# Shadowgate vs Colossal Cave 3D

The clearest difference is price: Colossal Cave 3D at Free against Shadowgate's $2.99. Shadowgate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Colossal Cave 3D is free to download; Shadowgate costs $2.99 up front. Colossal Cave 3D sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shadowgate asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Shadowgate against 4.2 for Colossal Cave 3D. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 55 and 33 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of Shadowgate's written reviews are positive against 61% of Colossal Cave 3D's.

Shadowgate ships an update monthly, Colossal Cave 3D every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadowgate | Colossal Cave 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.2 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowgate/id996262760/reviews) | [4.2 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colossal-cave-3d/id6443992938/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **55** | 33 |
| Positive reviews | **62.1% of reviews** | 60.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 1.3 GB | 2.0 GB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Zojoi](https://appshunter.io/developer/559255765) | [Cygnus Entertainment, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651255759) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadowgate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowgate/id996262760)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes after intro cinematic
- App closes when minimized
- Force quits on loading
- Game turns black after a minute
- Unplayable on iPhone X

**Requested features**

- Remake Deja Vu and Uninvited
- Add original game as bonus
- Sequel to Shadowgate
- Fix background crash issue
- Add original soundtrack option


### Colossal Cave 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/colossal-cave-3d/id6443992938)

Embark on a cozy 3D adventure through a vast, magical cave system. Solve intricate puzzles at your own pace with an auto-magic map and limited inventory. Discover hidden treasures and encounter quirky creatures in this retro-inspired exploration game.

**Highlights:** First-person point-and-click exploration, Limited inventory management, Auto-magic map tracking, Strategic logic-driven puzzles, Encounter fantasy creatures, Retro adventure atmosphere, Customizable settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Colossal Cave 3D Full Version | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadowgate free?

Shadowgate costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Colossal Cave 3D free?

Colossal Cave 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shadowgate or Colossal Cave 3D?

Shadowgate and Colossal Cave 3D are both rated 4.2 out of 5 on the App Store, from 55 and 33 ratings respectively.

### Do Shadowgate or Colossal Cave 3D have ads?

Neither Shadowgate nor Colossal Cave 3D shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shadowgate or Colossal Cave 3D?

Shadowgate ships an update monthly, and Colossal Cave 3D every 4 weeks. Most recently, Shadowgate was updated on October 6, 2026 and Colossal Cave 3D on October 8, 2026.

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