# Classic Marathon vs Castlevania

The clearest difference is price: Classic Marathon at Free against Castlevania's $2.99. Classic Marathon also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 29 months). Castlevania's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and chart position (#10 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Classic Marathon is free to download; Castlevania costs $2.99 up front. Classic Marathon sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Castlevania asks for nothing beyond the download.

Classic Marathon holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 630 and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Classic Marathon's written reviews are positive against 54% of Castlevania's.

Classic Marathon ships an update every 2 months, Castlevania every 29 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Classic Marathon | Castlevania |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.5 (630 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classic-marathon/id419805412/reviews)** | [3.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castlevania-sotn/id1435456830/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 630 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.2% of reviews** | 53.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 29 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#10** |
| Size | 125 MB | 326 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dome-C Studio LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/850082459) | [KONAMI](https://appshunter.io/developer/299580230) |

## What reviewers say

### Classic Marathon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classic-marathon/id419805412)

Relive a classic first-person shooter experience with this enhanced port. Explore 27 levels, battle alien forces, and engage in various multiplayer modes. Features include high frame rate support, HD sprites, and cross-platform multiplayer.

**Highlights:** 27 levels across six chapters, Multiplayer with up to 8 players, Exploration, puzzles, and extermination missions, Console-quality gameplay, 7 unique weapons, Cross-platform multiplayer support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HD Mode | $0.99 | one-time |
| Master Chief Mode | $0.99 | one-time |
| Enhanced Reticules | $0.99 | one-time |
| Just a tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Not the smallest tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| A good tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| A pretty good tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| An excellent tip | $7.99 | one-time |
| The best possible tip | $12.99 | one-time |
| Better than the best tip | $20.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Faithful port of a classic game
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay and controls
- 💡 Appreciated free version with optional HD upgrade
- 🎮 Great with controller support
- 🕹 Nostalgic experience for longtime fans

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🕹 Challenging touch controls
- 🔒 Lack of customization options (e.g. invert Y-axis)
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Saves not working properly
- Weapons becoming black boxes
- Screen tinting issues
- Crashes on newer devices

**Requested features**

- Add multiplayer support
- Implement more control customization options
- Port the entire Marathon trilogy
- Provide support for custom maps and mods


### Castlevania

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castlevania-sotn/id1435456830)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Adventure, #24 Top Paid · Action, #67 Top Paid · Games, #106 Top Paid (US App Store)

Experience a classic action RPG on mobile. Explore a vast castle, battle unique enemies, and uncover secrets as Alucard. This port features updated controls and achievements.

**Highlights:** Direct port of the console classic, Play as Alucard, Jump, dash, and slash combat, Vast castle exploration, Game controller compatibility, New continue feature, Unlockable achievements

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faithful port of a classic game
- 🎮 Works well with controllers
- 💰 Great value for the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎮 Unresponsive touch controls
- 🔍 Small action buttons
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches (clock room issue, save system issues)

**Reported bugs**

- Clock room not functioning properly
- Save system issues (not saving, losing progress)
- Audio issues (no sound, pitch/speed problems)

**Requested features**

- Customizable controls and button layout
- Original voice acting option
- Improved cutscene quality
- Cloud save support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Classic Marathon free?

Classic Marathon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Castlevania free?

Castlevania costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Classic Marathon or Castlevania?

Classic Marathon is rated higher. Classic Marathon averages 4.5 out of 5 from 630 ratings, while Castlevania averages 3.9 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Classic Marathon or Castlevania have ads?

Neither Classic Marathon nor Castlevania shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Classic Marathon or Castlevania?

Classic Marathon ships an update every 2 months, and Castlevania every 29 months. Most recently, Classic Marathon was updated on October 22, 2026 and Castlevania on October 27, 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.*