# Hero Emblems vs Dragons & Diamonds

The clearest difference is price: Dragons & Diamonds at Free against Hero Emblems's $2.99. Hero Emblems's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Dragons & Diamonds is free to download; Hero Emblems costs $2.99 up front. Dragons & Diamonds sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Hero Emblems asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Hero Emblems against 4.5 for Dragons & Diamonds. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 405 and 243 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Hero Emblems's written reviews are positive against 64% of Dragons & Diamonds's.

Hero Emblems ships an update every 3 months, Dragons & Diamonds every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hero Emblems | Dragons & Diamonds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (405 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hero-emblems/id645797558/reviews) | **[4.5 (243 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragons-and-diamonds/id1223359380/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **405** | 243 |
| Positive reviews | **79.4% of reviews** | 63.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#128** | — |
| Size | 148 MB | 192 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [HeatPot Games Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/645797561) | [Kiloo](https://appshunter.io/developer/330629809) |

## What reviewers say

### Hero Emblems

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hero-emblems/id645797558)

**Currently charting:** #128 Top Paid · Role Playing, #142 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Embark on a fantasy adventure blending classic JRPG storytelling with engaging match-3 puzzle combat. Explore a vast world, battle diverse monsters with unique weaknesses, and make choices that shape your destiny. Experience a deep, story-driven quest with no in-app purchases or ads.

**Highlights:** Classical JRPG style adventures, Turn-based match-3 combat, Large adventure world map, Diverse monsters with weaknesses, Story-driven quests, Choice-based stage progression

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Gorgeous graphics
- 🕹️ Addictive match-3 gameplay
- 💰 No in-app purchases
- 🕰️ Lengthy campaign with lots of content
- 🎵 Excellent soundtrack

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Overly difficult progression and boss battles
- 💰 Slow gold/XP gain requires excessive grinding
- 🤖 Poor enemy AI and balancing
- 📝 Subpar localization and dialogue writing
- 🤷‍♀️ Confusing UI elements (e.g. delete save button)

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes after completing final boss battle
- Save file deletion issues
- Background music playback problems
- Language settings reverting unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Difficulty settings or easy mode
- Mid-level checkpoints to avoid repeating content
- Ability to change equipment during battles
- Improved iCloud/cross-device save syncing
- Option to disable random encounters


### Dragons & Diamonds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragons-and-diamonds/id1223359380)

Embark on a fantasy adventure to defeat dragons and collect treasure. Rescue bounty hunters to build a powerful team and use strategic match-3 gameplay to overcome challenging foes. Explore a lost world filled with dungeons, beasts, and riches.

**Highlights:** Match-3 diamond puzzles, Dragon battles, Hunter team building, Fantasy world exploration, Loot collection and upgrades, Strategic combat

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Welcome to the hunt! | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer! | $2.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Extra Energy | $3.99 | one-time |
| EXTRA HEART | $3.99 | one-time |
| Enjoy the Starter Pack! | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Deal | $5.99 | one-time |
| NEW ENERGY PACK | $5.99 | one-time |
| Bundle Offer | $7.99 | one-time |
| Pouch of Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bucket of Gems | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive and fun gameplay
- 💡 Requires strategy and thinking
- 🎨 Great graphics and art style
- ✨ Clean interface, not predatory
- 💯 Challenging objectives

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐌 Slow progress at higher levels
- 🎲 Heavily luck-based
- 💰 Pay-to-win elements
- ⏳ Long grinding required
- 😩 Difficulty spikes beyond playability

**Reported bugs**

- Progress blocked by bugs (e.g., 23/24 stars)
- Rewards not received due to bugs
- Achievement not registering
- Cannot go past the first crystal set
- Game stays on stone connection screen

**Requested features**

- More levels
- More characters
- Update with more levels and characters
- PvP soon


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hero Emblems free?

Hero Emblems costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dragons & Diamonds free?

Dragons & Diamonds is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Hero Emblems or Dragons & Diamonds?

Dragons & Diamonds is rated higher. Hero Emblems averages 4.5 out of 5 from 405 ratings, while Dragons & Diamonds averages 4.5 from 243 ratings.

### Do Hero Emblems or Dragons & Diamonds have ads?

Dragons & Diamonds shows ads; Hero Emblems does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hero Emblems or Dragons & Diamonds?

Hero Emblems ships an update every 3 months, and Dragons & Diamonds every 6 weeks. Most recently, Hero Emblems was updated on October 26, 2026 and Dragons & Diamonds on October 21, 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.*