# Castlevania vs Hyper Light Drifter

The clearest difference is rating: Hyper Light Drifter at 4.9 against Castlevania's 3.9. Hyper Light Drifter also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 29 months) and review sentiment (83% vs 54%). Castlevania's advantage is chart position (#13 vs #167) and price ($2.99 vs $4.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Castlevania costs $2.99 and Hyper Light Drifter $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Hyper Light Drifter holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.8K and 6.7K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Castlevania's written reviews are positive against 83% of Hyper Light Drifter's.

Castlevania ships an update every 29 months, Hyper Light Drifter every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Castlevania | Hyper Light Drifter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [3.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castlevania-sotn/id1435456830/reviews) | **[4.9 (6.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hyper-light-drifter/id1453875289/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K | **6.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 53.7% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 29 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | #167 |
| Size | 326 MB | 813 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [KONAMI](https://appshunter.io/developer/299580230) | [Abylight S.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/964465649) |

## What reviewers say

### Castlevania

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

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Paid · Adventure, #29 Top Paid · Action, #87 Top Paid · Games, #142 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


### Hyper Light Drifter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hyper-light-drifter/id1453875289)

**Currently charting:** #167 Top Paid · Action, #187 Top Paid · Adventure (US App Store)

Embark on an action-adventure RPG journey through a vast, ruined world filled with danger and lost technologies. Explore, battle vicious enemies, and uncover secrets in this hand-animated, visually stunning experience.

**Highlights:** Hand-animated visuals, Vast, ruined world exploration, Challenging combat, Weapon upgrades and skills, Branching paths and secrets, Evocative soundtrack

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🔥 Gorgeous game
- 👍 Engaging gameplay
- 🎨 Beautiful art style
- 🎶 Excellent soundtrack
- 🤯 Challenging but fair

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Unclear controls/tutorials
- 🤕 Frustrating difficulty
- 🤔 Lack of story explanation
- 🤖 Unresponsive touch controls
- 🤕 Imprecise aiming/platforming

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when fighting in the tower
- Background glitches and visual issues
- Inconsistent frame rate on some devices

**Requested features**

- Add controller remapping
- Improve touch control responsiveness
- Provide more story context
- Adjust difficulty settings
- Add widescreen support for newer devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Castlevania free?

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

### Is Hyper Light Drifter free?

Hyper Light Drifter costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Castlevania or Hyper Light Drifter?

Hyper Light Drifter is rated higher. Castlevania averages 3.9 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Hyper Light Drifter averages 4.9 from 6.7K ratings.

### Do Castlevania or Hyper Light Drifter have ads?

Neither Castlevania nor Hyper Light Drifter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Castlevania or Hyper Light Drifter?

Castlevania ships an update every 29 months, and Hyper Light Drifter every 6 weeks. Most recently, Castlevania was updated on October 14, 2026 and Hyper Light Drifter on October 14, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Castlevania or Hyper Light Drifter?

Castlevania currently peaks at #13 in the App Store charts, and Hyper Light Drifter at #167. 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.*