Comparison

Ascension vs Heroic Battle

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

Head to head
About

Ascension

A skill-based physics puzzle platformer where players navigate a cube through increasingly difficult stages to reach the top. Earn stars to unlock new chapters, characters, and cosmetic items. Compete with others on leaderboards and challenge friends.

Highlights
  • Skill-based physics puzzles
  • Four challenging chapters
  • Star reward system
  • Unlockable avatars and characters
  • Global and weekly leaderboards
  • Player challenges
  • In-game store for resources
Features
Read full description

ASCENSION HAS RETURNED! Just like the original, “It’s Hard, You’ve Been Warned!” A skill based challenge that provides endless hours of fun! Who can reach the top? Is it you? There's only one way to find out! After a long break, that was way too long, the much anticipated platform game is available once again on the App Store. This unique physics based puzzle platformer will challenge you to skillfully ASCEND TO THE TOP! Chapter 1 is where it all begins; as you navigate your cube through stages of increasing difficulty and funky colored platforms, you will be challenged to discover unique and exciting ways to clamber to the top, at least at first. Remember, there may be more ways than one to ascend! Earn three stars in every stage and unlock a super duper secret never before seen, special stage (SDSNBSSS). ;D GAMEPLAY: With four brand new chapters, this challenging platformer is guaranteed to teach you new ways to look at puzzles and discover methods you never thought possible to reach the top. Utilizing a traditional star reward system you will unlock 84 unique and challenging stages, the better your time the more stars you earn. Our goal to keep a clutter free gameplay screen has been achieved with a minimalistic HUD for maximum views in this fun and exciting tactical jumpmaster game. REPLAYABLE: As you increase your skill and learn new techniques you can easily return to previous levels to use those skills and achieve better Ascension times earning more stars and better rewards. CONTROLS: Utilizing standard mobile joystick controls you can create unique, face smashing, movements to optimize your timing with endless jump patterns. The ability to adjust your movements mid air will help you perfect those spot-on landings. PATH TO ASCENSION: This is our player progression reward system. As you gain experience and complete each level you are rewarded with unique Avatars, Visual Packs (V-Packs), Chests, Coins, Gems, Luck, and Characters. The final reward is a very sought after EPIC Character, all you have to do is play. CUSTOM VISUALS: While you play through, do so in style! With distinctive, consistently updated avatars and characters you can show your friends and family how much you have accomplished and complete your collection. LEADERBOARDS: Show off your best time and try to ascend to the top. Can you reach number one on the weekly leaderboard or are you the ultimate competitive person and strive for the top of the all time leaderboards? ACHIEVEMENTS: Bragging rights! If you have the skill to put forth the effort to achieve these goals you will be able to show off your points and challenge friends and family. Collect all achievement cards before anyone you know. CHALLENGES: Challenges allow you to challenge other players to beat your leaderboard score or complete a specific achievement. Challenge others by long pressing their name and selecting 'Send a Challenge'. STORE: A place where you can purchase in-game resources, Chests, V-Packs, Avatars, Characters, daily specials and other fancy things to make your experience special. LUCK SYSTEM: ?? We don’t know how this got here or what it does, but it must be a good thing...right? Good Luck...see what I did there? How can we improve your Ascension? Have your voice heard: ideas@piqued.studio PLANNED ADDITIONS: MISSIONS: Quick daily challenges to help boost your level and put some special rewards in your pocket. MORE ACHIEVEMENTS: More bragging rights! FOLLOW US: @PiquedStudio on Twitter and Instagram u/PiquedStudio on Reddit Please rate us 5 stars to keep updates coming! We appreciate your support! If you find a bug or something isn’t quite right or you just need a friend to talk to, PLEASE contact us: support@piqued.studio or at https://Piqued.Studio/contact-us THANK YOU: If you have read this far you deserve a reward, please enter this code in the Promo Code section in settings and receive an exclusive avatar: BECAUSEIREADTHISWHOLETHINGIGOTANAVATAR...COOL

About

Heroic Battle

A strategic board game testing logic, deception, and memory. Play against friends or a champion AI, with customizable setups for unique gameplay. Learn piece identities through attacks and utilize special unit abilities.

