Comparison

Return to Pixhell vs Monkey King Island

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

Head to head
About

Return to Pixhell

Descend into a cursed world in this 2D roguelike action game. Survive endless hordes, defeat bosses, and manage your fear in a dark, oppressive atmosphere. Master strict movement mechanics and build powerful characters to climb the leaderboards.

Highlights
  • Strict 4-way movement combat
  • Explore Forest, Caves, and Hell
  • Fear system and light mechanics
  • Character selection (Mage, Reaper, Aura, Bard)
  • Item collection and build creation
  • Leaderboards for competition
Read full description

Are you ready for darkness? Return to Pixhell is a roguelite survival fantasy game where you descend into a cursed, dying world with no goal – only survival. Fight through endless hordes, defeat bosses, and go as far as you can… because death is inevitable. FEATURES: - Tactical 4-way movement – movement precision is your weapon! - Descend through Forest, Caves, and Hell (+ secret level) - Dark, oppressive atmosphere that never lets go - Fear system - stay in the light or be consumed - Ignite campfires for light, power and survival - Compete on Season and All-time Leaderboards – prove you are the ultimate survivor. - Choose your character (Mage, Reaper, Aura, Bard) - Collect gold, buy items, create powerful builds - Original soundtrack - Fully handmade - no AI - Enjoy as endless demo with all heroes and first map - No ads. Ever.

About

Monkey King Island

Features
Read full description

Ascend with Bayani, in an offline side-scrolling action platformer packed with episodes, boss fights, and upgradeable powers. Master aerial jumps, magical staff attacks, and relic loadouts as you defend an island nation from an invading fleet. Play anytime with no ads, no tracking, and no custom accounts. FEATURES • 21 free episodes Experience a full adventure through the archipelago with a repeating easy, medium, hard, harder, and boss cycle. Face resupply missions every third episode and boss encounters every fifth episode to keep the action fresh. • Island Defense mode Hold the line in a replayable, progressively harder Island Defense mode. Destroy command ships, protect your shipwreck base, and sink patrol fleets before they overrun the atoll. • Agile Monkey King movement Use multi-frame Monkey King movement for precise control. Chain up to eight aerial jumps, spend energy to hover, and ride enchanted clouds to cross the sea. Protect your shield HP and heal with potions to stay in the fight. • Skills, weapons, and powers Wield a magical staff, whip, and deflection abilities. Unleash Legend powers and customize relic loadouts to fit your playstyle. Upgrade your stats, gear, and abilities, and carry the improvements into every episode. • Build your own Monkey King Collect Monkey Coins as you play and visit the Market between missions. Stack permanent stat upgrades across the entire journey. Start with 1 relic slot and unlock up to 5. Earn up to 3 medals and discover 1 secret relic in each episode. • Boss battles and special missions Clash with sea warlords in boss encounters where enemies resist one-shot attacks. Break their defenses, endure longer fights, and learn from each defeat. Escort relief boats through dangerous routes and keep enemy ships away from the hull. • Play your way Choose between standard play and Casual Mode for a more forgiving experience. Learn the rhythm of hearts, energy, and safe islands in the Monkey King Field Guide and How To Play tips. • Celestial Ascension Pack (optional purchase) Unlock the Celestial Ascension Pack to permanently max all repeatable upgrades. Gain five relic slots, permanent gear and relic advantages, and an exclusive ascended appearance and effects. Your purchase is owned by your Apple Account and can be restored on new devices. • Optional Monkey Coin packs Purchase optional coin packs to speed up your Market upgrades. Your new balance is ready for Skills & Equipment after each purchase. • Game Center support Compete on Apple Game Center leaderboards and chase achievements. Connect or disconnect Game Center at any time from in-game settings. • Designed for iPhone and iPad Enjoy responsive landscape gameplay on both iPhone and iPad. Play completely offline once downloaded, with no ads, analytics, tracking, or third-party SDKs. Fall, learn, and ascend: master Bayani’s powers, defend the island nation, and write your own Monkey King legend in Monkey Nation.

Screenshots

Return to Pixhell4 screens
Monkey King Island4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Return to Pixhell at Free against Monkey King Island's $0.99. Return to Pixhell also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs weekly). Monkey King Island's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Return to Pixhell is free to download; Monkey King Island costs $0.99 up front. Return to Pixhell sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Monkey King Island asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Return to Pixhell ships an update every 4 days, Monkey King Island weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
Return to Pixhell versus Monkey King Island: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReturn to PixhellMonkey King Island
PriceFree — better$0.99
Positive reviews14.3% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size140 MB100 MB
Age rating12++4
DeveloperMartin LepicOna Pacholo Asis

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Return to Pixhell

One-time1
  • Full game unlock$4.99
None

Monkey King Island

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Return to Pixhell free?
Return to Pixhell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Monkey King Island free?
Monkey King Island costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Return to Pixhell or Monkey King Island have ads?
Neither Return to Pixhell nor Monkey King Island shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Return to Pixhell or Monkey King Island?
Return to Pixhell ships an update every 4 days, and Monkey King Island weekly. Most recently, Return to Pixhell was updated on October 7, 2026 and Monkey King Island on October 17, 2026.

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