MeltLand vs Ascender
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MeltLand
Guide a water droplet through a mysterious, melted world by manipulating the terrain. This challenging rolling ball game tests your patience and precision as you aim for the goal while avoiding falls. Collect gems to earn lives and progress through unique levels.
- Manipulate terrain by pushing up ground
- Guide a droplet to the goal
- Avoid falling from the field
- Collect gems for lives
- Tap to create ripples
Read full descriptionHide full description
∵∴ Google Indie Games Festival 2019 Top 3 Award Winner ∴∵ Roll the droplet by pushing up the melted ground! New sense Rolling Ball Game. This game is a bit difficult, and you will be tested the calm of your heart. It is a mysterious melted world... All you can do is to push up the ground from below. Carefully to avoid falling, sometimes boldly roll the droplet and aim for the goal! [ How to Play ] 1, Stroking the screen with your finger will bulge the ground and you can move it. 2, Carry the droplet to the goal carefully and gently so as not to fall from the field. 3, Ripples spread by tapping. 4, Collect gems as much as possible. It is interchangeable with lives. News & Support: @m_hakozaki on Twitter
Ascender
Embark on an 8-bit arcade adventure, ascending from an abyss. Navigate treacherous terrain, defeat enemies, and manage your engine's heat. Experience thrilling gameplay with retro graphics and sound, aiming for the highest score.
- Retro arcade graphics and sound
- 1000m of level design
- Easy mobile controls
- Quick start checkpoints
- 3 Game modes
- Game Center leaderboards
Read full descriptionHide full description
Ascend from the depths of the abyss in this original 8-BIT style arcade game. Navigate through challenging terrain and defeat enemies while trying not to overheat your engine. This simple arcade game will have your heart pumping as you approach the next checkpoint. Features: - Retro arcade graphics and sound - 1000m of level design to ascend - Easy to use mobile controls - Quick start checkpoints every 100m - Lovable enemies to defeat - 3 Game modes (Classic, Time Trial and Survivor) - Game Center global leaderboards NO Ads, NO In App purchases, Completely FREE.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ascender at 98% against MeltLand's 59%. Ascender also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and device support 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
Both are free to download. MeltLand sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Ascender asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ascender holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 243 and 155 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of MeltLand's written reviews are positive against 98% of Ascender's.
MeltLand ships an update fortnightly, Ascender weekly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | MeltLand | Ascender |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (243 ratings) | 4.9 (155 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 58.8% of reviews | 98.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 243 — better | 155 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 85 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Masataka Hakozaki | Peter Moyle |
Customer experience
MeltLand
Ascender
User reviews
MeltLand
From 243 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✨ Beautiful graphics and visuals
- 🎶 Pleasant and relaxing music/sound
- 👍 Simple and intuitive controls
- 💡 Innovative gameplay concept
- 😌 Relaxing and calming atmosphere
Room to improve
- 🥵 Extremely difficult/challenging
- 😠 Frustrating and causes anger
- 😩 Repetitive gameplay
- 📉 Limited levels/content
- 💸 Monetization issues (ads, lives)
Ascender
From 155 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎮 No ads or in-app purchases
- 🎨 Retro aesthetic and pixel art style
- ⚙️ Simple yet engaging gameplay mechanics
- 🎯 Challenging but fair difficulty balance
- 🏆 Multiple game modes (Classic, Survival, Time Trial)
Room to improve
- 📏 Control buttons positioned too close together and far left
- ⏱️ Limited content - single level with three play modes
- 🎮 Controls occasionally unresponsive or don't register
- 😞 Game is too short for some players
- 🔧 Input detection issues causing unexpected deaths
Bugs and requests
MeltLand
Reported bugs
5 issues- App crashes on startup/won't open
- Automatic heart recharge not working
- Ads not loading for skipping levels
- Game crashes after purchase (no ads, unlimited lives)
- Game not opening on specific iOS versions
Requested features
8 requests- Add checkpoints/mid-level saves
- Lower the difficulty or add difficulty options
- Add more levels or game modes
- Allow customization of water droplet color/appearance
- Implement a dark mode
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Add a free play or sandbox mode
- Improve camera control or allow perspective changes
- Add a warning for new ramps appearing
Ascender
Reported bugs
2 issues- Controls don't register sometimes causing flight or fire errors
- Input detection issues leading to unexpected deaths
Requested features
7 requests- Sequel or Part 2 with more levels
- Progress saving functionality
- Additional levels and content
- Adjustable button sizes
- Discord server for community
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Repositioned control buttons for better accessibility
- More game modes or variations
In-app purchases
MeltLand
- GEM x500$0.99
- ADS REMOVAL$1.99
- GEM x2000$1.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- GEM DOUBLER$1.99
- UNLIMITED LIVES$4.99
Ascender
No in-app purchases
