# Pattern Play Story vs Eldershyft

The clearest difference is price: Eldershyft at Free against Pattern Play Story's $1.99. Eldershyft also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3). Pattern Play Story's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (75% vs 50%). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Eldershyft is free to download; Pattern Play Story costs $1.99 up front. Eldershyft sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Pattern Play Story asks for nothing beyond the download.

Eldershyft holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 8 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Pattern Play Story's written reviews are positive against 50% of Eldershyft's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pattern Play Story | Eldershyft |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pattern-play-story/id6446281195/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldershyft/id6758571287/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **8** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 19 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [John Sturt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1089097833) | [KIERAN HARTNETT](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801578555) |

## What reviewers say

### Pattern Play Story

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pattern-play-story/id6446281195)

A match-3 puzzle game where players clear lines to advance through levels. Maintain a high time bonus to avoid game over. Enjoy limitless, offline gameplay with full voiceover compatibility.

**Highlights:** Match-3 gameplay, Level-based progression, Time bonus mechanics, Limitless gameplay, Offline play, Voiceover compatible

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Eldershyft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldershyft/id6758571287)

A unique match-3 puzzle game where you move entire paths on a hexagonal board to create cascades and combos. Build a mystical island, tame beasts, and choose your strategy to achieve high scores or complete challenges.

**Highlights:** Hexagonal board path movement, Cascading matches and combos, Endless and Challenge modes, Beast management and island building, Stackable bonuses and abilities, Full VoiceOver support, Color-blind and high contrast settings

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Rival Curators | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full base game unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pattern Play Story free?

Pattern Play Story costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Eldershyft free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pattern Play Story or Eldershyft?

Eldershyft is rated higher. Pattern Play Story averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Eldershyft averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Pattern Play Story or Eldershyft have ads?

Neither Pattern Play Story nor Eldershyft shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pattern Play Story or Eldershyft?

Pattern Play Story ships an update every 3 weeks, and Eldershyft every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pattern Play Story was updated on October 16, 2026 and Eldershyft on October 8, 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.*