# Hero Emblems II vs Shift Shaft

The clearest difference is rating: Shift Shaft at 4.9 against Hero Emblems II's 4.3. Shift Shaft also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and price ($2.99 vs $3.99). Hero Emblems II's advantage is iOS requirement (10.3 vs 14.0). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Hero Emblems II costs $3.99 and Shift Shaft $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Shift Shaft holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 156 and 143 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Hero Emblems II's written reviews are positive against 100% of Shift Shaft's.

Hero Emblems II ships an update every 3 weeks, Shift Shaft fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hero Emblems II | Shift Shaft |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | [4.3 (156 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hero-emblems-ii/id1070462618/reviews) | **[4.9 (143 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-shaft/id1387207777/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **156** | 143 |
| Positive reviews | 62.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#82** | #199 |
| Size | 544 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.3** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [HeatPot Games Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/645797561) | [William Katz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1387207776) |

## What reviewers say

### Hero Emblems II

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hero-emblems-ii/id1070462618)

**Currently charting:** #82 Top Paid · Role Playing, #96 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Embark on an epic adventure combining match-3 puzzles with classic JRPG elements. Lead a team of heroic warriors, unleash powerful skills through strategic emblem matching, and explore a world filled with magic, monsters, and ancient mysteries.

**Highlights:** Match-3 emblem battles, Traditional JRPG exploration, Unique hero skills and backstories, Equipment customization, Food consumption system for buffs, Japanese character voice acting

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent match-3 gameplay mechanics
- 💰 No pay-to-win or microtransactions
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 🎵 Great music and character voice acting
- 📖 Engaging story with RPG elements

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚔️ Severe difficulty spikes and boss balancing issues
- ⏳ Excessive grinding required for progression
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and soft crashes
- 🌍 Poor English localization and translation quality
- 📋 Lack of quest journal or quest tracking system

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes during final boss battles
- Soft crashes and emblem dropping errors
- iCloud sync not working properly after reinstall
- Location markers disappearing after quest completion
- Touchscreen input not working on one side of map

**Requested features**

- Enemy level indicators for dungeon difficulty assessment
- Quest journal and quest tracking system
- Endgame endless mode for post-story gameplay
- Easy or casual difficulty mode
- Game+ or New Game+ mode


### Shift Shaft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shift-shaft/id1387207777)

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Paid · Casual (US App Store)

This puzzle game challenges players to match three or more rocks by rotating the entire game board. Upgrade your character's stats and unlock items as you explore an underground world and battle unique enemies. Enjoy an uninterrupted gaming experience with no ads or in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Rotate the game board, Match 3 or more rocks, Upgrade player stats, Unlock over 30 items, Battle 5 unique enemies, Explore underground world

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Innovative rotate screen mechanic
- 👍 Easy to learn, hard to master
- 💎 Rare hidden gem
- 🧠 Clever and entertaining design
- ✨ Adds a breath of fresh air

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 Graphics could be less pixelated
- 🤔 Difficult to pick up strategies
- ⏳ Mid-run save feature missing

**Requested features**

- Non-pixelated graphics
- Mid-run save option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hero Emblems II free?

Hero Emblems II costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shift Shaft free?

Shift Shaft costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hero Emblems II or Shift Shaft?

Shift Shaft is rated higher. Hero Emblems II averages 4.3 out of 5 from 156 ratings, while Shift Shaft averages 4.9 from 143 ratings.

### Do Hero Emblems II or Shift Shaft have ads?

Neither Hero Emblems II nor Shift Shaft shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hero Emblems II or Shift Shaft?

Hero Emblems II ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shift Shaft fortnightly. Most recently, Hero Emblems II was updated on September 25, 2026 and Shift Shaft on September 10, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Hero Emblems II or Shift Shaft?

Hero Emblems II currently peaks at #82 in the App Store charts, and Shift Shaft at #199. 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.*