Comparison

Dink Smallwood HD vs The Shadow Sun

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

Head to head
About

Dink Smallwood HD

Embark on an epic journey as a humble pig farmer tasked with saving the world from dragons and evil. This classic RPG adventure features a unique sense of humor, a remastered soundtrack, and extensive support for user-created quests.

Highlights
  • Full DMOD support for 300+ user-made quests
  • iOS controller and keyboard support
  • Remastered original CD soundtrack
  • Speed up button for dialog and cutscenes
  • Automatic full state save/restore
  • Auto save and Quick save/load
Features
Read full description

"Dink Smallwood is a perfect example of the refined basics of classic RPG and adventure games…enjoy the hearty dose of something simple, silly, and special." - Jordan Thomas, Avault.com "The main hook in this game has to be the sense of humor that permeates it... the difference is that this game is beautiful, gory, and has a wonderful (and twisted) sense of humor.” - T. Byrl Baker, Computer Gaming World It all began in a world where dragons roamed the land and knights fought with valor and honor. And then there was Dink. Can a simple pig farmer thrust into an epic journey of magic and adventure save the world? Dink Smallwood HD is the revamped version of the classic RPG brought to you by the original creators featuring: • Full in-game DMOD support! 300+ user made quests/stories available • Supports iOS controllers and keyboards in addition to touch controls! • Includes the complete re-mastered original CD soundtrack • Speed up" button to fly through dialog and cutscenes at your own pace • Automatic full state save/restore whenever you quit/restart the game • Auto save and Quick save/load feature • Upgraded and optimized engine, Dink never looked or sounded better

About

The Shadow Sun

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure in this Western action RPG. Explore a detailed world, engage in real-time combat, and uncover an epic story filled with intrigue and danger. Customize your character and make choices that impact the narrative.

Highlights
  • Epic dark fantasy story
  • Visceral real-time combat
  • Deep character customization
  • Multiple quest solutions
  • Companion system
  • Extensive exploration
Features
Read full description

The ultimate Western action RPG has arrived on iOS! Embark on an epic dark fantasy in the grand tradition of great, story-driven RPGs from PC and console, created by veterans of the Neverwinter Nights, Baldur’s Gate, and The Witcher franchises. SLIDE TO PLAY - 4/4 “The Shadow Sun is one of the most captivating experiences I’ve had with a role-playing game in quite some time.” DIGITALLY DOWNLOADED - 4.5/5 “The Shadow Sun floored me from start to finish.” ARCADE SUSHI - 8.5/10 “If you’re a fan of RPGs at all, then The Shadow Sun belongs in your Games folder.” POCKET GAMER - 8/10 (Silver Award) “The Shadow Sun replicates a tabletop RPG experience almost perfectly - right down to the carefully crafted fantasy world in which it's set.” TOUCHARCADE - 4/5 “With a compelling story, plenty of content, and a character customization system that works, Shadow Sun succeeds in its goal as a Western RPG.” APP-S.RU - 4/5 “The Shadow Sun is one of the few truly great RPGs for the iPhone, iPad and in the absence of competitors could easily sit next to Baldur's Gate.” PORTABLE GAMING REGION “The Shadow Sun is pretty much what I imagine a “real” Dragon Age mobile game should be.” ** Featured in Apple’s Best New Games category! ** With The Shadow Sun, Ossian Studios brings together all its expertise from working with Dungeons & Dragons and The Witcher in order to create a deep, story-driven RPG experience for iOS. Prepare yourself for visceral real-time combat, a gorgeously detailed world to adventure in, complex characters to interact with, and an epic tale of an ancient city held within the grip of a mysterious plague. Enter a world that has felt an alien touch upon its sun. An ever-increasing shadow that creeps across the sun's brilliant face, with consequences that are only now becoming horrifically apparent... HOURS OF ADVENTURE • A 10-hour adventure where you explore the decadent imperial city of Shar and the exotic desert lands around it, delving into a story filled with intrigue, danger, and shocking surprises. • Explore over 70 unique areas and uncover 200+ unique items, hidden secrets, and ancient treasures. • A handy journal tracks your quests and a detailed codex notes new characters, places, and creatures you encounter. • An original orchestral soundtrack and amazing soundscape will immerse you into this dark fantasy world. TRUE ROLE-PLAYING • Create your own male or female character and customize their attributes and appearance. • Choose from among 30 attacks, spells, and skills to suit your favourite play style, and develop those abilities exactly how you want as the game progresses. • Solve quests in multiple ways and have new NPC dialogue options open up depending on your skills. • Ally with one of four companions to adventure alongside you, each with their own personality and abilities, and win their friendship or suffer their disapproval depending on your choices. • Adopt a faithful dog companion to fight by your side. UNIVERSAL APP Play on any of these supported devices, with graphics that scale with the device. • iPad 1, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina display • iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s • iPod touch 3, iPod touch 4, iPod touch 5 * In-app purchases are purely optional! * The 3 starter packs are optional DLC that have extra content and quests, none of which are required to enjoy the game. The in-depth hint guide also provides a full walkthrough and gameplay tips, along with details on companions, secrets, monsters, and other helpful information. Visit our official site for more news and info about The Shadow Sun: http://www.ossianstudios.com/ Drop by our forums and talk directly with the development team: http://www.ossianstudios.com/forum/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OssianStudios Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/OssianStudios YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/OssianStudios

