The First Ascent vs Subterranean
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The First Ascent
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“The first ascent” is an immersive climbing adventure where players scale treacherous mountains, sheer cliff faces, and mysterious vertical landscapes in their quest to reach the top. From dark caves to outer space, each level introduces new challenges and environmental hazards like hotwind, falling blizzards, mostly unstable obstacles. Strategic planning, quick reflexes, and precision are the keys to reaching the summit. Upgrade your character and unlock new climbers with unique skills, and collect the useful items along your route. Whether you're racing the clock or exploring at your own pace, "The first ascent" promises a vertical adventure like no other.
Subterranean
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Dig deep in a retro pixel world and see how far underground you can go. Control a small mining vehicle, dig through the earth, and uncover gems, ore, fossils, and other valuable resources. Sell what you find, upgrade your vehicle, and head back down to dig even deeper. Improve your drill, light, cargo, temp, fuel, and hull to stay underground longer and reach rare riches hidden far below the surface. Inspired by classic mining games, this 2D side-scrolling adventure is easy to pick up and satisfying to play, whether you have a few minutes or want to keep digging just one more run. Dig, mine, upgrade, repeat. How deep can you go?
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Subterranean at every 2 days against The First Ascent's every 5 months. 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
The First Ascent ships an update every 5 months, Subterranean every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The First Ascent | Subterranean |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 134 MB | 142 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Chi Nguyen | Tayin Wallace |
In-app purchases
The First Ascent
No in-app purchases
Subterranean
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is The First Ascent free?
Is Subterranean free?
Do The First Ascent or Subterranean have ads?
Which is updated more often, The First Ascent or Subterranean?
Other comparisons
