# Emerald Mine vs Pentix Nova

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Emerald Mine at none against Pentix Nova's 2. Emerald Mine also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 14.0). Pentix Nova's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (14K vs 32). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pentix Nova sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Emerald Mine asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pentix Nova holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pentix Nova has 14K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of Emerald Mine's written reviews are positive against 47% of Pentix Nova's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Emerald Mine ships an update every 2 weeks, Pentix Nova weekly. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emerald Mine | Pentix Nova |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emerald-mine/id448002032/reviews) | **[4.5 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pentix-nova-falling-blocks/id1511997699/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 32 | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | **55.1% of reviews** | 47.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 52 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Les Bird](https://appshunter.io/developer/398917210) | [AkaTek LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1604686567) |

## What reviewers say

### Emerald Mine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emerald-mine/id448002032)

Navigate treacherous underground caves as a miner, collecting gems to unlock exit portals. Avoid hazards like exploding bugs, tanks, aliens, and falling debris. Relive a classic Amiga experience with over 6,000 levels.

**Highlights:** Collect gems to open exit portals, Avoid hazards: bugs, tanks, aliens, acid, Over 6,000 classic levels, MFi controller support, Game Center high scores, Touchscreen controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

-  nostalgic recreation of a classic game
- 👍 Great port of a classic
- 💡 iCade compatible controller support
- ✨ Free to play
- 🌟 Brings back Amiga memories

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Controls are difficult to master
- 😥 Unresponsive controls
- ⚠️ Swiping controls are not ideal
- ❌ Some levels are impossible
- 😩 Frustrating to control on touchscreens

**Reported bugs**

- Figure doesn't move on iPad
- Snap does not work on iPhone
- Game quits at certain levels
- Level 7 is impossible to beat
- Controls are incomplete

**Requested features**

- Add on-screen gamepad option
- Improve touchscreen controls
- Option to skip difficult levels
- Remove or adjust timer
- Add music to the game's first screen


### Pentix Nova

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pentix-nova-falling-blocks/id1511997699)

Experience a fresh take on a classic block-dropping puzzle game. Arrange falling pieces to complete lines and clear them, aiming for high scores or completing specific objectives. Enjoy customizable controls and various difficulty levels in this reimagined brick blast experience.

**Highlights:** Arrange falling pieces to clear lines, Endless game mode, Objective-based levels, Campaign progression, Customizable controls, Stash pieces for later use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Levels | $3.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Challenging and fun
- 👍 Nostalgic and relaxing
- 🎮 Great Tetris variant
- 💡 Interesting new piece shapes
- 🎨 Visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Controls issues (sensitivity, responsiveness, placement of buttons)
- 💰 Intrusive ads with no ad-free option
- 🕹️ Clunky controls and frequent errors
- 🔧 Bugs and glitches after updates
- 🤯 Frustrating difficulty spikes

**Reported bugs**

- Goal line disappearing in adventure mode
- Pieces teleporting and rotating unexpectedly
- Drop button functionality issues after updates
- Game progress not saved when switching apps
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add ability to rotate pieces both ways
- Implement variable drop speed
- Provide an ad-free paid version
- Add more levels and challenges
- Improve overall control scheme


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emerald Mine free?

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

### Is Pentix Nova free?

Pentix Nova is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Emerald Mine or Pentix Nova?

Pentix Nova is rated higher. Emerald Mine averages 4.0 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Pentix Nova averages 4.5 from 14K ratings.

### Do Emerald Mine or Pentix Nova have ads?

Pentix Nova shows ads; Emerald Mine does not.

### Which is updated more often, Emerald Mine or Pentix Nova?

Emerald Mine ships an update every 2 weeks, and Pentix Nova weekly. Most recently, Emerald Mine was updated on October 21, 2026 and Pentix Nova on October 21, 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.*