Comparison

Classic Marathon vs Spooky Pixel Hero

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

Head to head
About

Classic Marathon

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
Read full description

Classic Marathon® is the first in the original epic trilogy of first person shooter games that defined the genre. Experience the pulse-pounding action as you defend the Marathon from the alien Pfhor. Play with your friends and enemies in Every Man for Himself, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, Cooperative, or Kill the Man With the Ball. ENHANCEMENTS • High frame rate support • Updated HD Sprite set • 3D positional sound with HRTF • Texture parallax mapping • Multiplayer cross-play with Linux, Mac, PC, and Steam FEATURES • 27 levels divided into six chapters. • LAN-based multiplayer with up to 8 players. • Missions include exploration, puzzles and extermination. • Console-quality gameplay. • MFi controller support. • 3D Touch and haptic feedback. • Dynamic reticle and High-resolution textures. • 7 unique weapons including: .45 Magnum Mega Class pistol M.75 Assault Rifle/Grenade Launcher Zeus Class Fusion Pistol TOZT-7 flamethrower ... and the devastating SPNKR-X17 rocket launcher ===== "Being naked in space stinks. Lucky for you, Mr. Security officer, you are dressed in active military uniform, complete with a Cyberheadª helmet. Your Cyberhead device is your interface to your surrounding environment." ===== STORY • Defend the UESC Marathon colony ship against the aggressive Pfhor • Play the role of the cyborg security officer • Witness the rampancy of Durandal, the ship-board A.I. • Uncover the surprising secrets of the Pfhor and the UESC Marathon ===== "Carnage is as easy as point and shoot. Different weapons are characterized with different dynamics. It is unwise, for example, to use the rocket launcher in close combat." ===== Visit us at http://www.marathon-ios.com Follow us on twitter http://www.twitter.com/blezek Source code for this app is also licensed under the GNU General Public License (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html). See http://www.marathon-ios.com for details. ===== "Move fast, seize the initiative, wield superior firepower, dive into the melee, anticipate enemy movements, slaughter the defenseless, endure." ===== BUNGIE™, MARATHON® and the Bungie and Marathon logos are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Bungie, Inc., used with permission.

About

Spooky Pixel Hero

Embark on a chilling retro platformer adventure as a game developer tasked with repairing a mysterious 1976 game. Navigate 120 challenging levels filled with traps and puzzles, uncovering a dark narrative with pixelated spirits and Lovecraftian horrors. Experience nostalgic 1-bit and 8-bit pixel art with a terrifying twist.

Highlights
  • Retro pixel art graphics
  • 120 challenging platformer levels
  • Mind-bending puzzles and traps
  • Haunting narrative and story
  • Pixelated spirits and horrors
  • Nostalgic 70s/80s gaming aesthetic
Features
Read full description

You play the role of a game developer tasked by a secret organization to repair a lost platformer game from 1976 that seems way too advanced for its time. But is it really just a game? A chilling homage to retro gaming – Rediscover the magic of classic games and retro platformers with a terrifying twist. SPOOKY PIXEL HORROR combines the beloved aesthetics of vintage 2D pixel games with a deeply immersive horror narrative that will keep you on edge. Intense gameplay – Navigate through 120 challenging levels filled with traps and mind-bending puzzles that will make some players rage. Every step brings you closer to uncovering the dark origins of the game, but beware – the deeper you go, the more dangerous this nightmare becomes. Atmospheric and nostalgic visuals – Experience a beautifully crafted mix of 1-bit and 8-bit pixel art that captures the eerie aesthetic of the vintage 70s and 80s gaming era. Uncover the hidden story – As you progress, piece together the sinister backstory of the game. Encounter pixelated spirits, ghostly glitches, and Lovecraftian horrors lurking within the code. Can you survive the nightmare and reveal the truth? Key Features: • Retro Pixel Art: Immerse yourself in nostalgic graphics and pixel art that blend nostalgia with spine-tingling nightmares, bringing an eerie world to life. • Challenging Platforming: Test your skills with platformer levels filled with rage-inducing traps and puzzles. • Haunting Narrative: Unravel a compelling story that blends retro charm with modern horror elements. Step into the shoes of a hero battling through a 2D nightmare, where every glitch and ghostly encounter brings you closer to the truth. SPOOKY PIXEL HORROR is a journey into the heart of retro horror.

Screenshots

Classic Marathon3 screens
Spooky Pixel Hero4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Classic Marathon at none against Spooky Pixel Hero's shown. Classic Marathon also leads on ratings volume (630 vs 171). Spooky Pixel Hero's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases 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. Classic Marathon sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Spooky Pixel Hero sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Classic Marathon against 4.6 for Spooky Pixel Hero. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 630 and 171 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Classic Marathon's written reviews are positive against 80% of Spooky Pixel Hero's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Classic Marathon ships an update every 2 months, Spooky Pixel Hero daily. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Classic Marathon versus Spooky Pixel Hero: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterClassic MarathonSpooky Pixel Hero
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (630 ratings)4.6 (171 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.2% of reviews80.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings630 — better171
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB83 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperDustin WenzDarius Immanuel Guerrero

Customer experience

Classic Marathon

All ratings612 ratings
Positive87.1%
Neutral4.2%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews282 reviews
Positive76.2%
Neutral6.7%
Negative17.0%

Spooky Pixel Hero

All ratings170 ratings
Positive88.8%
Neutral4.1%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews81 reviews
Positive80.2%
Neutral9.9%
Negative9.9%

User reviews

Classic Marathon

From 630 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 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

Room to improve

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

Spooky Pixel Hero

From 171 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great gameplay
  • 👍 Unique story and atmosphere
  • 🎨 Excellent pixel art and retro style
  • 💡 Interesting lore and backstory
  • 🎮 Challenging yet fun platforming

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Sensitive controls
  • 🔍 Difficulty level can be frustrating
  • 📺 Excessive ads interrupting gameplay

Bugs and requests

Classic Marathon

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

Spooky Pixel Hero

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Level 57 reported as broken and unbeatable
  • Occasional glitches and misplaced sprites

Requested features

3 requests
  • Option to disable ads or pay for ad-free version
  • Ability to resume from last checkpoint after death
  • Smaller control buttons for better touch accuracy

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Classic Marathon

One-time10
  • HD Mode$0.99
  • Master Chief Mode$0.99
  • Enhanced Reticules$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Just a tip$0.99
  • Not the smallest tip$1.99
  • A good tip$2.99
  • A pretty good tip$4.99
  • An excellent tip$7.99
  • The best possible tip$12.99
  • Better than the best tip$20.99
1 purchases

Spooky Pixel Hero

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is Classic Marathon free?
Classic Marathon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Spooky Pixel Hero free?
Spooky Pixel Hero is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Classic Marathon or Spooky Pixel Hero?
Spooky Pixel Hero is rated higher. Classic Marathon averages 4.5 out of 5 from 630 ratings, while Spooky Pixel Hero averages 4.6 from 171 ratings.
Do Classic Marathon or Spooky Pixel Hero have ads?
Spooky Pixel Hero shows ads; Classic Marathon does not.
Which is updated more often, Classic Marathon or Spooky Pixel Hero?
Classic Marathon ships an update every 2 months, and Spooky Pixel Hero daily. Most recently, Classic Marathon was updated on November 1, 2026 and Spooky Pixel Hero on November 4, 2026.

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