. Each descent offers a unique challenge.

**Highlights:** Gun boots for combat and descent control, Procedurally generated levels, Shop for items and upgrades, Unique weapons and items, Simple, responsive three-button controls

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 🎨 Excellent retro visuals
- 🎶 Great chiptune soundtrack
- 👍 Addictive and challenging
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes when switching apps
- 🔇 No option to mute sound effects
- 👆 Controls can be obstructed by fingers
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes on iPhone 6s
- Performance issues on older iPads

**Requested features**

- Horizontal/landscape mode
- Ability to save progress
- More level/game mode variety
- Customizable controls


### Castlevania

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castlevania-sotn/id1435456830)

**Currently charting:** #14 Top Paid · Adventure, #30 Top Paid · Action, #89 Top Paid · Games, #128 Top Paid (US App Store)

Experience a classic action RPG on mobile. Explore a vast castle, battle unique enemies, and uncover secrets as Alucard. This port features updated controls and achievements.

**Highlights:** Direct port of the console classic, Play as Alucard, Jump, dash, and slash combat, Vast castle exploration, Game controller compatibility, New continue feature, Unlockable achievements

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faithful port of a classic game
- 🎮 Works well with controllers
- 💰 Great value for the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎮 Unresponsive touch controls
- 🔍 Small action buttons
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (clock room issue, save system issues)

**Reported bugs**

- Clock room not functioning properly
- Save system issues (not saving, losing progress)
- Audio issues (no sound, pitch/speed problems)

**Requested features**

- Customizable controls and button layout
- Original voice acting option
- Improved cutscene quality
- Cloud save support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Downwell free?

Downwell costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Castlevania free?

Castlevania costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Downwell or Castlevania?

Downwell is rated higher. Downwell averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Castlevania averages 3.9 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Downwell or Castlevania have ads?

Neither Downwell nor Castlevania shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Downwell or Castlevania?

Downwell ships an update every 9 months, and Castlevania every 29 months. Most recently, Downwell was updated on October 16, 2026 and Castlevania on October 17, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Downwell or Castlevania?

Downwell currently peaks at #20 in the App Store charts, and Castlevania at #14. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*