# DRAGON QUEST vs Shattered Pixel Dungeon

The clearest difference is rating: Shattered Pixel Dungeon at 4.9 against DRAGON QUEST's 4.4. Shattered Pixel Dungeon also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (93% vs 70%). DRAGON QUEST's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $4.99). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

DRAGON QUEST costs $2.99 and Shattered Pixel Dungeon $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Shattered Pixel Dungeon holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shattered Pixel Dungeon has 4.3K ratings behind it against 482, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of DRAGON QUEST's written reviews are positive against 93% of Shattered Pixel Dungeon's.

DRAGON QUEST ships an update every 9 months, Shattered Pixel Dungeon fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | DRAGON QUEST | Shattered Pixel Dungeon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (482 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-quest/id911201894/reviews) | **[4.9 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shattered-pixel-dungeon/id1563121109/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 482 | **4.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 70.3% of reviews | **92.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #65 | **#14** |
| Size | 29 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [SQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/300186801) | [Evan Debenham](https://appshunter.io/developer/1562920988) |

## What reviewers say

### DRAGON QUEST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dragon-quest/id911201894)

**Currently charting:** #65 Top Paid · Role Playing (US App Store)

Embark on an epic fantasy quest in a world of sword, magic, and monsters. This classic role-playing game lets you become a legendary hero to vanquish a dark lord and save a kingdom. Experience a complete, standalone adventure with no further purchases or downloads required.

**Highlights:** Fantasy RPG adventure, Hero's quest to save a kingdom, Standalone package, no extra purchases, Intuitive mobile controls, Retro 80s RPG experience, Legendary creator trio

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Affordable price
- 🕹️ Faithful to the original
- 🎮 Good controls for mobile
- 🎨 Charming graphics
- 🎶 Great soundtrack

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 No background audio support
- 🔌 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Lack of guidance/objectives
- 🔍 Dated gameplay mechanics
- 🔍 Forced portrait mode

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes after battles
- Audio issues
- Saving problems

**Requested features**

- Cloud save support
- Landscape mode option
- Controller support
- Difficulty/quality of life options


### Shattered Pixel Dungeon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shattered-pixel-dungeon/id1563121109)

**Currently charting:** #14 Top Paid · Role Playing, #25 Top Paid · Adventure, #139 Top Paid · Games (US App Store)

Embark on a challenging roguelike dungeon crawl with six unique heroes. Explore procedurally generated levels, collect hundreds of items, and battle diverse enemies and bosses. Master unique hero mechanics and unlock powerful abilities to survive the depths.

**Highlights:** Six unique heroes with distinct playstyles, Procedurally generated dungeons and randomized enemies, Hundreds of items to collect, upgrade, and craft, Talent trees and subclass progression for heroes, Challenging bosses and optional achievements, Regular content updates

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Endless replayability
- 👍 Polished and well-designed
- 🎨 Excellent pixel art and aesthetics
- 💡 Innovative mechanics and depth
- 🕹️ Challenging yet rewarding gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Extremely challenging and punishing
- 🕰️ Runs can feel too long
- 🤖 Overpowered enemy mechanics (e.g. evasion)

**Reported bugs**

- Sound effects not working on iOS
- Occasional crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Permadeath optional mode
- Ability to continue progress across devices
- More character classes and customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DRAGON QUEST free?

DRAGON QUEST costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shattered Pixel Dungeon free?

Shattered Pixel Dungeon costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DRAGON QUEST or Shattered Pixel Dungeon?

Shattered Pixel Dungeon is rated higher. DRAGON QUEST averages 4.4 out of 5 from 482 ratings, while Shattered Pixel Dungeon averages 4.9 from 4.3K ratings.

### Do DRAGON QUEST or Shattered Pixel Dungeon have ads?

Neither DRAGON QUEST nor Shattered Pixel Dungeon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DRAGON QUEST or Shattered Pixel Dungeon?

DRAGON QUEST ships an update every 9 months, and Shattered Pixel Dungeon fortnightly. Most recently, DRAGON QUEST was updated on November 7, 2026 and Shattered Pixel Dungeon on November 7, 2026.

### Which is more popular, DRAGON QUEST or Shattered Pixel Dungeon?

DRAGON QUEST currently peaks at #65 in the App Store charts, and Shattered Pixel Dungeon at #14. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*