Comparison

Doodle Magic vs Shadow Survival

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

Head to head
About

Doodle Magic

Become a mighty wizard defending a village from monsters and slimes. Upgrade gear, collect skills, and build an indestructible fortress to overcome endless challenges and boss battles. Embark on a tower defense journey.

Highlights
  • Upgrade epic gear and forge powerful wizard
  • Collect and synthesize gems
  • Explore and combine mystical skills
  • Defend against endless slime monsters
  • Build and upgrade unique ramparts
  • Challenge Abyss Mode with random monster combinations
Features
Read full description

Step into the Middle Ages, where the village of Hamel is plagued by mice and overrun by monsters. As a young wizard, you waved your wand to rid the village of a multitude of creatures. Yet, a greater danger lurks ahead. Are you ready to face slimes and other formidable monsters? Features: Be a Mighty Wizard! - Upgrade epic gear, collect and synthesize gems to forge a powerful wizard leading the entire battlefield. Collect your Fantasy Skills - Explore mystical skills and collect a unique combination to break free from traditional tactical limits. Take on Endless Slimes! - Embrace endless slime monster challenges, showcasing your wizard skills to defend our homeland. Build your unique rampart - Upgrade wall durability, collect wall magic resistance, and create your unique castle, an indestructible fortress. Challenge the Abyss Mode - Confront randomly combined monster challenges, strategically choose skill card combinations, as hordes of monster bosses are about to descend. Get ready for an exhilarating combat experience! Updates and Support: We are committed to continuous game updates, providing players with the better gaming experience. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to contact our support team. **Join us now, embark on a brand new tower defense journey, and let the wizard's glory be in your hands.

About

Shadow Survival

Engage in a thrilling vampire survival game where you battle hordes of monsters. Level up your knight, upgrade skills, and strategically combine abilities to wipe out enemies. Choose your hero and conquer challenging maps to survive the encroaching darkness.

Highlights
  • Kill countless monsters
  • Level up and upgrade skills
  • Organize unique skill decks
  • Choose and strengthen heroes
  • Strategic one-handed control
  • Battle on numerous maps
Features
Read full description

Where monsters appear in the dark, there is a war of survival. And on the battlefield, brave knights are killing monsters! Shadow Survival is a vampire survival game in which the knight kills monsters appearing in the dark, by leveling up, and surviving. Feel the exciting of sweeping away the monsters that are flocking by upgrading your skills in the game! Shadow Survival Game features The pleasure of killing monsters : there's the pleasure of fighting countless monsters that flock and wiping them out at once! The more you clearing the stage, the more thrilling you can feel. Easy to control : Simple to control with one hand, light usability that makes it easy for anyone to enjoy anytime, anywhere. Fun organizing your own skill deck: Create your own skill deck by selecting the skill given during gameplay! As you upgrade and combine different skills, the stronger you get, the harder it will be to get out of this game! Battle of Heroes: Choose the hero character to fight against monsters and enjoy strategic play! The battle of heroes takes place on numerous maps. Improve your abilities with trophies through battle, and strengthen your heroes to survive and win the crisis! Darkness is more deepens, the monsters get stronger and stronger. Fight with your brave knights can overcome the monsters! It's time to enjoy your adventure! * 'Shadow Survival' We are running the game in collaboration with 'Liberty Dust', the developer of Dark SurvivalIt's time to enjoy your adventure!

Screenshots

Doodle Magic4 screens
Shadow Survival4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Shadow Survival at 4.6 against Doodle Magic's 4.3. Doodle Magic's advantage is ratings volume (15K vs 747) and review sentiment (56% vs 44%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Doodle Magic sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Shadow Survival sells 20 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shadow Survival holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Doodle Magic has 15K ratings behind it against 747, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of Doodle Magic's written reviews are positive against 44% of Shadow Survival's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Doodle Magic ships an update every 6 weeks, Shadow Survival every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Doodle Magic versus Shadow Survival: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDoodle MagicShadow Survival
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (15K ratings)4.6 (747 ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.2% of reviews — better43.5% of reviews
Number of ratings15K — better747
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size240 MB266 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperDodjoy HKSeungHo Chung

Customer experience

Doodle Magic

All ratings15,072 ratings
Positive82.4%
Neutral9.9%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews831 reviews
Positive56.2%
Neutral14.8%
Negative29.0%

Shadow Survival

All ratings745 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral4.4%
Negative4.4%
Written reviews255 reviews
Positive43.5%
Neutral12.2%
Negative44.3%

User reviews

Doodle Magic

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Unique art style
  • 🎨 Customizable abilities
  • 💡 Potential for future updates
  • 🎮 Enjoyable tower defense experience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Targeting/AI issues
  • 🔍 Lack of in-game explanations
  • ⏱️ Slow progression and grind
  • 💰 Monetization concerns
  • 🔧 Bugs and glitches

Shadow Survival

From 747 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun game
  • 🚀 Potential to be good
  • 💡 Interesting skills and mechanics
  • 💡 Variety of characters and playstyles

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches (crashes, loading issues, equipment selection bug)
  • 🔨 Rough around the edges (abrupt level endings, confusing interface)
  • 🔋 Grindy progression
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns (personal information collection)

Bugs and requests

Doodle Magic

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Ads not working
  • Overlapping UI elements
  • Game crashes and freezes
  • Progression issues after updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to control spell targeting
  • Improved gem management and combination
  • Endless/survival mode
  • More diverse enemy types and level design
  • Better balance between free-to-play and paid progression

Shadow Survival

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Flame lizard level 10 ability not working
  • Equipment selection options disappearing after merging
  • Crash on startup
  • Lost progress and account issues after updates

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline mode or sync timer
  • Account options (e.g., login via social media)
  • Improved wave design with more variety
  • Multiplayer modes
  • Better translation and localization

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Doodle Magic

One-time6
  • Several Crystal$0.99
  • A handful of Crystal$4.99
  • A pile of Crystal$9.99
Show 3 more
  • A pack of Crystal$19.99
  • A bag of Crystal$49.99
  • A box of Crystal$99.99
20 purchases

Shadow Survival

One-time20
  • gem_1$0.99
  • coinbank_1$0.99
  • day_access_package1$0.99
Show 17 more
  • vip1_package1$0.99
  • chapter_1$1.99
  • chapter_2$2.99
  • gacha_level_2$2.99
  • ss_special_cheering_1$2.99
  • skin_9$4.99
  • lucky_package$4.99
  • pass_1$6.99
  • rare_hero_choice_package2$6.99
  • legend_hero_celebration_pack3$8.99
  • gem_3$9.99
  • special_package_13$9.99
  • monthly_fixed+remove_ads$14.99
  • legendary_hero_choice_package3$18.99
  • season_hyperpass_9$18.99
  • season_hyperpass_8$18.99
  • pass_2$19.99

Questions

Is Doodle Magic free?
Doodle Magic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shadow Survival free?
Shadow Survival is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Doodle Magic or Shadow Survival?
Shadow Survival is rated higher. Doodle Magic averages 4.3 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Shadow Survival averages 4.6 from 747 ratings.
Do Doodle Magic or Shadow Survival have ads?
Both Doodle Magic and Shadow Survival show ads.
Which is updated more often, Doodle Magic or Shadow Survival?
Doodle Magic ships an update every 6 weeks, and Shadow Survival every 2 months. Most recently, Doodle Magic was updated on October 29, 2026 and Shadow Survival on October 27, 2026.

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