# Joy Mahjong vs Guard the Tower

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Joy Mahjong at none against Guard the Tower's 5. Joy Mahjong also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (14 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Guard the Tower sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Joy Mahjong asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Joy Mahjong against 5.0 for Guard the Tower. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Joy Mahjong has 14 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Joy Mahjong | Guard the Tower |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joy-mahjong/id6478065786/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guard-the-tower/id6502746178/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | Every 3 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 26 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 9+ |
| Developer | [术 徐](https://appshunter.io/developer/1335536210) | [Jampot Software co., ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/590341509) |

## What reviewers say

### Joy Mahjong

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joy-mahjong/id6478065786)

Match identical items by clicking on them to earn points and progress through challenges. This classic puzzle game offers a straightforward yet engaging experience for players seeking a relaxing brain teaser.

**Highlights:** Match identical items, Connect items for points, Classic puzzle gameplay, Challenging levels, Simple tap controls

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Guard the Tower

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guard-the-tower/id6502746178)

A turn-based roguelike strategy game where players command a team of heroes to defend a central core. Enemies telegraph their moves, allowing for strategic planning and explosive chain attacks in puzzle-like battles.

**Highlights:** Turn-based roguelike strategy, Predictive combat system, 9 unique hero classes, Procedurally generated levels, Team-based tactical missions, Puzzle-like battles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Full Game | $1.99 | one-time |
| A Pile of Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| A Bag of Gems | $3.99 | one-time |
| A Box of Gems | $7.99 | one-time |
| Buy Me A Coffee | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Joy Mahjong free?

Joy Mahjong is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Guard the Tower free?

Guard the Tower is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Joy Mahjong or Guard the Tower?

Joy Mahjong and Guard the Tower are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 14 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Joy Mahjong or Guard the Tower have ads?

Guard the Tower shows ads; Joy Mahjong does not.

### Which is updated more often, Joy Mahjong or Guard the Tower?

Joy Mahjong ships an update every 3 days, and Guard the Tower every 3 days. Most recently, Joy Mahjong was updated on October 27, 2026 and Guard the Tower on October 18, 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.*