Comparison

Cassette Beasts vs Hearthwild

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

Head to head
About

Cassette Beasts

Explore a mysterious island, collect and fuse monsters using cassette tapes to transform for turn-based battles. Solve puzzles and uncover secrets with human companions in this open-world RPG.

Highlights
  • Monster collection
  • Monster fusion system
  • Turn-based battles
  • Open-world exploration
  • Transform into monsters
  • Elemental chemistry system
Features
Read full description

*NOTICE* Play the beginning for free. A one-time in-app purchase unlocks the full game. No ads. PLEASE NOTE: Due to RAM restrictions on older devices, you may experience game crashes on: Standard model iPhone 12 and 13, iPhone XS, XR, iPhone SE 2nd gen, iPad 7th, 8th and 9th generations and iPad mini 5th gen. All iPhone Pro versions and iPad Pro versions are supported in full. Adventure. Battle. Transform. Collect awesome monsters to use during turn-based battles in this open-world RPG. Combine any two monster forms using Cassette Beasts’ Fusion System to create unique and powerful new ones! Welcome to New Wirral, a remote island inhabited by strange creatures you’ve only dreamed of, nightmares you hopefully haven’t, and a cast of brave folks who use cassette tapes to transform for battle. To find a way home you’ll need to explore every inch of the island, and record monsters to your trusty cassette tapes to gain their abilities! Transform into monsters...using retro cassette tapes?! Faced with the constant threat of monster attacks, the residents of Harbourtown, New Wirral choose to fight fire with fire. Record a monster to tape, then play it back to take on its form for battle! Fuse monster forms! Getting close to your companion has benefits–while transformed you can combine your strengths to gain the upper hand in battle! Any two monster forms can be fused to produce unique, fully-animated new fusion forms. Explore a rich open world Certain monster abilities can be used in human form. You’ll need these to help you get around, solve puzzles, and locate dungeons. Glide, fly, swim, climb, dash, or turn magnetic! Travel alongside a diverse cast of human companions Never fight alone! Form bonds, spend time together, and help your selected partner complete personal goals to become a better team. The strength of your relationship determines how well you’re able to fuse! Master a deep battle system Take advantage of elemental chemistry to apply extra buffs or debuffs alongside your attack, or even alter your opponent’s elemental type!

About

Hearthwild

Features
Read full description

Hearthwild is a systems-rich ecological strategy game about stewardship, memory, and consequence. Shape expeditions across a living watershed where organisms act with visible intent, restoration choices alter future missions, and every command becomes part of the world’s history. BUILD A LIVING WORLD • Plan expeditions from real basin conditions • Guide interacting organisms across tactical hex fields • Restore damaged ecosystems through permanent choices • Watch decisions compound across regions and relationships REPLAY CAUSE, NOT JUST SCORE The Living Chronicle records commands, consequences, civic doctrines, and ecological memory. Trace what changed, why it changed, and how one expedition reshaped the next. SHARE QUESTIONS, NOT POWER Share a fixed, replayable Glassroot Field Challenge with friends. Advanced routes are clearly labeled as field showcases. Shared links never alter either player’s campaign, save, or progression. GLASSROOT REMAINS FREE Finish the complete prologue, then replay Glassroot as often as you want. Your first permanent restoration, Morrow Basin, the Chronicle, and fixed Glassroot Field Challenges remain available without payment. FULL LIVING WORLD A single optional purchase unlocks six authored advanced fields across two campaign branches. Each device-local world permanently chooses Rootwell or Tideglass, then reaches Braid, Parallax, Concordance, and Asterreach—five advanced fields in that campaign. There is no subscription, loot box, paid power, energy timer, virtual currency, or expiring entitlement. Family Sharing is supported. Play at your pace. Keep the whole world.

Screenshots

Cassette Beasts3 screens
Hearthwild4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hearthwild at every 4 days against Cassette Beasts's monthly. Cassette Beasts's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Cassette Beasts sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Hearthwild sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cassette Beasts ships an update monthly, Hearthwild every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Cassette Beasts versus Hearthwild: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCassette BeastsHearthwild
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (461 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings461 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size744 MB15 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperRaw Fury ABMubarak Almahmeed

Bugs and requests

Cassette Beasts

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes after battles
  • Crashes when exiting demo
  • Stickers not working as intended
  • Bootleg monsters not changing colors
  • Teleportation issues in certain areas

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add cloud save/cross-device support
  • Improve controller support and customization
  • Add more post-game content and replayability
  • Optimize for older/lower-end devices
  • Add Russian language localization

Hearthwild

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Cassette Beasts

One-time3
  • Cosplay Pack$0.99
  • Pier of the Unknown$2.99
  • Unlock the full game$6.99
1 purchases

Hearthwild

One-time1
  • Full Living World$14.99

Questions

Is Cassette Beasts free?
Cassette Beasts is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hearthwild free?
Hearthwild is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cassette Beasts or Hearthwild have ads?
Neither Cassette Beasts nor Hearthwild shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cassette Beasts or Hearthwild?
Cassette Beasts ships an update monthly, and Hearthwild every 4 days. Most recently, Cassette Beasts was updated on October 22, 2026 and Hearthwild on October 5, 2026.

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