Comparison

Headland vs HopBound

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

Head to head
About

Headland

Embark on a fast-paced action adventure to recover shattered imagination fragments. Engage in unique swipe-and-tap combat, unlock and upgrade weapons, and explore a vibrant imaginary world with memorable characters. This game offers a complete story-driven experience without microtransactions.

Highlights
  • Swipe-and-tap combat system
  • Weapon unlocking and upgrading
  • Story-driven exploration
  • Vivid characters
  • No microtransactions or ads
Features
Read full description

FIGHT FOR YOUR IMAGINATION A powerful force shatters the imagination core from Nor’s Headland. With his robot friends he has to find the fragments and fight to regain his limitless creativity. Headland is a fast paced action adventure game from the award winning studio Northplay. Experience a completely new take on the action adventure genre built entirely around mobile. SWIPE, TAP, FIGHT, UPGRADE, EXPLORE Fight a host of monsters in our unique swipe-and-tap-based combat system. Unlock new weapons in arenas and upgrade them using resources gathered on your journey. Tap through a story full of vivid characters and explore a big beautiful imaginary world. NO MICROTRANSACTIONS Headland is a game that you can finish. No microtransactions, ads or retention mechanics. The game is free to download featuring the first 45 minutes of gameplay. The rest of the game is unlocked through a single purchase. The full game features 5+ hours of rich story-driven and action packed gameplay with an ending.

About

HopBound

Embark on a surreal journey through a retro-style psychological horror game. Explore unsettling 16-bit platformer stages and endless runner levels as a recluse confronting her past. Experience a haunting narrative with spine-chilling audio and evolving monsters.

Highlights
  • Story-driven psychological horror
  • 16-bit horror platformer stages
  • Endless runner levels
  • Nostalgic 4-color pixel art
  • Spine-chilling ambient music
  • Evolved monsters
  • iMessage sticker pack
Features
Read full description

HopBound is a story-driven psychological horror game that revolves around the surreal mind of Mayumi, a recluse who must journey through an unsettling retro game to come to terms with the ghosts of her past. Through 16-bit horror platformer stages and endless runner levels with gorgeous pixel art, she discovers that her sanity will be tested by something lurking behind the screen. ===== NOSTALGIC VISUALS Most of the game's stunning visuals use a palette of only four colors to evoke the charm of 90s handheld games. SPINE-CHILLING AUDIO Listen to unique ambient music that provides a sense of dream-like dread as you explore the game's sinister levels. A STANDALONE CONTINUATION Taking place two years after the events of the critically acclaimed DERE EVIL EXE, HopBound serves as a continuation of that story. However, users do not need to play DERE EVIL EXE to immerse themselves in HopBound's narrative experience. HEART-POUNDING MONSTERS Enemies from previous entries are brought back to life and have evolved into new incomprehensible forms. MULTIPLE GAME MODES Engage in frenzied platforming in story-rich levels and test your skills in infinite runner levels tailored for people who like competing for high scores on the Game Center leaderboard. MEANINGFUL MACHINATIONS Going against sequel conventions, HopBound doesn't go bigger and badder for the scale of its story. Instead, the game focuses inward, resulting in a haunting yet meaningful tale. ADORABLE STICKERS Now comes with an iMessage sticker pack featuring HopBound's adorable cast of characters! ===== This game contains one optional in-app purchase to permanently disable ads. We recommend that users purchase this feature for a truly immersive experience.

Screenshots

Headland4 screens
HopBound4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HopBound at 4.7 against Headland's 3.9. HopBound also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 59%). Headland's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Headland sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and HopBound sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HopBound holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 150 and 139 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Headland's written reviews are positive against 81% of HopBound's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Headland ships an update every 4 days, HopBound every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Headland versus HopBound: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeadlandHopBound
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (150 ratings)4.7 (139 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.0% of reviews80.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings150 — better139
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size274 MB97 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperNorthplayDarius Immanuel Guerrero

Customer experience

Headland

All ratings150 ratings
Positive71.3%
Neutral8.0%
Negative20.7%
Written reviews78 reviews
Positive59.0%
Neutral15.4%
Negative25.6%

HopBound

All ratings139 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral2.2%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive80.6%
Neutral8.6%
Negative10.8%

Bugs and requests

Headland

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Game freezing during gameplay
  • Crashes on certain devices
  • Lag and performance stuttering
  • Collision detection issues with objects
  • Boss level endless enemy wave bug
Show 3 more
  • Graphics glitches
  • Character movement erratic behavior
  • Attack registration inconsistency

Requested features

9 requests
  • Landscape mode support
  • Control sensitivity adjustment option
  • D-pad or action button alternative controls
  • Full screen support for newer phones
  • Male/female character selection
Show 4 more
  • New levels and additional content
  • Apple TV or Nintendo Switch support
  • Improved camera behavior
  • Better one-handed gameplay optimization

HopBound

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Headland

One-time1
  • Full game$5.99
1 purchases

HopBound

One-time1
  • Remove Ads for HopBound$1.99

Questions

Is Headland free?
Headland is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HopBound free?
HopBound is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Headland or HopBound?
HopBound is rated higher. Headland averages 3.9 out of 5 from 150 ratings, while HopBound averages 4.7 from 139 ratings.
Do Headland or HopBound have ads?
HopBound shows ads; Headland does not.
Which is updated more often, Headland or HopBound?
Headland ships an update every 4 days, and HopBound every 3 days. Most recently, Headland was updated on October 24, 2026 and HopBound on October 24, 2026.

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