Comparison

BLAZING STAR vs DODONPACHI MAXIMUM

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

Head to head
About

BLAZING STAR

Experience a classic NEOGEO shooting game with stunning graphics and a unique point system. Engage in intense arcade or mission modes, choose from multiple spaceships, and team up with friends via Wi-Fi for cooperative gameplay.

Highlights
  • Classic Arcade Mode
  • Mission Mode with stage selection
  • 6 unique spaceships
  • Wi-Fi multiplayer
  • Touch and Virtual Pad controls
  • Game Center achievements
Currently charting
Read full description

“BLAZING STAR”, legendary NEOGEO shooting game with its unique game system and its gorgeous graphics, lands on iPhone/iPod touch! “BLAZING STAR” features integre a multitude of exciting options such as a “point scaling system” for insane scores! Shoot down your enemies with your powerful options and weapons! ■Not only a perfect port of the original NEOGEO game! In addition to its classic “ARCADE MODE”, this perfect conversion of “BLAZING STAR” includes a “MISSION MODE”, allowing you to select in which stage you want to play! You can now train yourself in your favorite stages or those which give you a hard time! ■Many spaceships with various characteristics! In total, 6 spaceships with various strengths (spaceships for beginners, high scoring or with an increased defense) are available to selection in “BLAZING STAR”. “CHARGED SHOTS”, which vary depending on the selected spaceship, worth a watch! ■Intense cooperative gameplay via the Wi-Fi function! Besides the “MAIN MISSION” game mode, “BLAZING STAR” can be doubly enjoyed by playing in “MULTIPLAYER” via the Wi-Fi function! Will you be able to clear the hardest stages with your friends? ■Smooth controls! Move your spaceship by tapping the game screen in “TOUCH CONTROL”, or maneuver it via the Virtual Pad displayed in the bottom left corner of the screen in “PAD CONTROL”! ■Compatible with “GAME CENTER”! Complete a maximum of “ACHIEVEMENTS” in order to increase your Shooter Level! Beat the best scores and become World’s Number 1!!

About

DODONPACHI MAXIMUM

Experience intense bullet-hell action with this mobile shooter. Navigate through overwhelming enemy fire with intuitive one-finger controls. Features include multiple difficulty modes and a remixed soundtrack.

Highlights
  • One-finger controls
  • Bullet-hell gameplay
  • Easy and Normal modes
  • Remixed soundtrack
  • Combo system
Features
Read full description

Now updated for iOS 11 or later! Enjoy the bullet hell with your new iOS! ###CAVE'S FIRST ALL-ORIGINAL SMARTPHONE SHOOTER### Take a ride on EVAC Co.'s maximum bullet-hell simulator, the M.B.S.! Survive an incredible array of bullet-hell weaponry! CAVE shooters are now mixed up! ≪ Game Overview ≫ [OPTIMIZED FOR ONE-FINGER WARFARE!] Weave through walls of bullets! Smash through the enemy and build combos! Manic, full-throttle gameplay, all controlled with your thumb! [BEGINNERS CAN JUMP RIGHT IN! EASY MODE INCLUDED!] If you're not sure you've got what it takes, start off with Easy Mode. Once you've conquered that, test your mettle with Normal Mode! [REMIXED MUSIC INCLUDED!] Remixed versions of classic Dodonpachi series tracks included! Remix composer WASi303 has written a new soundtrack for a new Dodonpachi world! ### Important ###: Please read the following before downloading this application. ●Compatibility: iPhone5S or later, iPod touch 6thGen. or later and iPad Air or later. ●Compatible OS: iOS 11 or later. ●This application will use mass volume of memory. Please note the application may not function properly or shutdown without any notice when used with limited memory space. ●Turning ON the accessibility option setting may cause malfunctions in certain features.

