# Shotgun King vs Eldershyft

The clearest difference is price: Eldershyft at Free against Shotgun King's $6.99. Shotgun King's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (762 vs 8). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Eldershyft is free to download; Shotgun King costs $6.99 up front. Eldershyft sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Shotgun King asks for nothing beyond the download.

Eldershyft holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shotgun King has 762 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Shotgun King's written reviews are positive against 50% of Eldershyft's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Shotgun King ships an update every 5 days, Eldershyft every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shotgun King | Eldershyft |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (762 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shotgun-king/id6744170498/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldershyft/id6758571287/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **762** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **66.1% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#81** | — |
| Size | 468 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Plug In Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/608306412) | [KIERAN HARTNETT](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801578555) |

## What reviewers say

### Shotgun King

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shotgun-king/id6744170498)

**Currently charting:** #81 Top Paid · Puzzle, #124 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Experience a unique twist on chess where you command a king armed with a shotgun. Fight your way through enemy pieces, strategically reload, and upgrade your abilities to reclaim your kingdom. This roguelike chess adventure offers challenging gameplay and extensive replayability.

**Highlights:** Chess with a shotgun mechanic, Roguelike progression with upgrades, 15 difficulty ranks, Unlockable cards, Over 100 achievements, Endless and chase modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Eldershyft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldershyft/id6758571287)

A unique match-3 puzzle game where you move entire paths on a hexagonal board to create cascades and combos. Build a mystical island, tame beasts, and choose your strategy to achieve high scores or complete challenges.

**Highlights:** Hexagonal board path movement, Cascading matches and combos, Endless and Challenge modes, Beast management and island building, Stackable bonuses and abilities, Full VoiceOver support, Color-blind and high contrast settings

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Rival Curators | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full base game unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shotgun King free?

Shotgun King costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Eldershyft free?

Eldershyft is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shotgun King or Eldershyft?

Eldershyft is rated higher. Shotgun King averages 4.8 out of 5 from 762 ratings, while Eldershyft averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Shotgun King or Eldershyft have ads?

Neither Shotgun King nor Eldershyft shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shotgun King or Eldershyft?

Shotgun King ships an update every 5 days, and Eldershyft every 3 weeks. Most recently, Shotgun King was updated on October 23, 2026 and Eldershyft on October 8, 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.*