Comparison

Karateka Classic vs Apple Knight

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

Head to head
About

Karateka Classic

Experience a classic side-scrolling martial arts adventure from 1984. Fight as a lone hero to rescue a princess from an evil warlord, overcoming relentless guards and a challenging hawk. Relive the original charm or discover this iconic game for the first time.

Highlights
  • Side-scrolling combat
  • Classic 1984 gameplay
  • Save the princess quest
  • Challenging enemy AI
  • Original Apple II experience
Features
Read full description

A side-scrolling karate classic from 1984! The first game by the creator of Prince of Persia, Karateka arrives on iOS with all the challenge and charm of the original Apple II experience. Fight as the lone hero to save the princess from the evil warlord Akuma. His relentless guards and pesky hawk will challenge your skill whether you remember the original, have played the remake, or are experiencing Karateka for the first time.

About

Apple Knight

Embark on a 2D action platformer adventure with precise controls and stunning animations. Explore vast levels, uncover secrets, and battle formidable foes. Upgrade your gear and abilities to become a legendary hero.

Highlights
  • Precise touch controls
  • Vast levels with secrets
  • Boss battles and enemy waves
  • Upgrade armor, pets, and weapons
  • Endless Adventure mode
  • Customizable control layouts
  • Controller support
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Embark on an epic adventure with Apple Knight, a captivating 2D action platformer that delivers precise touch controls, smooth movement, and stunning animations. Explore vast levels filled with thrilling secrets, captivating quests, and valuable treasures. Prepare to face off against formidable bosses and engage in thrilling battles against waves of wizards, knights, and creatures. Alternatively, outsmart your enemies by activating traps to eliminate them from a safe distance! Key Features: * Upgrade your armor, pets, weapons, and abilities to unleash your full potential * Discover hidden secret areas in every level, as well as elusive super-secret skins and weapons! * Unearth hidden treasures and collect rare secret items throughout your journey * Experience smooth and responsive controls for a seamless gaming experience * Engage in Endless Adventure mode, where you'll face randomly generated levels and strive for a top spot on the leaderboard * Customize your gameplay with 6 unique touchscreen control layouts * Enjoy controller support for a variety of input options * Synchronize your progress across devices with iCloud support * Unlock achievements and compete for the top ranks on the leaderboards Experience the passion poured into every detail of Apple Knight, a game made with love. Join the adventure now and become a legendary hero!

Screenshots

Karateka Classic4 screens
Apple Knight4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Apple Knight at Free against Karateka Classic's $0.99. Apple Knight also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 46 months). Karateka Classic's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment and device support 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

Apple Knight is free to download; Karateka Classic costs $0.99 up front. Apple Knight sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Karateka Classic asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Apple Knight holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Apple Knight has 23K ratings behind it against 88, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Karateka Classic's written reviews are positive against 86% of Apple Knight's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Karateka Classic ships an update every 46 months, Apple Knight monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
Karateka Classic versus Apple Knight: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKarateka ClassicApple Knight
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (88 ratings)4.7 (23K ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.1% of reviews86.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8823K — better
Update frequencyEvery 46 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#47 — better#204
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB184 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperDotEmuLimitless LLC

Customer experience

Karateka Classic

All ratings88 ratings
Positive80.7%
Neutral4.5%
Negative14.8%
Written reviews163 reviews
Positive79.1%
Neutral5.5%
Negative15.3%

Apple Knight

All ratings23,211 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral3.3%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews783 reviews
Positive86.3%
Neutral5.4%
Negative8.3%

User reviews

Karateka Classic

From 88 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Faithful recreation of the classic Apple II game
  • 🎮 Responsive and intuitive controls
  • 🕹️ Authentic retro feel with monochrome display options
  • 💰 Affordable price point

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • 🔍 Lack of visual updates or modern enhancements
  • 🕹️ Difficulty may be too high for some new players

Apple Knight

From 23K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Smooth gameplay
  • 🎨 Excellent pixel art and graphics
  • 🕹️ Responsive and customizable controls
  • 🔥 Fun and challenging platforming
  • 💰 Fair monetization with optional ads

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
  • 🕹️ Small and cramped control buttons
  • 🔁 Repetitive level design
  • 🕰️ Slow progression without paid upgrades

Bugs and requests

Karateka Classic

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Black screen or missing graphics on certain devices
  • Rewind function not working as expected
  • Sound issues or loss of audio

Requested features

3 requests
  • Support for external keyboards and controllers
  • Leaderboards and competitive features
  • Difficulty options or accessibility settings

Apple Knight

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Ads not pausing the game during revives
  • Floating glitch with movable crates
  • Inconsistent enemy behavior

Requested features

5 requests
  • Multiplayer mode
  • Level editor and sharing
  • More enemy variety
  • Larger control buttons
  • Offline coin earning

In-app purchases

None

Karateka Classic

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Apple Knight

One-time10
  • Small Bag of Coins$0.99
  • Night Assassin$1.99
  • Elite Ninja$3.99
Show 7 more
  • Box of Coins$4.99
  • Pirate$4.99
  • Viking$4.99
  • Premium + Viking Skin$4.99
  • Big Box of Coins$9.99
  • Unlock Premium Skins: 50% off$9.99
  • Unlock All Skins - 50% off$14.99

Questions

Is Karateka Classic free?
Karateka Classic costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Apple Knight free?
Apple Knight is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Karateka Classic or Apple Knight?
Apple Knight is rated higher. Karateka Classic averages 4.3 out of 5 from 88 ratings, while Apple Knight averages 4.7 from 23K ratings.
Do Karateka Classic or Apple Knight have ads?
Apple Knight shows ads; Karateka Classic does not.
Which is updated more often, Karateka Classic or Apple Knight?
Karateka Classic ships an update every 46 months, and Apple Knight monthly. Most recently, Karateka Classic was updated on November 1, 2026 and Apple Knight on November 4, 2026.
Which is more popular, Karateka Classic or Apple Knight?
Karateka Classic currently peaks at #47 in the App Store charts, and Apple Knight at #204. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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