Karateka Classic vs Apple Knight
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Side-scrolling combat
- Classic 1984 gameplay
- Save the princess quest
- Challenging enemy AI
- Original Apple II experience
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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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Karateka Classic | Apple Knight |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (88 ratings) | 4.7 (23K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 79.1% of reviews | 86.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 88 | 23K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 46 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #47 — better | #204 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 184 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | DotEmu | Limitless LLC |
Customer experience
Karateka Classic
Apple Knight
User reviews
Karateka Classic
From 88 App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
Karateka Classic
No in-app purchases
Apple Knight
- Small Bag of Coins$0.99
- Night Assassin$1.99
- Elite Ninja$3.99
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- 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?
Is Apple Knight free?
Which has better reviews, Karateka Classic or Apple Knight?
Do Karateka Classic or Apple Knight have ads?
Which is updated more often, Karateka Classic or Apple Knight?
Which is more popular, Karateka Classic or Apple Knight?
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