Comparison

First Person Hooper vs Populus Run

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

Head to head
About

First Person Hooper

Experience an arcade basketball game focused on mastering the jump shot with first-person shooter controls. Utilize a lock-on system for precise shooting and earn bonuses for skillful shots. Customize your environment and compete on leaderboards in various game modes.

Highlights
  • First-person shooter controls
  • Lock-on aiming system
  • Shot-power and timing mechanics
  • Multiple scoring variations
  • Court and ball customization
  • Leaderboards and achievements
  • Free play and timed modes
Features
Read full description

First Person Hooper is an arcade-style basketball game focused on the jump shot. Featuring first-person shooter controls with a lock-on system similar to modern FPS games, players can easily shoot the ball with power and timing mechanics relative to location on the court. Score with shot style bonuses and get rewarded with a power-up for swishes and bank shots. Get shots up in a relaxed island setting and customize the court to fit any mood. Rank up on the leaderboards in score and time-attack modes or master your shot in free play. GAME MODES • ARCADE (Score Attack) - Score in creative ways to achieve the highest score possible within a chosen time limit • SPOT UP (Time Attack) - Make shots from designated spots on the court and record your fastest time • ZEN (Free Play) - Relax and shoot at your leisure, perfect your jump shot, and view stats in realtime GAME CENTER • Leaderboards • Achievements FEATURES • Lock-on aiming system for quick and easy shot making • Shot-power and timing mechanic that adjusts to your movement • Multiple scoring variations such as perfect releases, swishes, bankshots, fadeaways, and more • Additional skill level for hoopers that prefer manual control • Ball, court, hoop, and crosshair customizations • Stat sheet and shot chart that tracks shot types and percentages • In-game secrets, bonuses, and special zones • Scoring multipliers up to 4x when making consecutive shots • Ability to power-up your shot for a guaranteed make • Semi-realistic basketball physics • Lefty option for left-handed players • Options to customize the interface and game experience • Online leaderboards for Arcade and Spot Up modes • Designed for replayability to master the jump shot, beat your best times and record high scores • Gamepad and controller support • Lo-fi instrumental hiphop soundtrack by hypoetical All questions, comments, and issues will be taken to heart and addressed as soon as possible. Your feedback and suggestions are welcome! If you enjoy the game, please let the world know with a positive review. Your support will allow us to provide new content and updates.

About

Populus Run

Control a crowd of people in this unique running game. Dodge obstacles, battle quirky bosses, and discover hidden characters. Enjoy the full experience with a one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • Control a crowd of people
  • Dodge giant fast food
  • Slide down pipes
  • Battle rapper bosses
  • Hardcore mode
  • Collect secret characters
  • Original soundtrack
Features
Read full description

Play the opening levels for free with no ads. Unlock the full game forever with a single in-app purchase. Populus Run is the unconventional running game where you control a crowd of people. • Dodge giant fast food • Slide down pipes like at a waterpark • Battle rapper bosses, including Macaron, Donut, and Burger • Test yourself in Hardcore mode • Collect all the secret characters who are hidden in the levels • Show your respect for the upbeat original soundtrack with its choral singing Populus Run was originally released exclusively on Apple Arcade. Now it's available on the App Store. If you've played the game before, your progress and achievements will be carried over.

Screenshots

First Person Hooper4 screens
Populus Run4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Populus Run at none against First Person Hooper's shown. Populus Run also leads on device support (5 vs 3). First Person Hooper's advantage is review sentiment (93% vs 70%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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

Both are free to download. First Person Hooper sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Populus Run sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for First Person Hooper against 4.7 for Populus Run. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.9K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of First Person Hooper's written reviews are positive against 70% of Populus Run's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Person Hooper ships an update every 3 weeks, Populus Run every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
First Person Hooper versus Populus Run: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst Person HooperPopulus Run
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.9K ratings) — better4.7 (1.5K ratings)
Positive reviews93.1% of reviews — better69.6% of reviews
Number of ratings1.9K — better1.5K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size238 MB523 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperStarch DigitalFIFTYTWO

Customer experience

First Person Hooper

All ratings1,890 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews116 reviews
Positive93.1%
Neutral1.7%
Negative5.2%

Populus Run

All ratings1,512 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral4.2%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews345 reviews
Positive69.6%
Neutral9.0%
Negative21.4%

User reviews

First Person Hooper

From 1.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Addictive and fun gameplay
  • 👍 Simple and easy-to-use controls
  • 🎨 Beautiful and relaxing visuals
  • 🎧 Soothing soundtrack

Room to improve

  • 🎮 Needs improvements to shooting mechanics
  • 🎮 Lack of multiplayer/competitive modes
  • 🎮 Limited customization options
  • 🐛 Occasional control issues

Populus Run

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Amazing game
  • 👍 Great developers
  • 👍 Fantastic music
  • 👍 Relaxing and fun
  • 👍 Colorful and visually appealing

Room to improve

  • 💰 Paywall after first few levels
  • 🐛 Occasional performance issues
  • 🐛 Compatibility problems on some devices

Bugs and requests

First Person Hooper

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Shooting meter not always responsive
  • Occasional freezing or crashing

Requested features

5 requests
  • Multiplayer modes (1v1, online matches)
  • More customization options (courts, balls, player models)
  • Dribbling and layup mechanics
  • Difficulty settings/AI opponents
  • Additional environments and locations

Populus Run

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Freezing on login screen
  • Graphical glitches on certain devices
  • Saved data not restoring properly

Requested features

4 requests
  • Make the full game free to play
  • Add more levels and worlds
  • Improve level selection UI
  • Allow customization of controls

In-app purchases

2 purchases

First Person Hooper

One-time2
  • Remove Ads$3.99
  • Bonus Pack$4.99
1 purchases

Populus Run

One-time1
  • Full Game$3.99

Questions

Is First Person Hooper free?
First Person Hooper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Populus Run free?
Populus Run is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, First Person Hooper or Populus Run?
First Person Hooper is rated higher. First Person Hooper averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Populus Run averages 4.7 from 1.5K ratings.
Do First Person Hooper or Populus Run have ads?
First Person Hooper shows ads; Populus Run does not.
Which is updated more often, First Person Hooper or Populus Run?
First Person Hooper ships an update every 3 weeks, and Populus Run every 4 weeks. Most recently, First Person Hooper was updated on October 27, 2026 and Populus Run on October 27, 2026.

Other comparisons