Slay the Spire review
Build a deck, climb the Spire, try again smarter
- Mega Crit
- Paid
- iPhone & iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux
4.3 from 3.2K App Store ratings 1M+ Google Play downloads #27 in Paid Games on the US App Store
Does it deserve #2?
Is Slay the Spire worth it?
Yes. Slay the Spire scores 9.0/10 and ranks #2 in Card & Board Games. It's best for strategy fans who enjoy planning a deck one careful pick at a time. Skip it if you want short sessions with no learning curve. Price: $9.99 once on iOS and Android; Slay the Spire+ is included with Apple Arcade.
The verdict
Slay the Spire is the deckbuilder most others are measured against, and the mobile version holds up. Each climb offers new cards, relics and branching paths, so you're constantly weighing risk against reward, and no two runs play alike. It's a premium port with no ads, nothing extra to buy and no data collected. Updates are rare now, and the art is functional rather than pretty.
- Hundreds of cards to draft
- Relics that reshape your deck
- New map, enemies and bosses each run
- Game Center leaderboards
- Family Sharing on iOS
Score breakdown
Overall = features 30% · design 20% · speed 20% · value 15% · privacy 15%. Why these weights?
What's new
- Jul 2026Android update speeds up loading, improves battery life and fixes rare crashes
- Mar 2026Slay the Spire 2 enters early access on PC; it isn't on mobile yet
- Aug 2025IOS update fixes gameplay bugs and some translations
Privacy 9.8/10
App Store label: Data Not Collected. The developer says the iOS version collects no data, so nothing is tracked or linked to you.
What we like
- Deep strategy in every card pick
- No ads, no purchases and no data collection
- A fresh layout, enemies and bosses each run
What could be better
- Updates are infrequent on mobile
- A steep learning curve for newcomers
Strategy fans who enjoy planning a deck one careful pick at a time
you want short sessions with no learning curve
Questions about Slay the Spire
Is Slay the Spire worth it in 2026?
Yes. Slay the Spire scores 9.0/10 and ranks #2 in Card & Board Games. It's best for strategy fans who enjoy planning a deck one careful pick at a time. Skip it if you want short sessions with no learning curve. Price: $9.99 once on iOS and Android; Slay the Spire+ is included with Apple Arcade.
Is Slay the Spire free on mobile?
No, it's $9.99 on the App Store and Google Play with no in-app purchases. Apple Arcade subscribers can play Slay the Spire+ instead.
Is Slay the Spire 2 on mobile?
Not yet. Slay the Spire 2 entered early access on Steam in March 2026, and it isn't on the App Store or Google Play.
Can you play Slay the Spire offline?
Yes, it's a single-player game that doesn't need an account or a connection. It's rated 13+ on the App Store and Everyone 10+ on Google Play.
What are the best alternatives to Slay the Spire?
The closest alternatives are Balatro, Marvel Snap and Wingspan. See all of them ranked on our Slay the Spire alternatives page.
Where does Slay the Spire rank?
Slay the Spire ranks #2 of 8 in our Card & Board Games ranking, with an overall score of 9.0 out of 10.