Comparison

Ultimate Sackboy vs Populus Run

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

Head to head
About

Ultimate Sackboy

Embark on an ultimate obstacle racing adventure as an iconic hero. Swipe, dodge, and jump through vibrant tracks, collecting prizes and outsmarting rivals. Customize your character with hundreds of clothing options to win in style.

Highlights
  • Obstacle course racing
  • Swipe to dodge and jump
  • Collect prizes and Bubbles
  • Unlock new tracks and Tiers
  • Daily Duels and tournaments
  • Hundreds of clothing items
  • Season Pass rewards
Features
Read full description

Let your imagination run wild in Sackboy’s ultimate adventure! PLAY AS ICONIC HERO SACKBOY as he takes on the legendary Ultimate Games, the most prestigious – and craziest – obstacle racing tournament in all of Craftworld! Can you slide, dodge and weave past classic Sackboy enemies, surpass your rivals to win cool prizes - all while lookin' stylish!? SWIPE TO DODGE, SLIDE, JUMP in this super-competitive runner challenge! Use precise timing, fast reactions, and a little smarts to think ahead and beat all challengers! Can you collect the most Bubbles to win? As you progress, you will unlock more Tiers – allowing Sackboy to explore a variety of awesome tracks, from the vibrantly stitched race tracks to the paper-crafted library halls! DUEL IT OUT in the Daily Duel every day for the ultimate rewards! Take on your rivals in head-to-head contests and tournaments. Join in on Marathon events and compete in crazy missions to win Coins, prizes – or even your rivals’ outfits! DRESS TO IMPRESS with hundreds of clothing varieties to collect, unlock, upgrade and check out! The more you upgrade, the higher your score, so if you're taking part, you better look the part! Sprint your way through the Season Pass ranks to collect all the coolest new costumes and shiniest medals so you can win in style! - From the makers of Lemmings - Puzzle Adventure out now on all devices! Downloaded over 8 million times. Start rescuing the little critters now! View our Privacy Policy at: https://exient.com/games-privacy-policy/ ©2023 Sony Interactive Entertainment. “Sackboy” is a trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

About

Populus Run

Control a crowd of people in this unique running game. Dodge obstacles, battle quirky bosses, and discover hidden characters. Enjoy the full experience with a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • Control a crowd of people
  • Dodge giant fast food
  • Slide down pipes
  • Battle rapper bosses
  • Hardcore mode
  • Collect secret characters
  • Original soundtrack
Features
Read full description

Play the opening levels for free with no ads. Unlock the full game forever with a single in-app purchase. Populus Run is the unconventional running game where you control a crowd of people. • Dodge giant fast food • Slide down pipes like at a waterpark • Battle rapper bosses, including Macaron, Donut, and Burger • Test yourself in Hardcore mode • Collect all the secret characters who are hidden in the levels • Show your respect for the upbeat original soundtrack with its choral singing Populus Run was originally released exclusively on Apple Arcade. Now it's available on the App Store. If you've played the game before, your progress and achievements will be carried over.

Screenshots

Ultimate Sackboy4 screens
Populus Run4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Populus Run at 4.7 against Ultimate Sackboy's 3.5. Populus Run also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (70% vs 36%). On price, update cadence, 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

Both are free to download. Ultimate Sackboy sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Populus Run 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

Populus Run holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 350 and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Ultimate Sackboy's written reviews are positive against 70% of Populus Run's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ultimate Sackboy ships an update monthly, Populus Run every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Ultimate Sackboy versus Populus Run: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUltimate SackboyPopulus Run
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (350 ratings)4.7 (1.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews35.5% of reviews69.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3501.5K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size258 MB523 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperSAD PUPPYFIFTYTWO

Customer experience

Ultimate Sackboy

All ratings350 ratings
Positive54.3%
Neutral14.9%
Negative30.9%
Written reviews273 reviews
Positive35.5%
Neutral17.6%
Negative46.9%

Populus Run

All ratings1,512 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral4.2%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews345 reviews
Positive69.6%
Neutral9.0%
Negative21.4%

User reviews

Ultimate Sackboy

From 350 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fun mobile game
  • 👍 Nostalgic Sackboy experience
  • 🎨 Cute and colorful graphics
  • 🎶 Great music and sound design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
  • ⏱️ Short 45-second runs
  • 🤑 Aggressive monetization and pay-to-win mechanics
  • 🧠 Overly difficult progression

Populus Run

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Amazing game
  • 👍 Great developers
  • 👍 Fantastic music
  • 👍 Relaxing and fun
  • 👍 Colorful and visually appealing

Room to improve

  • 💰 Paywall after first few levels
  • 🐛 Occasional performance issues
  • 🐛 Compatibility problems on some devices

Bugs and requests

Ultimate Sackboy

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Stuck on tutorial screens
  • Ads not working properly
  • Rewards not being granted after watching ads
  • Inconsistent scoring and ranking system

Requested features

5 requests
  • Endless mode option
  • More game modes beyond time trials
  • Improved rewards and progression system
  • Ability to change character name
  • Cloud/iCloud save support

Populus Run

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Freezing on login screen
  • Graphical glitches on certain devices
  • Saved data not restoring properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Make the full game free to play
  • Add more levels and worlds
  • Improve level selection UI
  • Allow customization of controls

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Ultimate Sackboy

One-time4
  • Handful of Gems$0.99
  • Bag of Gems$4.99
  • Season Pass$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Sack of Gems$9.99
1 purchases

Populus Run

One-time1
  • Full Game$3.99

Questions

Is Ultimate Sackboy free?
Ultimate Sackboy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Populus Run free?
Populus Run is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ultimate Sackboy or Populus Run?
Populus Run is rated higher. Ultimate Sackboy averages 3.5 out of 5 from 350 ratings, while Populus Run averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.
Do Ultimate Sackboy or Populus Run have ads?
Ultimate Sackboy shows ads; Populus Run does not.
Which is updated more often, Ultimate Sackboy or Populus Run?
Ultimate Sackboy ships an update monthly, and Populus Run every 4 weeks. Most recently, Ultimate Sackboy was updated on September 23, 2026 and Populus Run on September 22, 2026.

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