Comparison

Shadowgate vs Neverwinter Nights

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

Head to head
About

Shadowgate

Embark on a perilous quest in a reimagined point-and-click adventure. Solve mind-bending puzzles, explore stunning hand-painted rooms, and choose your playstyle with customizable UI and difficulty levels. Uncover secrets and defeat an ancient evil in this classic reborn.

Highlights
  • Customized UI with modern or classic commands
  • Four difficulty levels that alter gameplay
  • First-person adventuring with inventory and mapping
  • Beautifully illustrated rooms with new and familiar locations
  • Mind-bending new and updated puzzles
  • Retro mode with classic graphics and sound
  • Over 50 player achievements
Features
Read full description

REQUIRES iPAD 3 OR NEWER! ALSO WORKS WITH iPHONE 6/6s and 6/6s Plus (However, the optimal experience is on an iPad! as the screen is larger.) NOT COMPATIBLE WITH iPAD 1, iPAD 2 or iPAD MINI (without retina display) Shadowgate is one of the most well-known and beloved point-and-click adventure titles in gaming history. As one of the original titles in the popular MacVenture series that went on to be celebrated on the NES, GBC, and Nintendo 64, Shadowgate quickly endeared players with its fantastic atmospheric soundtrack, perilous locations to progress through, countless puzzles to solve, and more ways to gruesomely die than gamers previously thought possible. Thrust into the role of "The Seed of Prophecy," players travel deep into the living castle, in hopes of defeating the evil that dwells within – the dreaded Warlock Lord. Now, nearly 30 years after the original version haunted Mac and NES gamers, the original development team behind that timeless classic is back with a full re-imagining of the original Shadowgate. Much more than a port, the team at Zojoi has painstakingly redesigned the game from the ground up, adding in tons of new mind-bending puzzles, lots of new rooms with stunning hand-painted 2D graphical detail, and more objects to interact with and help you along your quest. Decide how YOU want to play this new, re-imagined Shadowgate! Want the modern adventure experience? Use the wheel-based icon command system. Want the retro experience? Employ the Classic command system and turn on the retro graphics, soundtrack, text box, and room transitions. Want a more cinematic experience? Switch to Immersive mode by auto-hiding the UI and using customizable hotkeys to explore the castle. Or mix and match the options to satisfy your play style. In Shadowgate, there are plenty of new features and fun throwbacks to the original version to satisfy veteran adventurers and newcomers alike! Key Features: - - Customized UI: Play the way you want! Use modern wheel-based icon commands or the classic on-screen commands. - Difficulty Levels: Four different difficulty levels (from the novice to expert) that actually change the gameplay experience and puzzle structure. - First Person Adventuring: Utilize your inventory, mapping system, and intuitive UI to complete your quest. - Dangerous Dungeons: Tons of beautifully illustrated rooms featuring both new and familiar locations, offering a new gameplay experiences. - Mind-bending Puzzles: Lots of new and updated puzzles that seamlessly expand on the original game. - Retro Mode: Play the game like it’s 1989! Toggle on pixelated graphics, listen to Hiroyuki Masuno’s original NES chip tunes, move between rooms with NES transitions, and enjoy the text in retro format. - Over 50 player achievements to unlock. - Storytelling: Shadowgate features dramatic cut-scenes and all the same great storytelling you expect from the original creators. - Cinematic Score: A digitally-orchestrated, dynamic soundtrack that changes with gameplay by composer Rich Douglas. - Soundscapes: A complete atmospheric and puzzle-based sound design featuring hundreds of sound effects. “If you are a fan of the genre, looking for something difficult to tackle, or wondering why you haven’t played Shadowgate in 30 years, absolutely pick this up.” - 8/10 GameZone “Shadowgate will offer you a journey into darkness, and an adventure unlike anything you have experienced in a long time.” - 8/10 Adventuregamers.com “This new Shadowgate is a superlative remake that should stand as a great example of how to take a cult classic and update it for both new and nostalgic audiences.” - 9/10 Leviathyn.com

About

Neverwinter Nights

Embark on a classic Dungeons & Dragons role-playing adventure with over 100 hours of gameplay. Explore the original campaign and six free DLC adventures, either solo or with friends across various platforms. Enjoy enhanced graphics and a re-engineered UI for mobile devices.

