# Mars Mystery vs Moon Dust

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Moon Dust at none against Mars Mystery's 5. Moon Dust also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months). Mars Mystery's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mars Mystery sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Moon Dust asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mars Mystery ships an update every 11 months, Moon Dust every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars Mystery | Moon Dust |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (613 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mystery-hidden-objects/id1577196255/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **613** | — |
| Positive reviews | 63.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 123 MB | 255 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Crisp App Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143551614) | [Todd Studer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1332508621) |

## What reviewers say

### Mars Mystery

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mystery-hidden-objects/id1577196255)

Embark on a thrilling hidden object adventure on Mars. Explore its mysterious landscapes, uncover the secrets of failed expeditions, and race back to Earth. This game offers a unique sci-fi plot and trains your eyes and mind.

**Highlights:** Hidden object gameplay, Explore Mars locations, Sci-fi plot, Hints for beginners, Replayable scenes, Eyes and mind training

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Preview Hints Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| NoAds | $0.99 | one-time |
| Time Machine | $0.99 | one-time |
| Instant Hint | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gold Master | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and visual design
- 💡 Innovative hidden object gameplay with unique theme
- 🌍 Educational language learning feature
- 👍 Responsive developer that listens to player feedback
- ⭐ Engaging and enjoyable gameplay experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive and inappropriate advertisements
- 😤 Overly difficult star achievement system
- 🔄 Game progression bugs causing scene resets
- ⏱️ Limited content length

**Reported bugs**

- Skip ad button not functioning properly
- Scene reversion to jungle/animal scenes without clear objectives
- Three-star achievement system not triggering despite repeated play
- Hint system required to progress past certain scenes

**Requested features**

- Longer gameplay with more levels
- Better ad filtering for family-friendly content
- Improved star achievement mechanics clarity


### Moon Dust

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moon-dust/id1614080384)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars Mystery free?

Mars Mystery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Moon Dust free?

Moon Dust is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Mars Mystery or Moon Dust have ads?

Both Mars Mystery and Moon Dust show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars Mystery or Moon Dust?

Mars Mystery ships an update every 11 months, and Moon Dust every 2 months. Most recently, Mars Mystery was updated on September 21, 2026 and Moon Dust on September 10, 2026.

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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.*