Comparison

Star Realms vs Captain Derkin

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

Head to head
About

Star Realms

Engage in thrilling space combat with this popular deckbuilding game. Build your deck, outmaneuver opponents, and conquer the galaxy. Offers both single-player campaigns and multiplayer battles.

Highlights
  • Deckbuilding gameplay
  • Player vs Player combat
  • AI battles
  • Campaign mode
  • Online multiplayer
  • Pass and Play mode
Features
Read full description

Star Realms is a hugely popular space combat deckbuilding game. Download and play today to find out why Star Realms is the winner of SXSW 2014 Board Game of the Year, 7 Golden Geek Awards from BoardGameGeek, including Best Mobile Game, and 2 Dice Tower awards! Reviews: "My readers are going to have a seizure about how good Star Realms is." -Owen Faraday, pockettactics.com “Good on all levels, thumbs up!” -Tom Vasel, The Dice Tower “This game is superb! I think it’s a brilliant game. Beautiful artwork, second to none.” -Tim Norris, Grey Elephant Gaming “What can I say? Star Realms is excellent.” - Lenny, ISlaytheDragon.com “I desperately wanted to play again and again. It's just consistently fun every time.” -The Critical Boardgamer Star Realms combines addictive deck building game play with exciting Trading Card Game (TCG) style combat! Designed by Magic the Gathering Hall of Famers Darwin Kastle and Rob Dougherty (of the Ascension Deckbuilding Game), Star Realms provides tons of playability for free, and a one-time upgrade to be able play with your friends and more on any device. Free Version •Universal Application: Play on iPhone, iPod, iPad, iPad Mini, and Ipad Air. •Addictive Deckbuilding Game with Player VS Player Combat. •Tutorial teaches you to play in minutes. •Stunning visuals. •Play VS the AI. •6 mission campaign mode. Full Game Additional Features •Play the AI on 3 different difficulty settings. •9 additional campaign missions. •Battle friends face to face with Pass and Play. •Online play with global rankings. •Challenge a friend online.

About

Captain Derkin

Features
Read full description

Captain Derkin — A strategic, high-stakes card game filled with surprises and tactical depth. WELCOME TO THE BATTLESHIP DECK! Step into the world of Captain Derkin, where every card you play shifts the tides. Use clever combos, master special cards, and outwit your opponents. FEATURES Strategic Card Combat: Play cards of equal or higher rank. Use 2s, 7s, and Jokers for resets, clears, or bonus turns. Swap & Reveal Mechanics: Trade smart before the battle begins. Then transition from hidden hand → face-up → face-down. Reward System: Earn booster cards through ad rewards. Fast Matches, Intense Gameplay: Play full sessions in minutes—perfect for quick strategy bursts. Why Captain Derkin Stands Out Smooth, intuitive UI optimized for both mobile and tablet. Balanced special card system keeps matches fair but unpredictable. Built with feedback in mind—frequent updates & community-driven balance patches. Tips for New Players Use 2 strategically to reset the stack and regain control. A well-timed 7 can wipe a dangerous pile. Joker grants the rare chance to clear and play again—use wisely. Manage your hand carefully—don’t get stuck picking up too much. Swap your highest cards to your face up area before the game begins to set yourself up for success in the end game.

Screenshots

Star Realms3 screens
Captain Derkin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Captain Derkin at none against Star Realms's 12. Star Realms's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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

Both are free to download. Star Realms sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Captain Derkin asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Star Realms ships an update every 11 days, Captain Derkin every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Star Realms versus Captain Derkin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStar RealmsCaptain Derkin
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (4.4K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews56.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.4K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size473 MB68 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperWhite Wizard GamesHammrtech LLC

Bugs and requests

Star Realms

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Game freezes and crashes on launch
  • Online games getting stuck or timing out
  • Inability to scrap or play certain cards
  • Incorrect card behavior and interactions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add undo/rewind functionality
  • Improve offline/single-player experience
  • Implement better matchmaking and player communication
  • Provide more detailed game statistics and analytics

Captain Derkin

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Star Realms

One-time12
  • High Alert: Invasion$1.99
  • Crisis: Bases and Battleships Set$1.99
  • Crisis: Events Set$1.99
Show 9 more
  • Crisis: Heroes Set$1.99
  • Crisis: Fleets and Fortresses$1.99
  • Command$1.99
  • Gambit Set$3.99
  • Cosmic Gambit$3.99
  • High Alert: First Strike$3.99
  • Full Version$4.99
  • Colony Wars$4.99
  • Frontiers$4.99
None

Captain Derkin

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Star Realms free?
Star Realms is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Captain Derkin free?
Captain Derkin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Star Realms or Captain Derkin have ads?
Captain Derkin shows ads; Star Realms does not.
Which is updated more often, Star Realms or Captain Derkin?
Star Realms ships an update every 11 days, and Captain Derkin every 6 days. Most recently, Star Realms was updated on October 18, 2026 and Captain Derkin on September 19, 2026.

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