# Emerald Mine vs Return to Monkey Island

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Emerald Mine at none against Return to Monkey Island's 1. Emerald Mine also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.0). Return to Monkey Island's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (171 vs 32). On price, review sentiment, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Return to Monkey Island sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Emerald Mine asks for nothing beyond the download.

Return to Monkey Island holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Return to Monkey Island has 171 ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Emerald Mine's written reviews are positive against 59% of Return to Monkey Island's.

Emerald Mine ships an update every 2 weeks, Return to Monkey Island every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emerald Mine | Return to Monkey Island |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emerald-mine/id448002032/reviews) | **[4.3 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/return-to-monkey-island/id1658628321/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 32 | **171** |
| Positive reviews | 55.1% of reviews | **59.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 52 MB | 3.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Les Bird](https://appshunter.io/developer/398917210) | [Devolver Digital, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457410262) |

## 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


### Return to Monkey Island

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/return-to-monkey-island/id1658628321)

Embark on a thrilling pirate adventure, continuing the legendary story of Guybrush Threepwood. Solve clever puzzles, explore new and familiar islands, and engage in witty dialogue as you seek the fabled Secret of Monkey Island. Experience classic point-and-click gameplay with modern twists.

**Highlights:** Classic point-and-click gameplay, Engaging narrative and character interactions, Puzzle solving and exploration, Modernized adventure game controls, New and familiar island exploration, Context-sensitive interactions and reactive dialogue

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy the full game! | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fantastic nostalgia trip
- 👍 Smooth gameplay and controls
- 🎨 Beautiful art style and visuals
- 🎶 Excellent music and voice acting
- 💡 Clever puzzles and challenges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sound issues on some devices
- 🤔 Ending may disappoint some fans
- 💰 High price point for mobile game
- 🤖 Lack of cloud save functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Game prompting to repurchase after previous purchase
- Difficulty with touch controls in certain situations

**Requested features**

- Restore purchase option for previous owners
- Bring back the original Monkey Island games on iOS
- Add support for more languages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emerald Mine free?

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

### Is Return to Monkey Island free?

Return to Monkey Island is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Emerald Mine or Return to Monkey Island?

Return to Monkey Island is rated higher. Emerald Mine averages 4.0 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Return to Monkey Island averages 4.3 from 171 ratings.

### Do Emerald Mine or Return to Monkey Island have ads?

Neither Emerald Mine nor Return to Monkey Island shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Emerald Mine or Return to Monkey Island?

Emerald Mine ships an update every 2 weeks, and Return to Monkey Island every 5 months. Most recently, Emerald Mine was updated on September 20, 2026 and Return to Monkey Island on September 29, 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.*