Source: https://gamesranker.com/games/dave-the-diver/ Android iOS Android and iOS mobile review # DAVE THE DIVER The full deep-sea sushi sim for $7.99, with a free trial on iPhone and no trial at all on Android. Ranked by [GamesRanker Editorial](/authors/gamesranker-editorial/) Added September 17, 2026 Source-reviewed Adventure Paid Free trial on iOS Offline status unverified Controller supported Mobile release date September 17, 2026 Developed by MINTROCKET Play style Single-player day-and-night loop: timed diving runs for fish and materials, then evening service at the sushi restaurant ![DAVE THE DIVER gameplay screenshot](/_astro/dave-the-diver-blue-hole-boat-arrival-hero.DDW5hOqO_Zb6hfS.webp) ![DAVE THE DIVER mobile app icon showing a close pixel-art view of Dave's face inside a yellow diving helmet](/_astro/dave-the-diver-mobile-app-icon.CS9X2p6z_1KpLkx.webp) Game artwork Our score **8.3** /10 This is the easiest premium recommendation on mobile right now for anyone who has not already played it elsewhere, provided you accept two things. The first is precision: diving and dinner service both ask for accurate input, and named launch-day players split between one who hit 90 FPS with full controller support and others who called the touch controls fidgety or hard to learn. The second is hardware: a 4 GB Android phone struggled to hold 30 FPS in an independent port test, and neither store publishes a minimum Android specification. On iPhone, download it free, play the opening, and decide for yourself before the $7.99 unlock. On Android you are buying blind, so if you are unsure, buy before the launch discount ends on September 30 or wait for your own device evidence. [See why it got this score ↓](#score-breakdown) On this page + **Source-reviewed assessment by [GamesRanker Editorial](/authors/gamesranker-editorial/):** GamesRanker did not claim a first-hand test for this score. We verified product facts and evaluated attributed mobile testing from the named reviewers below. Store details were last checked using the United States baseline on September 17, 2026; availability and prices may differ in your country. [See how source-reviewed scores work.](/how-we-rank/) The essentials ## What is DAVE THE DIVER? DAVE THE DIVER is the diving-and-sushi hybrid that sold more than ten million copies across platforms, and the mobile edition is the whole base game rather than a cut-down spin-off. MINTROCKET rebuilt the controls for touch, added tilt input, a three-stage zoom, and a fast-travel shortcut, and priced the unlock below the desktop version. The catch is the purchase route: the US App Store lets you download free and play the opening before paying, while US Google Play charges upfront with no trial. GamesRanker has not played this edition; this assessment combines the two live US store listings, dated first-person player reports, an Android port test, and the publisher's own launch material. ### Why it stands out * The complete base game plus the DREDGE collaboration content for less than half the Steam price * No ads, no currencies, no timers, and only one optional paid expansion * Genuine mobile work rather than a straight port: touch layout options, a three-stage zoom, tilt input and a fast-travel shortcut * Named launch-day reports of 90 FPS and full Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and generic controller layouts with rumble * An iPhone trial lets you play the opening before spending anything ### What to consider * Android charges upfront with no trial, so you cannot test the controls on your own phone before paying * Several launch-day players found the touch controls fidgety or hard to learn, and launch coverage suggests a controller * A 4 GB Android phone could not hold 30 FPS in an independent port test, and no minimum Android specification is published * The App Store declares English only while players report unfinished Thai and Brazilian Portuguese text * The $7.99 price is a discount that Google Play says expires on September 30, 2026 Is it for you? ## Should you download it? Best for Players who have not already finished it on another platform, want a full premium game with no ads or currencies, and either own an iPhone where the opening is free to try or a recent Android flagship where the frame rate reports are strong. Think twice if You want relaxed one-thumb play, have an older or 4 GB Android phone, need a language other than English confirmed working, or already own the game elsewhere without cross-save. Tiny Bookshop is the calmer shop sim, Discounty the tighter store-management puzzle, and Sea of Stars the better pick if you want a story-led premium port rather than a dexterity test. Compare the alternatives: [Tiny Bookshop](/games/tiny-bookshop/) · [Discounty: Supermarket Manager](/games/discounty/) · [Sea of Stars](/games/sea-of-stars/) Score details ## Why DAVE THE DIVER scored 8.3 We score both the game itself and how well this version works on a phone or tablet. ### Fun The two halves feed each other: timed dives with limited oxygen and weight capacity supply the ingredients that fund better gear, which unlocks deeper water. Steam's own review summary read 156,771 positive out of 162,480 reviews when we checked, and both US store listings describe the mobile build as a full port rather than a reduced version. Launch-day players who already finished it on Switch, Steam Deck and PS5 confirmed the same content carried over. The design quality is inherited rather than mobile-specific, which is why this sits below a perfect score. **9.2** ### Phone experience MINTROCKET did real