Crossy Road Castle in Apple Arcade

Endless Co-op Platform Fun

Walkthrough, Guilds, Tips on this special game

Our Site Score

84/100

Mana Monsters is a surprisingly polished Match-3 RPG that manages to stand out in a crowded genre. The first thing that hits you is the art style—it's colorful, expressive, and the monster designs are genuinely creative. Unlike many games in this category that feel like a mindless grind, Mana Monsters requires real tactical thinking, especially when you start facing bosses that mess with your board.

The progression loop is satisfying; there's always a new monster to evolve or a higher tier in the Arena to reach. While it does have some free-to-play elements, it’s generous enough with rewards that you don't feel forced to spend money to enjoy the main story. It's the perfect 'pick-up-and-play' game for commuters who still want a bit of depth in their gaming sessions.

Reviewed on: Sun Apr 12 2026
Dinsun Avatar

Dinsun Review

Look, I get it. It’s bright, it’s poppy, and the kids love it. Crossy Road Castle is a perfectly functional arcade platformer. The controls are tight—which is a rarity for touch-based platformers—and the variety in character unlocks is impressive. In a group setting, the chaos is genuinely amusing for about twenty minutes. It’s the kind of game you pull out during a lunch break or when you’re waiting for a train.

But as a 'serious' gamer? There’s not much meat on the bones here. The procedural generation means level design is often repetitive and lacks the intentionality of a true platforming classic. It’s 'fun,' in that sugary, high-fructose way that leaves you feeling a bit empty after an hour. I respect the polish, but don't expect a profound experience. It’s an endless runner in platformer clothing. Good for what it is, but let's not pretend it's a masterpiece.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

  • Excellent local and online multiplayer
  • Simple, responsive controls
  • Tons of unlockable content
  • Repetitive level segments
  • Lack of long-term mechanical depth
  • Can feel chaotic to a fault with four players

Technical Report

Performance: Rock solid 60fps on most devices. Very few bugs encountered.

Accessibility:
  • Button Remapping
  • Colorblind Mode

Audience Fit

Buy if: You have friends to play with or want a high-quality, kid-friendly platformer.

Skip if: You want a deep, story-driven or challenging solo platforming experience.

Similar Games:
  • Super Mario Run
  • Rayman Fiesta Run
  • Crossy Road

Reviewer Context

  • Reviewer: Dinsun, 40-year-old conservative gamer
  • Hardware: iPad Pro M2
  • Playtime: 8 hours
  • Status: Unlocked 30+ characters

The Game

Available on: Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod

Version 11.8Mon Dec 08 2025

Bug fixes and improvements.

Ratings & Reviews

4.7 out of 5 with 33861 Counts
Age Rating 4+

Game Overview

Mana Monsters combines classic Match-3 puzzle mechanics with a deep monster-collection RPG system. Players embark on a journey through the Underworld, strategically matching mana tiles to trigger powerful monster attacks and special abilities. With a focus on tactical team-building, you can evolve your monsters to unlock their true potential and compete in high-stakes Arena battles against other players worldwide.

In-Game Events

Prank Parade
SPECIAL EVENT
Prank Parade
Some pranksters hijacked the Candy Cafe!

Share a laugh with friends and family as you tumble through tricks and traps in this new topsy-turvy Challenge Event!

Starts: 4/13/2026Ends: 4/27/2026

Featured In

Promotion Videos

Screenshots (Scroll Left & Right)

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News on this game

Crossy Road Castle review

If you play games on your mobile phone, you might be familiar with Crossy Road, the endless arcade hopper created by developer Hipster Whale obviously...

MSN - Sun Aug 17 2025

Apple Arcade launches special crossover events featuring SpongeBob SquarePants

This month, SpongeBob SquarePants makes a splash in Snake.io+ and Crossy Road Castle with special events available exclusively on Apple...

Apple - Sat Aug 02 2025

Hilarious indie co-op game has a new free demo

Indie developer Hipster Whale has released a free demo for Crossy Road Castle, currently available on the Xbox.

Pixelkin - Thu Jan 02 2025

Four-Player Platformer ‘Crossy Road Castle’ Delights on Consoles Today

MELBOURNE, Australia - Sept. 11, 2024 - Crossy Road Castle, the co-op party platformer with over 350 million downloads across the series...

Games Press - Sat Nov 23 2024

Crossy Road Castle "Howl-O-Ween Hustle Challenge Event" Now Live

The event is live now and runs until Nov 4 2024, so hop to it! Crash through castles in hand-crafted, procedurally served levels as beloved characters.

GoNintendo - Thu Nov 07 2024

Four-Player Platformer ‘Crossy Road Castle’ Delights on Consoles Today

MELBOURNE, Australia - Sept. 11, 2024 - Crossy Road Castle, the co-op party platformer with over 350 million downloads across the series worldwide from...

Games Press - Mon Oct 07 2024

Crossy Road Castle receives Among Us crossover

Among Us is invading yet another game as part of another collaboration – this time for the recently-released Crossy Road Castle. The DLC is free to all players.

Nintendo Everything - Mon Oct 07 2024

Crossy Road Castle Review

Review - This is a stupidly addictive, stupidly fun twist on the old Crossy Road formula. Crossy Road Castle should be seen as a near...

TheXboxHub - Mon Oct 07 2024

Review – Crossy Road Castle (Switch)

Here's a stupid question: when's the last time you felt like a game liked you? I don't mean like when you lie awake at night, wondering if...

WayTooManyGames - Wed Oct 02 2024

Crossy Road Castle review

If you play games on your mobile phone, you might be familiar with Crossy Road, the endless arcade hopper created by developer Hipster Whale...

GameSpew - Mon Sep 23 2024

Gameplays

Relevance Youtube Videos

Crossy Road Castle: Apple Arcade iOS Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 (by HIPSTER WHALE) - YouTube
10 Question For Hipster Whale About Crossy Road Castle On Gaming Consoles - YouTube
Are You Sure About That Date Hipster Whale? Crossy Road Castle Launching September 11! - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle - Review - Xbox - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle Co-Op Review - Simple Review - YouTube
Unlocking “Sandy” In The Crossy Road Castle — “Jellyfish Jam” Event! (Full Speedrun)
A Threat To Humanity?! — Unlocking The “Snail” In Crossy Road Castle! - YouTube
Unlocking The Shrimp In Crossy Road Castle — The “Sandy Shenanigans” Speedrun Event! - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle Gameplay & Developer Interview - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle Console - Announcement Trailer - YouTube
How To Unlock The Knight In Crossy Road Castle — The Eagle's Fiendish Fortress (All Five Gems) - YouTube
ULTRA HARD MODE — How To Unlock The Rainbow Rift Tower In Crossy Road Castle
Crossy Road Castle - First Look | Nintendo Switch - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle (by HIPSTER WHALE) - iOS (Apple Arcade) Gameplay Part 1
Crossy Road Castle (By HIPSTER WHALE) Apple Arcade Gameplay - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle Nintendo Switch Gameplay - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle is not normal Crossy Road..... - YouTube
Unlocking The Rubber Chicken In Crossy Road Castle — The “PRANK PARADE” Speedrun Event! - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle Gameplay - Zebra's Arcade! - YouTube
Crossy Road Castle - "Construction Tower" Update is OUT NOW! (by Hipster Whale)
Unlocking The “Glitch Chicken” In Crossy Road Castle! - YouTube
Let's Install - Crossy Road Castle [PlayStation 5] #gaming - YouTube

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