Comparison

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ vs Grimvalor

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ

Relive a classic JRPG adventure on your mobile device. Explore a rich story with memorable characters, master unique abilities, and engage in strategic turn-based battles. Discover hidden secrets and enjoy various minigames.

Highlights
  • Learn and master abilities by equipping items
  • Enter Trance mode for powerful new skills in battle
  • Combine items and equipment through synthesis
  • Engage in various minigames like Chocobo Hot and Cold
  • Utilize game boosters like high speed and no encounter modes
  • Enjoy high-definition movies and character models
Read full description

-------------------------------------------------- Due to the size of the application, the download may take a considerable amount of time to complete. The app uses 3.9GB of space. When downloading the game for the first time, you must have more than 4GB of space available on your device. Version updates for the app will use more than 4GB of space. Please ensure that there is plenty of space available on your device before downloading. -------------------------------------------------- ■Description Selling over 5.5million copies since its release in 2000, FINAL FANTASY IX proudly returns on iOS! Now you can relive the adventures of Zidane and his crew in the palm of your hands! Enjoy this classic FINAL FANTASY experience with no additional fees or purchases. ■Story Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe have kidnapped Princess Garnet, the heir of Alexandria. To their surprise, however, the princess herself yearned to escape the castle. Through a series of unusual circumstances, she and her personal guard, Steiner, fall in with Zidane and set out on an incredible journey. Meeting unforgettable characters like Vivi and Quina along the way, they learn about themselves, the secrets of the Crystal, and a malevolent force that threatens to destroy their world. ■Gameplay Features ・Abilities Learn new abilities by equipping items. When fully mastered, these abilities can be used even without equipping items, allowing for nearly endless customization options. ・Trance Fill your Trance gauge as you sustain hits in battle. When fully charged, your characters will enter Trance mode, granting them powerful new skills! ・Synthesis Never let items go to waste. Combine two items or pieces of equipment together and make better, stronger items! ・Minigames Whether it's Chocobo Hot and Cold, Jump Rope, or Tetra Master, there are plenty of minigames to enjoy when you're not off saving the world. You can even earn special item rewards! ■Additional Features ・Achievements ・7 game boosters including high speed and no encounter modes. ・Autosave ・High-definition movies and character models. ーーーーーーー Operating System iOS 15.6 or later Recommended Devices iPhone 7, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 16e iPad Pro (3rd Generation), iPad Pro (4th Generation), iPad Air 5 We cannot guarantee proper performance on devices other than those listed above. Please confirm your device model before downloading this app.

About

Grimvalor

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure as a lone warrior battling through a corrupted realm. Master skill-based combat, explore atmospheric landscapes, and face epic boss fights in this challenging hack and slash platformer. Restore the kingdom and uncover the fate of its lost king.

Highlights
  • Skill-based combat
  • Exploration of dark fantasy world
  • Epic boss fights
  • Stunning 3D visuals
  • Customizable touch controls
  • MFi controller support
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Slash your way through the hordes of darkness and defeat King Valor's fearsome guardians in this breathtaking adventure! "Chaining together a slick series of attacks, dodges, and jumps, is incredibly satisfying." — PocketGamer "I suspect mobile gaming fans will be playing and replaying this one for years to come." — TouchArcade, 5/5 A malicious power stirs in the forgotten kingdom of Vallaris. Tasked with discovering the fate of its lost king, your quest quickly takes a sinister turn and you are cast into darkness. Surrounded and outnumbered, you must grab your sword, steel your temper and fight your way through a land that does not welcome you. Except for the friendly merchant - he's grateful for your business. ABOUT THE GAME Grimvalor is a challenging hack & slash platformer with fast-paced combat in a dark fantasy world. Take control of a lone warrior on a quest to restore a corrupted realm. Embark on a journey through atmospheric landscapes and dungeons in a massive story-driven premium experience. COMBAT & EXPLORATION Master skill-based combat, learn enemy patterns and bring them down with all your fury. Explore the shattered lands of Vallaris, find and upgrade equipment and level up your character. Face the legacy of King Valor's madness and prevail! FEATURES • Epic boss fights • Stunning 3D visuals accelerated by Metal graphics • Accurate and customizable touch controls • Full support for MFi game controllers • Use iCloud to keep your saves in sync between devices. • Play offline - perfect for commute. • No ads or in-app purchases

Screenshots

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ4 screens
Grimvalor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Grimvalor at 91% against FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ's 40%. Grimvalor also leads on price ($5.99 vs $20.99) and rating (4.9 vs 3.2). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ costs $20.99 and Grimvalor $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Grimvalor holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Grimvalor has 9.8K ratings behind it against 1.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ's written reviews are positive against 91% of Grimvalor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ ships an update monthly, Grimvalor every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ versus Grimvalor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFINAL FANTASY ⅨGrimvalor
Price$20.99$5.99 — better
Rating3.2 (1.4K ratings)4.9 (9.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.1% of reviews90.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.4K9.8K — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#74 — better#78
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2.9 GB739 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperSQUARE ENIXDirelight

Customer experience

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ

All ratings1,400 ratings
Positive54.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative41.8%
Written reviews429 reviews
Positive40.1%
Neutral6.1%
Negative53.8%

Grimvalor

All ratings9,754 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews804 reviews
Positive90.8%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.0%

Bugs and requests

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Grimvalor

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Dodge not registering properly
  • Crashes in New Game Plus
  • Companion AI issues
  • Graphical glitches on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • More levels and content
  • Ability to replay bosses
  • Enemy scaling for higher difficulties
  • Expanded weapon and trinket selection
  • New game plus improvements

In-app purchases

None

FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ

No in-app purchases

None

Grimvalor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ free?
FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ costs $20.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Grimvalor free?
Grimvalor costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ or Grimvalor?
Grimvalor is rated higher. FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ averages 3.2 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Grimvalor averages 4.9 from 9.8K ratings.
Do FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ or Grimvalor have ads?
Neither FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ nor Grimvalor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ or Grimvalor?
FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ ships an update monthly, and Grimvalor every 2 months. Most recently, FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ was updated on October 27, 2026 and Grimvalor on October 27, 2026.
Which is more popular, FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ or Grimvalor?
FINAL FANTASY Ⅸ currently peaks at #74 in the App Store charts, and Grimvalor at #78. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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