work here: adjustable touch layouts, a three-stage zoom for different screen sizes, gyro tilt for pouring, and a fast-travel shortcut in the Sea People village that only exists on phones. But this is still a dense management interface plus a precision action game, and launch-day reports split. Ade Farley called the controls fidgety, SteelMich found them difficult until they clicked, and launch coverage recommends a Bluetooth controller. The App Store also declares English only while players report unfinished Thai and Portuguese text. **7.3** ### Value A $7.99 launch price, or $9.99 at list, buys a game that costs $19.99 on Steam, with the DREDGE collaboration content and a Digital Extra pack of artbook, soundtrack and boat skin included. AppBrain reports no ads in the Android package and there is no currency, energy or timer layer. Two things hold it short of the top: the In the Jungle expansion is a separate $4.99 purchase on both stores, and REVU reports the Godzilla and Like a Dragon collaborations are not coming to mobile at all. **9.0** ### Performance The evidence is encouraging at the top and poor at the bottom. TJ Stofflet reported 90 FPS on a Razr 2024, and an independent Android port test measured a 60 FPS target with low GPU use on a Red Magic handset. That same test found a 4 GB Redmi 15C unable to hold a fixed 30 FPS, with visible slowdowns. Neither store publishes a minimum Android specification, the install runs to 3.2 to 3.7 GB, and the App Store build moved from 1.0.33 to 1.0.35 within a day. GamesRanker has measured no frame rate, battery or thermal result of its own. **7.2** ### Ads & purchases One purchase, one optional expansion, and AppBrain reports no ads in the Android package. Apple's privacy card lists only analytics, app-functionality identifiers and diagnostics, none of it linked to identity. The deductions are about clarity rather than monetisation: the App Store's Free badge with a paywall after the opening drew a cluster of one-star reviews from players who felt misled, Android buyers get no equivalent trial, and Google Play's data-safety card simultaneously claims no data is collected and that location and app activity may be shared, which is the developer's own declaration and not an audit. **8.6** [ Learn how our scores work ](/how-we-rank/) On mobile ## Features that matter * 01 Dive the shifting Blue Hole on timed runs limited by oxygen and carrying capacity, losing the haul if you black out * 02 Harpoon and fight more than 200 species, including large creature encounters that can end a run * 03 Serve the day's catch at Bancho Sushi at night, managing menu, staff, ingredients, research and interior * 04 Spend restaurant profits on gear upgrades that open deeper and more dangerous water * 05 Play timing minigames for cooking and drinks, with pouring mapped to tilting the phone on mobile * 06 Choose one of three zoom levels and adjust the touch layout to suit your screen size * 07 Fast travel straight to residents in the Sea People village, a shortcut added for the mobile edition Quick answers ## Common questions about DAVE THE DIVER on mobile Straight answers about price, content, offline play, controls, and compatibility. Is DAVE THE DIVER free on mobile? _+_ Only the download, and only on iPhone. The US App Store lists the app as a free download with a $7.99 DAVE THE DIVER Full Version unlock, so you can play the opening before paying. US Google Play sells the app outright with a Buy action at $7.99, discounted from $9.99, with no trial. Several one-star App Store reviews come from players who expected the Free badge to mean the whole game. Will the DAVE THE DIVER launch price go up? _+_ Google Play says so explicitly. On September 17, 2026 its listing showed $7.99 as 20% off a $9.99 list price with the offer ending September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM. The App Store showed the $7.99 unlock without displaying a discount badge, so we cannot confirm whether that price also reverts. If you are buying on Android and already know you want it, buying before September 30 is the cheaper choice; local prices differ by country. Can DAVE THE DIVER be played offline on a phone? _+_ We could not verify it. It is a single-player game with no advertised online mode, and neither store listing states an internet requirement, but neither confirms offline play either, and one outlet that claims offline support published no date, byline or test. Install it, unlock it, then test a session in airplane mode at home before relying on it during a flight. Which phones can run DAVE THE DIVER well? _+_ Recent hardware, on the evidence so far. A named Google Play reviewer reported 90 FPS on a Motorola Razr 2024, and an Android port test hit a 60 FPS target on a Red Magic handset. The same test found a 4 GB Redmi 15C unable to hold a fixed 30 FPS. Google Play publishes no universal Android minimum, so open the listing on your own device; on iPhone or iPad you need iOS or iPadOS 15.0 or later and about 3.7 GB free plus headroom. What is different about the mobile version of DAVE THE DIVER? _+_ MINTROCKET rebuilt the interface and controls rather than shrinking the desktop build. 