# Ascender vs Dig Odyssey

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ascender at 98% against Dig Odyssey's 39%. Ascender also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.4) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dig Odyssey sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Ascender asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ascender holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ascender has 156 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 98% of Ascender's written reviews are positive against 39% of Dig Odyssey's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascender | Dig Odyssey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (156 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascender/id1642885179/reviews)** | [3.4 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dig-odyssey-cosmic-mining/id6447781004/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **156** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | **98.5% of reviews** | 39.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 40 MB | 161 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Peter Moyle](https://appshunter.io/developer/1642885181) | [Andrey Abrosimov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1439688555) |

## What reviewers say

### Ascender

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascender/id1642885179)

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.

**Highlights:** Retro arcade graphics and sound, 1000m of level design, Easy mobile controls, Quick start checkpoints, 3 Game modes, Game Center leaderboards

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 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)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📏 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

**Reported bugs**

- Controls don't register sometimes causing flight or fire errors
- Input detection issues leading to unexpected deaths

**Requested features**

- Sequel or Part 2 with more levels
- Progress saving functionality
- Additional levels and content
- Adjustable button sizes
- Discord server for community


### Dig Odyssey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dig-odyssey-cosmic-mining/id6447781004)

Explore an exoplanet as a space miner, digging for valuable resources and uncovering a mysterious signal. Upgrade your tools to dig faster and manage your oxygen supply to survive the challenging terrain.

**Highlights:** Explore exoplanet depths, Mine metals and gems, Uncover mysterious signal, Upgrade mining tools, Manage oxygen supply, Craft and upgrade equipment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Resources | $0.99 | one-time |
| Disable ADS | $0.99 | one-time |
| Resource Pack + NoADS | $1.19 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Cute and simple gameplay
- 💡 Addictive and engaging
- ✨ Nice art style
- 🚀 Fast progression initially
- ⏱️ Good time killer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive ads
- ⏳ Short game length
- 📉 Lack of progression
- 💸 Poor monetization
- 🕹️ Poor controls

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes during ads
- Controls barely function
- Character swings but doesn't break blocks
- Cannot return to surface after first pickaxe swing
- Purchased resource pack not received

**Requested features**

- Add more dig sites/planets
- More upgrades and tools
- Add a story or mystery
- Add an end-game sequence
- Option to turn off vibration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascender free?

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

### Is Dig Odyssey free?

Dig Odyssey is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ascender or Dig Odyssey?

Ascender is rated higher. Ascender averages 4.9 out of 5 from 156 ratings, while Dig Odyssey averages 3.4 from 20 ratings.

### Do Ascender or Dig Odyssey have ads?

Dig Odyssey shows ads; Ascender does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ascender or Dig Odyssey?

Ascender ships an update weekly, and Dig Odyssey weekly. Most recently, Ascender was updated on October 19, 2026 and Dig Odyssey on October 22, 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.*