Highlights
  • Logic, deception, and memory gameplay
  • Play against friends online or AI
  • Customizable piece setups
  • Discover piece identities during attacks
  • Special unit abilities
  • Save and load custom game setups
Features
Read full description

Every piece is a secret. Two armies face each other across the board, and neither side can see the other's ranks. Is that piece marching towards you a lowly scout or the Marshal himself? Attack and find out, or bluff and make your opponent guess. Heroic Battle is the classic board game of hidden ranks, played on a 10×10 battlefield with 40 pieces a side. Capture the enemy flag to win. Watch out for bombs, send your miners to defuse them, and remember: even the mighty Marshal falls to the Spy. Face a world champion - Your computer opponent is Probe, a three-time world champion AI. It bluffs, it remembers, and it punishes careless moves. Three skill levels take you from first game to serious challenge. Play online - Find a random opponent in seconds, matched by Elo rating - Climb the online leaderboard in Classic and Barrage - Create a private room and invite a Steam friend - Emoji chat, draw offers, and a move timer that keeps games moving Or play on the sofa - Pass and Play lets two players share one screen, hiding each army in turn. Study your games - Replay any finished game move by move, with every piece revealed - Memory aids mark revealed pieces and pieces that have moved, if you want them - Detailed statistics and 25 achievements to earn Your army, your way - Build and save your own starting setups, or let the game deal a random one - Barrage mode: 8 pieces a side for a fast, sharp game - Two piece sets and two rank-numbering styles - An interactive tutorial for new commanders - Leave any game against the AI and resume it later

Screenshots

Ascension4 screens
Heroic Battle4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ascension at 100% against Heroic Battle's 43%. Ascension also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Heroic Battle's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 19 months) and ratings volume (273 vs 6). On price, ads, 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. Ascension sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Heroic Battle sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ascension holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Heroic Battle has 273 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Ascension's written reviews are positive against 43% of Heroic Battle's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ascension ships an update every 19 months, Heroic Battle weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Ascension versus Heroic Battle: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAscensionHeroic Battle
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (6 ratings) — better4.1 (273 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better42.5% of reviews
Number of ratings6273 — better
Update frequencyEvery 19 monthsWeekly — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size822 MB133 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPiqued SolutionsRaimonds Rudmanis

Customer experience

Ascension

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Heroic Battle

All ratings272 ratings
Positive77.6%
Neutral5.9%
Negative16.5%
Written reviews87 reviews
Positive42.5%
Neutral14.9%
Negative42.5%

Bugs and requests

Ascension

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Heroic Battle

Reported bugs

20 issues
  • New version won't start
  • Restore purchases not working
  • AI wins not reported
  • Game shuts down unexpectedly
  • Private games show incorrect pieces
Show 15 more
  • Probe AI moves back and forth endlessly
  • AI knows exact piece locations (perceived bug)
  • Spy doesn't take out Marshal (perceived bug)
  • Bombs can be beaten (perceived bug)
  • App crashes upon opening
  • Cannot select certain pieces
  • Pieces hidden from view on turn
  • Bombs and flags invisible
  • Controls don't work properly
  • Random ads freezing gameplay
  • AI gets stuck and repeatedly moves a piece
  • Game field freezes
  • Cannot select a setup
  • AI response time too slow
  • Pieces do not set up on initial board

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add online multiplayer
  • Improve AI difficulty/aggression
  • Add different map options
  • Add optional modes from special editions
  • Connect account info to Game Center
Show 5 more
  • Update graveyard to show total pieces
  • Add aggressor advantage rule
  • Add piece and board themes/skins
  • Make AI harder or add challenge mode
  • Allow users to create own setups (if not already)

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Ascension

One-time10
  • Remove Ads$2.99
  • Star Key - Chapter 1$2.99
  • Star Key - Chapter 2$2.99
Show 7 more
  • Star Key - Chapter 3$2.99
  • Star Key - Chapter 4$2.99
  • Starter Pack$9.99
  • Welcome Pack$19.99
  • Season's Spoils$24.99
  • Vault of Gems$99.99
  • Completionist$149.99
5 purchases

Heroic Battle

One-time5
  • 20 setup slots$2.99
  • Unlock all setups$2.99
  • Heroic Battle Complete$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Remove ads$4.99
  • Heroic Battle Complete$8.99

Questions

Is Ascension free?
Ascension is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Heroic Battle free?
Heroic Battle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Ascension or Heroic Battle?
Ascension is rated higher. Ascension averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Heroic Battle averages 4.1 from 273 ratings.
Do Ascension or Heroic Battle have ads?
Both Ascension and Heroic Battle show ads.
Which is updated more often, Ascension or Heroic Battle?
Ascension ships an update every 19 months, and Heroic Battle weekly. Most recently, Ascension was updated on October 23, 2026 and Heroic Battle on October 26, 2026.

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