Highlights
  • Classic D&D RPG gameplay
  • 100+ hours of content
  • Six free DLC adventures
  • Cross-platform multiplayer
  • Re-engineered UI for mobile
  • Improved graphics with adjustable options
Features
Read full description

Neverwinter Nights is a classic Dungeons & Dragons RPG— enhanced for iOS! Explore 100+ hours of gameplay including the original campaign, plus six free DLC adventures. Play solo or team up with friends for a grand adventure across the Forgotten Realms. DEVICE RECOMMENDATION Optimized for iPads Recommended for iPhones with screen sizes of 6 inches or larger CONTENT Neverwinter Nights (Classic Campaign) Shadows of Undrentide (Free DLC) Hordes of the Underdark (Free DLC) Kingmaker (Free DLC) ShadowGuard (Free DLC) Witch’s Wake (Free DLC) Adventure Pack (Free DLC) FEATURES Re-engineered UI for iPads and iPhones - Virtual joystick and context sensitive button makes gameplay easy - UI Scales automatically or can be set to your liking Cross-Platform Multiplayer - Adventure with friends! - Cross-play support includes compatibility with mobile, tablets, computers and consoles - Join persistent worlds, with community-run campaigns and up to 250 players Improved Graphics - Pixel shaders and post-processing effects make for cleaner graphics and visuals - Adjustable contrast, vibrance, and depth of field options STORY CONTENT: Neverwinter Nights (Original Campaign) You find yourself at the center of intrigue, betrayal, and dark magic in Neverwinter Nights. Journey through dangerous cities, monster filled dungeons and deep into uncharted wilderness in search of the cure for a cursed plague ravaging the city of Neverwinter. Shadows of Undrentide (Free DLC Expansion) Another adventure begins in the updated expansion, Shadows of Undrentide! Charged by your master to recover four ancient artifacts, travel from the Silver Marches to unravel mysteries of a long-dead magical civilization. Hordes of the Underdark (Free DLC Expansion) This expansion continues the adventure started in Shadows of Undrentide. Journey into the ever-more bizarre and hostile depths of Undermountain to challenge a gathering evil. Three Premium Modules (Free DLC) Discover over 40 hours of new Dungeons & Dragons adventures across the Forgotten Realms in these premium modules for Neverwinter Nights: - Kingmaker - ShadowGuard - Witch’s Wake - Adventure Pack LANGUAGES - English ©2020 Beamdog. ©2020 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All Rights Reserved. Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, Neverwinter Nights, and D&D are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC. Hasbro and its logo are registered trademarks of HASBRO, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Screenshots

Shadowgate4 screens
Neverwinter Nights4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadowgate at none against Neverwinter Nights's 10. Shadowgate also leads on price ($2.99 vs $9.99) and update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months). Neverwinter Nights's advantage is chart position (#66 vs unranked) and ratings volume (259 vs 55). On review sentiment, 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

Shadowgate costs $2.99 and Neverwinter Nights $9.99 up front. Neverwinter Nights sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Shadowgate asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shadowgate holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 55 and 259 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Shadowgate's written reviews are positive against 61% of Neverwinter Nights's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shadowgate ships an update monthly, Neverwinter Nights every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Shadowgate versus Neverwinter Nights: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadowgateNeverwinter Nights
Price$2.99 — better$9.99
Rating4.2 (55 ratings) — better4.0 (259 ratings)
Positive reviews62.1% of reviews — better61.0% of reviews
Number of ratings55259 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#66 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.3 GB2.8 GB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperZojoiOverhaul Games