4Gamer's launch report describes a three-stage screen zoom, tilting the phone to pour tea at Bancho Sushi, and direct fast travel to residents in the Sea People village. REVU adds adjustable touchscreen layouts and gyro tilt for pouring drinks. The DREDGE collaboration content is included, while In the Jungle is a separate $4.99 purchase and the Godzilla and Like a Dragon collaborations are not planned for mobile. Does DAVE THE DIVER support controllers and other languages on mobile? _+_ Controllers, very probably. Neither store publishes a controller specification, but a named Google Play reviewer described Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and generic layouts with working rumble, and an independent port test confirmed external controllers working. Languages are less settled: the US App Store declares English only, yet launch-day players reported Thai and Brazilian Portuguese text with spelling and overlap faults, and the launch patch mentions text display fixes. Check your language in the live build before buying. Store snapshot ## What players are rating **United States snapshot, September 17, 2026 :** On September 17, 2026 the US App Store showed a live free download rated 4.3 from 55 ratings, version 1.0.35, Game Center achievements, and editorial placements in What We're Playing and New Games We Love. US Google Play showed a live $7.99 Buy action discounted from $9.99, a 5.0 rating from 59 reviews, a 1+ download bracket, and the number one position on its top paid adventure chart, with AppBrain placing the package at number 65 in Adventure overall. Inven Global reported more than ten million cumulative sales across platforms and more than one million for the earlier Chinese mobile edition, where Pocket Gamer reported more than 500,000, so treat the China figure as approximate. These interest signals guided coverage and did not affect the review score. At a glance ## Game details Developer MINTROCKET Publisher MINTROCKET, a Nexon subsidiary Mobile release September 17, 2026 Available on Android and iOS · Availability varies by device and region Genre Deep-sea exploration · Restaurant management · Roguelite diving Price checked September 17, 2026 7.99 USD · Free trial on iOS Play style Single-player day-and-night loop: timed diving runs for fish and materials, then evening service at the sushi restaurant Compatibility ## Device and download Offline Not verified Controls Controller supported Download and space The US App Store lists a 3.7 GB download and AppBrain reports a 3.24 GB APK for the Android package, so neither number is a device-specific installed-size estimate. Leave several gigabytes of headroom for installation, saves, and the frequent launch-period patches. Device support The US App Store requires iOS 15.0 or iPadOS 15.0, with separate macOS 12 plus Apple M1 and visionOS 1.0 entries. Google Play tailors Android compatibility to the signed-in device and publishes no universal minimum here, and an independent port test found a 4 GB phone unable to hold 30 FPS, so check the listing on the Android phone you actually plan to use. Age rating Teen with Violence and Blood on US Google Play. The US App Store lists 13+ with infrequent cartoon or fantasy violence, infrequent alcohol, tobacco or drug use or references, and weapons. Languages The US App Store declares English only, but launch-day players reported in-game Thai and Brazilian Portuguese text with spelling and rendering faults, and the launch patch notes mention fixes to text display in several languages. Do not assume the PC version's eleven languages are all finished here. Details last checked September 17, 2026 Actively patched at launch. The US App Store showed version 1.0.35 released within hours of our check, following 1.0.33 on launch day, with notes about fixed issues, refined UI controls, and text display fixes. The Google Play listing showed September 15, 2026 as its last update and AppBrain identified package version 1.0.34, so the two platforms were briefly on different builds. Neither US store listing publishes a controller specification, but a named Google Play reviewer reported full support with Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and generic layouts plus rumble on a Razr 2024, and an independent Android port test found external controllers working. Coverage of the launch also recommends a Bluetooth controller for the game's more precise moments. Live on both US reference stores on September 17, 2026, with a live Buy action on Google Play and a free Get action plus paid unlock on the App Store. Nexon announced September 17 as the global launch date; the App Store's own metadata records the US listing going live on September 16 in UTC, so your storefront may have flipped a day earlier or later than the announcement. A separate Chinese mobile edition launched earlier and is not the edition scored here. Testing evidence ## Independent mobile tests ### TJ Stofflet [Read US Google Play player review ↗](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mintrocket.drmobile&gl=US&hl=en) Android Test device**Motorola Razr 2024** Android version not disclosed Test scope September 16, 2026 launch-window Google Play review naming the device and frame rate; play duration and build were not stated, and no repeatable benchmark was published. September 16, 2026 Stofflet reported the game running at 90 FPS on a Razr 2024 and described full controller support with Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and generic layouts plus working rumble, which he contrasted favourably with another mobile porting studio. ### Ade Farley [Read US Google Play player review ↗](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mintrocket.drmobile&gl=US&hl=en) Android Test device**Phone model not disclosed** Android version not disclosed Test scope September 16, 2026 Google Play review of the launch build; the reviewer gave no device, version, or session length and was describing early impressions. September 16, 2026 