Comparison

Headlong vs Cardwheel

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

Head to head
About

Headlong

Hurtle through a vibrant space tunnel, rotating it to guide a bouncing ball. Collect discs for time and speed boosts in this physics-based action game. Master precise controls to reach checkpoints before time runs out.

Highlights
  • Physics-based gameplay
  • Tunnel rotation control
  • Time and speed boosts
  • Checkpoint races
  • Addictive gameplay loop
Features
Read full description

Hurtle headlong through a kaleidoscopic space tunnel in this fast-paced action game that mixes twitch gameplay with physics. Guide the ball by rotating the tunnel around it, in a race against the clock to get from one checkpoint to the next. Collect discs to get additional time and speed boosts. Master control of the ball, which bounces, spins and ramps as it hits the walls of the tunnel. Headlong was designed and built by an indie developer and was in development for more than a year. There are no ads or in-app purchases - you get the full game when you buy it and you will get all future updates. If you enjoy the game, please take some time to leave a review! Some comments from players: "I've never played a game with this sort of mechanic - it's like Marble Madness meets Temple Run!" "I found it difficult at first, but once I got used to controlling the ball I couldn't stop playing!" "It has the special sauce: when you die, it just feels like it was your fault" "I was addicted for ages!" Available on MacOS too!

About

Cardwheel

A roguelite game where players spin a wheel, drop balls, and match colors to score points. Strategize with unique wheels, shop for upgrades, and overcome challenging boss encounters in this addictive, replayable experience.

Highlights
  • Spinning wheel gameplay
  • Color matching for scores
  • Unique wheel selection
  • Shop for jokers and card packs
  • Boss challenges with modifiers
  • Endless strategic combos
Features
Read full description

Spin. Drop. Score. Cardwheel is a fun roguelite where you drop balls into a big spin wheel. Each run begins with choosing a wheel, and each wheel changes the difficulty and how you play. How it works: * Choose Your Wheel: Each wheel gives you a unique setup and starting resources. * Make Your Choice: Enter the next round, or skip it for powerful bonuses like cash, free card packs, or guaranteed rare jokers in the shop. * Spin for Score: Drop 6 balls into a wheel of 4 colors. Match colors to rack up chips, multiply your total, and try to clear the round’s score goal. However, be cautious, as your spins are limited. * Shop & Upgrade: Between rounds, visit the shop to buy jokers and card packs. Jokers twist the rules (e.g., more chips for red balls, multipliers for pairs), while card packs change how balls, slots, or colors behave. * Boss Challenges: Every three rounds, face a unique twist. Some colors stop scoring, modifiers shut down, or jokers get disabled. Adapt fast; there are 8 bosses to beat. Why you’ll love Cardwheel * Endless strategic combos from jokers, packs, and spins * Every run feels different with new wheels and modifiers * Challenging roguelite loop: risk, reward, and adaptation * Simple to learn, endlessly replayable Spin the wheel. Build your deck of tricks. Outwit the bosses. Can you survive the full run and conquer all 8?

Screenshots

Headlong4 screens
Cardwheel4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Headlong at none against Cardwheel's 1. Headlong also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 43%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Cardwheel's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (38 vs 6). On price, rating, ads 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. Cardwheel sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Headlong asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.7 for Headlong against 3.7 for Cardwheel. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cardwheel has 38 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Headlong's written reviews are positive against 43% of Cardwheel's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Headlong ships an update every 14 months, Cardwheel every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Headlong versus Cardwheel: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeadlongCardwheel
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (6 ratings)3.7 (38 ratings)
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews — better42.5% of reviews
Number of ratings638 — better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB101 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKiss The Machinenitzan.games LLC

Customer experience

Headlong

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

Cardwheel

All ratings38 ratings
Positive57.9%
Neutral15.8%
Negative26.3%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive42.5%
Neutral15.0%
Negative42.5%

In-app purchases

None

Headlong

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Cardwheel

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$3.99

Questions

Is Headlong free?
Headlong is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cardwheel free?
Cardwheel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Headlong or Cardwheel?
Headlong and Cardwheel are both rated 3.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 38 ratings respectively.
Do Headlong or Cardwheel have ads?
Neither Headlong nor Cardwheel shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Headlong or Cardwheel?
Headlong ships an update every 14 months, and Cardwheel every 8 days. Most recently, Headlong was updated on October 6, 2026 and Cardwheel on September 18, 2026.

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