Customer experience

Shadowgate

All ratings55 ratings
Positive83.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.4%
Written reviews58 reviews
Positive62.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative37.9%

Neverwinter Nights

All ratings259 ratings
Positive72.6%
Neutral8.9%
Negative18.5%
Written reviews400 reviews
Positive61.0%
Neutral13.0%
Negative26.0%

User reviews

Shadowgate

From 55 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🤩 Faithful and nostalgic remake
  • ✨ Updated graphics and BGM
  • 🎮 Great point-and-click adventure
  • 💡 Tricky but not impossible puzzles
  • 👍 Immersive story and atmosphere

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes on startup/intro
  • 📱 Poorly optimized for phones
  • 🤏 Small text and hitboxes
  • 🥶 Overheats M1 Mac
  • 🔄 Crashes when minimizing

Neverwinter Nights

From 259 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 👍 Faithful port of the classic game
  • 🚀 Runs well on older devices
  • 👍 Brings back nostalgic memories
  • 🚀 Impressive amount of content

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes when learning spells
  • 🐛 Multiplayer issues with CD key
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • 🔍 Cluttered UI, small text
  • 🐛 Inability to install premium modules

Bugs and requests

Shadowgate

Reported bugs

31 issues
  • Crashes after intro cinematic
  • App closes when minimized
  • Force quits on loading
  • Game turns black after a minute
  • Unplayable on iPhone X
Show 26 more
  • Auto reboot when minimizing
  • Game crashes after title screen
  • Game turns off and kicks out
  • Force quits all the time
  • Crash on startup
  • Crashes after intro animation
  • Game crashes after the introduction
  • Crashes at the beginning
  • App crashes after title screen
  • Keeps crashing after the initial title screen
  • Crash on startup
  • Crashes at the beginning
  • App crashes after title screen
  • Force quits all the time
  • Game turns off and kicks out
  • Crashes after intro animation
  • Game crashes after the introduction
  • Crashes at the beginning
  • App crashes after title screen
  • Keeps crashing after the initial title screen
  • Crash on startup
  • Crashes after intro animation
  • Game crashes after the introduction
  • Crashes at the beginning
  • App crashes after title screen
  • Keeps crashing after the initial title screen

Requested features

6 requests
  • Remake Deja Vu and Uninvited
  • Add original game as bonus
  • Sequel to Shadowgate
  • Fix background crash issue
  • Add original soundtrack option
Show 1 more
  • Add original UI option

Neverwinter Nights

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes when saving game
  • Companions/summons behaving erratically
  • Inventory and loot management issues
  • Pathfinding and character movement problems
  • Incompatibility with certain iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Controller support
  • Improved camera controls
  • Chinese language support
  • Ability to move UI elements
  • Autosave and backup save options

In-app purchases

None

Shadowgate

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Neverwinter Nights

One-time10
  • KingmakerFree
  • ShadowguardFree
  • Witch's WakeFree
Show 7 more
  • Adventure PackFree
  • Wyvern Crown of Cormyr$2.99
  • Pirates of the Sword Coast$2.99
  • Infinite Dungeons$2.99
  • Heroes of Neverwinter$2.99
  • Darkness Over Daggerford$4.99
  • Tyrants of the Moonsea$4.99

Questions

Is Shadowgate free?
Shadowgate costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Neverwinter Nights free?
Neverwinter Nights costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Shadowgate or Neverwinter Nights?
Shadowgate is rated higher. Shadowgate averages 4.2 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Neverwinter Nights averages 4.0 from 259 ratings.
Do Shadowgate or Neverwinter Nights have ads?
Neither Shadowgate nor Neverwinter Nights shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shadowgate or Neverwinter Nights?
Shadowgate ships an update monthly, and Neverwinter Nights every 7 months. Most recently, Shadowgate was updated on October 6, 2026 and Neverwinter Nights on October 11, 2026.

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