Comparison

Burstle vs Classic Maelstrom

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

Head to head
About

Burstle

Engage in a daily connected word puzzle where solving one word reveals clues for others. The difficulty increases throughout the week, offering a satisfying challenge for word enthusiasts. Track your progress and play at your own pace without timers.

Highlights
  • Daily interconnected word puzzles
  • Progressive weekly difficulty
  • Community features for sharing
  • Progress tracking and streaks
  • Access to past puzzles
  • No timers, play at your own pace
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Burstle, the Daily Connected Word Puzzle that makes every guess count! Each day, you'll take on a fresh, handcrafted puzzle where every word is interconnected. Solve one, and you'll unlock key clues for the rest. As the week progresses, so does the challenge—Monday is your warm-up, but by Sunday, you'll need serious word skills to win! Why You’ll Love Burstle: -Satisfying "aha!" moments – Every word unlocks clues for the next. -A new challenge every day – Start easy, then ramp up to a brain-bending Sunday. -Join the Burstle community – Compare results, share victories, and challenge friends without spoilers! -Track your progress – Keep up with your streaks, scores, and solved puzzles. -Play past puzzles – Catch up on missed days in the Puzzle Archive! -No timers, no rush – Play at your own pace and return anytime. Think you can crack the grid? Download Burstle now and test your word-solving skills!

About

Classic Maelstrom

Experience a fast-paced, retro arcade shooter with classic pixel graphics and authentic sounds. Enjoy cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, along with modern touch and controller support. Discover hidden secrets and challenge yourself with unique game modes.

Highlights
  • Fast-action gameplay
  • Classic pixel graphics
  • Original sounds
  • Cooperative multiplayer
  • Competitive multiplayer
  • Mobile touch controls
  • Game controller support
  • Kid Mode
Features
Read full description

Maelstrom is a licensed open source port of the original shareware game for the Macintosh by Ambrosia Software, Inc. It is a fast-action, asteroids-like game, with classic pixel graphics and original sounds. In addition to being a faithful reproduction of the original game, this version adds game controller support, mobile touch controls, and both cooperative and competitive multiplayer action. Features: Kid Mode Clicking the "kid mode" icon next to the play button will enable an easier play mode which will add the retro-thruster prize and automatically shield you as long as shields are available - but beware the Shenobi ships! Their shots will not trigger the automatic defensive systems. Achievements and high scores are not available while in this mode. Multiplayer You can host or join a multiplayer game from the main menu. Up to three players can play at once, and they can be any combination of other players on the local network, and connected controllers. Easter Eggs The classic easter eggs from the original game are all there, and it's up to you to find them...

Screenshots

Burstle4 screens
Classic Maelstrom4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Classic Maelstrom at none against Burstle's shown. Classic Maelstrom also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 months) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Burstle's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 1). On price, rating 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Burstle against 5.0 for Classic Maelstrom. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Burstle has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Burstle ships an update every 4 months, Classic Maelstrom every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Burstle versus Classic Maelstrom: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBurstleClassic Maelstrom
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (10 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings10 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.115.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBurst Enterprises LLCSam Lantinga

In-app purchases

None

Burstle

No in-app purchases

None

Classic Maelstrom

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Burstle free?
Burstle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Classic Maelstrom free?
Classic Maelstrom is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Burstle or Classic Maelstrom?
Burstle and Classic Maelstrom are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 10 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Burstle or Classic Maelstrom have ads?
Burstle shows ads; Classic Maelstrom does not.
Which is updated more often, Burstle or Classic Maelstrom?
Burstle ships an update every 4 months, and Classic Maelstrom every 2 days. Most recently, Burstle was updated on November 4, 2026 and Classic Maelstrom on October 31, 2026.

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