Screenshots

Dink Smallwood HD4 screens
The Shadow Sun4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Dink Smallwood HD at Free against The Shadow Sun's $0.99. Dink Smallwood HD also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). The Shadow Sun's advantage is chart position (#174 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (8.1 vs 12.0). On ratings volume, ads, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Dink Smallwood HD is free to download; The Shadow Sun costs $0.99 up front. The Shadow Sun sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Dink Smallwood HD asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dink Smallwood HD holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 61 and 62 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Dink Smallwood HD's written reviews are positive against 75% of The Shadow Sun's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dink Smallwood HD ships an update every 3 weeks, The Shadow Sun every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Dink Smallwood HD versus The Shadow Sun: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDink Smallwood HDThe Shadow Sun
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating4.7 (61 ratings) — better4.5 (62 ratings)
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews — better75.1% of reviews
Number of ratings6162 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#174 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.08.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size160 MB797 MB
Age rating12+12+
Developerwww.rtsoft.comOssian Studios Inc.

Customer experience

Dink Smallwood HD

All ratings60 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral1.7%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews108 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral7.4%
Negative9.3%

The Shadow Sun

All ratings62 ratings
Positive82.3%
Neutral12.9%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews257 reviews
Positive75.1%
Neutral8.9%
Negative16.0%

User reviews

Dink Smallwood HD

From 61 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 😊 Nostalgic gameplay
  • 😂 Humorous story and dialogue
  • 📱 Great mobile port
  • 🎮 D-mod support adds content
  • 👍 Easy to learn

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Controls can be difficult
  • 📱 Some mods not mobile-friendly
  • 🐌 Slow progression/grind
  • 🚧 Navigation issues
  • 🖥️ Some mods crash

The Shadow Sun

From 62 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Engaging story and gameplay
  • 🎨 Impressive graphics and atmosphere
  • 💰 Good value for the price
  • 🕹️ Smooth and responsive controls
  • 🔍 Enjoyable exploration and side quests

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🕹️ Clunky camera and navigation
  • ⏱️ Game felt too short for some
  • 🔍 Lack of mini-map or waypoints

Bugs and requests

Dink Smallwood HD

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • White bar obstructs coin display on iPhone 15 Pro
  • Pilgrim's Quest mod has typing issues on mobile
  • Game crashes on startup on current iOS
  • Mysterious Guy in bar not spawning (story progression issue)
  • Paste buffer empty error when trying to install D-mods
Show 9 more
  • D-mods frequently crash and cause data loss
  • Gamevice controller compatibility issues
  • Dink gets stuck 'in between screens'
  • Save function not working as expected (quick save)
  • Furball D-mod is buggy
  • Graphics glitch in Kersin, cannot progress
  • Controls make interaction buttons too close
  • Cannot leave Robot in Pilgrim's Quest due to F key issue
  • Gamevice app claims support but iCade function fails

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add MFi controller support
  • Improve iPhone/iPad controls
  • Add more D-mods to the app
  • Make D-mod installation easier
  • Add a tutorial for D-mod installation
Show 5 more
  • Allow saving anywhere
  • Add a tactical retreat option in combat
  • Improve readability of text on smaller screens
  • Consider a Nintendo Switch version
  • Add dark mode

The Shadow Sun

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when saving or entering certain areas
  • Inventory and equipment issues
  • Compatibility problems on older devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Multiplayer or co-op mode
  • More character customization options
  • Larger open world and expanded content
  • Improved UI and quality-of-life features

In-app purchases

None

Dink Smallwood HD

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

The Shadow Sun

One-time4
  • Hint Guide$0.99
  • Warrior Starter Pack$0.99
  • Rogue Starter Pack$0.99
Show 1 more
  • Mage Starter Pack$0.99

Questions

Is Dink Smallwood HD free?
Dink Smallwood HD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Shadow Sun free?
The Shadow Sun costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Dink Smallwood HD or The Shadow Sun?
Dink Smallwood HD is rated higher. Dink Smallwood HD averages 4.7 out of 5 from 61 ratings, while The Shadow Sun averages 4.5 from 62 ratings.
Do Dink Smallwood HD or The Shadow Sun have ads?
Neither Dink Smallwood HD nor The Shadow Sun shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dink Smallwood HD or The Shadow Sun?
Dink Smallwood HD ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Shadow Sun every 3 months. Most recently, Dink Smallwood HD was updated on November 1, 2026 and The Shadow Sun on November 1, 2026.

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