Screenshots

BLAZING STAR4 screens
DODONPACHI MAXIMUM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: DODONPACHI MAXIMUM at 4.8 against BLAZING STAR's 4.0. DODONPACHI MAXIMUM also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 18 months) and review sentiment (72% vs 43%). BLAZING STAR's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $3.99) and chart position (#162 vs unranked). On ratings volume, 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

BLAZING STAR costs $0.99 and DODONPACHI MAXIMUM $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DODONPACHI MAXIMUM holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 63 and 53 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of BLAZING STAR's written reviews are positive against 72% of DODONPACHI MAXIMUM's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BLAZING STAR ships an update every 18 months, DODONPACHI MAXIMUM every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
BLAZING STAR versus DODONPACHI MAXIMUM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBLAZING STARDODONPACHI MAXIMUM
Price$0.99 — better$3.99
Rating4.0 (63 ratings)4.8 (53 ratings) — better
Positive reviews42.9% of reviews72.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings63 — better53
Update frequencyEvery 18 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#162 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size91 MB393 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperSNK CORPORATIONCAVE CO.,LTD.

Customer experience

BLAZING STAR

All ratings63 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral11.1%
Negative17.5%
Written reviews217 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative46.1%

DODONPACHI MAXIMUM

All ratings53 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral1.9%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews189 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral7.4%
Negative20.1%

User reviews

BLAZING STAR

From 63 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Exceptional port
  • 👍 Solid game that deserves a play
  • 👍 Great classic shooter
  • 👍 Wonderful game
  • 👍 Masterpiece of a shoot 'em up

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unplayable on iOS 7
  • 🐛 Screen issues on newer devices
  • 🐛 Glitchy background
  • 🐛 Buggy controls
  • 🐛 Unresponsive touch controls

DODONPACHI MAXIMUM

From 53 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Classic bullet hell gameplay
  • 👍 Smooth controls on touchscreens
  • 🎶 Engaging music and sound design
  • 🕹️ Challenging difficulty for experts
  • 👶 Beginner-friendly options available

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Screen glitches/bugs on newer iOS
  • 📉 Graphics can be repetitive/plain
  • ⚠️ Some users find it too difficult
  • 💸 High price point for some
  • 🕹️ Control issues on certain devices

Bugs and requests

BLAZING STAR

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Unplayable on iOS 7
  • Screen rotation issues
  • Buttons covering gameplay
  • Flickering backgrounds
  • Incompatible with newer devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • iOS 7 support
  • iPhone 5 support
  • Autofire option
  • Improved controls
  • Leaderboards

DODONPACHI MAXIMUM

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Screen glitches after iOS updates (especially iOS 18)
  • Graphics breaking/rendering issues
  • Game Center achievements not unlocking
  • Screen shifted upwards, making parts inaccessible
  • Game not displaying correctly on iPad Mini 2024
Show 4 more
  • Game not installing on iPod Touch 5th gen
  • Leaderboard scores wiped
  • Achievements not awarded
  • Game Center integration issues

Requested features

9 requests
  • Adjustable screen size
  • Option to disable letterboxing
  • More varied backgrounds
  • Improved Game Center integration/achievements
  • Support for older devices/iOS versions
Show 4 more
  • MFi controller support
  • Add more Cave games to the store
  • Option to continue from last boss
  • Manual fire option

In-app purchases

None

BLAZING STAR

No in-app purchases

None

DODONPACHI MAXIMUM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BLAZING STAR free?
BLAZING STAR costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is DODONPACHI MAXIMUM free?
DODONPACHI MAXIMUM costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BLAZING STAR or DODONPACHI MAXIMUM?
DODONPACHI MAXIMUM is rated higher. BLAZING STAR averages 4.0 out of 5 from 63 ratings, while DODONPACHI MAXIMUM averages 4.8 from 53 ratings.
Do BLAZING STAR or DODONPACHI MAXIMUM have ads?
Neither BLAZING STAR nor DODONPACHI MAXIMUM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BLAZING STAR or DODONPACHI MAXIMUM?
BLAZING STAR ships an update every 18 months, and DODONPACHI MAXIMUM every 2 months. Most recently, BLAZING STAR was updated on October 23, 2026 and DODONPACHI MAXIMUM on October 23, 2026.

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