Farley said the game was great so far but called the mobile controls a bit fidgety at that point, which is the recurring touch-precision complaint rather than a report of broken input. ### SteelMich [Read US App Store player review ↗](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dave-the-diver/id6759962259) iOS Test device**iPhone or iPad model not disclosed** iOS version not disclosed Test scope Two-star App Store review of version 1.0.33, the launch build; no device, OS, or play duration was given. Version: 1.0.33 SteelMich called the game enormous fun but deducted stars for two reasons: the controls were difficult until getting the hang of them, and the free download only covers a short opening before payment is required. The second point is a reaction to the store's Free label, not to a hidden charge. ### \_.Natthaphon\_ [Read US Google Play player review ↗](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mintrocket.drmobile&gl=US&hl=en) Android Test device**Phone model not disclosed** Android version not disclosed Test scope September 16, 2026 Google Play review written in Thai about the launch build's Thai text; no device or performance detail was provided. September 16, 2026 The reviewer found misspelled Thai words and characters overlapping in several places, and attributed it to Thai being newly added to the game. That directly contradicts the US App Store listing, which declares English as the only language. ### Vortex Gaming (no byline published) [Read Vortex Gaming Android port review ↗](https://vortexgaming.io/en/postdetail/629612) Android Test device**Red Magic handset and a 4 GB Redmi 15C** Android versions not disclosed Test scope Two-device Android port test covering frame rate, GPU use, controller input and localisation. The outlet published no author byline or date and no measured battery or thermal data, so it is attributed to the publication rather than a named tester. On the high-performance handset the reviewer measured around 200 MB of GPU use and reported that unlocking the display to 120 Hz allowed a 60 FPS target. The 4 GB Redmi 15C could not hold a fixed 30 FPS and showed slowdowns. External controllers worked, and Brazilian Portuguese text was present but incompletely translated. Testing is credited to the named reviewers. GamesRanker reviewed their findings for this assessment. Fact check ## Sources Publisher, store, and independent pages used to verify this assessment. 1. [**US App Store listing ↗** Checked September 17, 2026: free download with a $7.99 Full Version unlock and a $4.99 In the Jungle Content Pack, 3.7 GB size, iOS and iPadOS 15.0 requirement, English-only language declaration, 13+ rating and advisories, version 1.0.35 patch notes, Game Center support, privacy card, seller identity, 4.3 rating from 55 ratings, and dated customer reviews. ](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dave-the-diver/id6759962259) 2. [**US Google Play listing ↗** Checked September 17, 2026: live $7.99 Buy action discounted 20% from $9.99 with an offer end of September 30, 2026, $4.99 in-app purchase tier, Teen rating with Violence and Blood, Adventure category and top paid adventure position, September 15 update date, developer identity and support contact, data-safety declarations, app icon, and dated player reviews from TJ Stofflet, Ade Farley and \_.Natthaphon\_. ](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mintrocket.drmobile&gl=US&hl=en) 3. [**Official MINTROCKET PR KIT ↗** Publisher-hosted English press kit supplying the screenshots used on this page, plus the fact sheet confirming the studio's Seoul base, the marine adventure and tycoon genre framing, the eleven languages of the desktop version, the $19.99 desktop price, and the press contact. ](https://pressmintrocket.oopy.io/dave_the_diver) 4. [**Nexon global mobile launch announcement ↗** Publisher release dated September 17, 2026 confirming the global iOS and Android launch, MINTROCKET's status as a Nexon subsidiary, the DREDGE and In the Jungle content at launch, the earlier Chinese edition passing one million units, and the two official store links. ](https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000533.000014847.html) 5. [**Official mobile launch announcement video ↗** MINTROCKET's own video, uploaded August 12, 2026, with chapters covering the release date, the mobile gameplay experience, pricing, mobile DLC and supported languages. YouTube metadata supplies the channel identity and upload time. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBoOsNaNUF8) 6. [**4Gamer launch report ↗** Dated September 17, 2026 Japanese coverage documenting the mobile UI and control optimisation, the three-stage screen zoom, tilting the device to pour tea at Bancho Sushi, fast travel to Sea People village residents, the launch sale window, the included Digital Extra pack, and In the Jungle requiring a separate purchase. ](https://www.4gamer.net/games/439/G043999/20260917003/) 7. [**REVU launch report by Ramon Lopez ↗** Named, dated September 17, 2026 report recording the $9.99 Android list price with a discount before October 1, adjustable touchscreen layouts, gyro tilt pouring, mobile fast travel, a 60 FPS option, the free DREDGE crossover, the $4.99 In the Jungle price, and that the Godzilla and Like a Dragon packs are not coming to mobile. ](https://www.revu.com.ph/2026/09/dave-the-diver-mobile-android-ios-price/) 8. [**Vortex Gaming Android port review ↗** Two-device Android port test reporting a 60 FPS target and low GPU use on a Red Magic handset, unstable frame rates below 30 FPS on a 4 GB Redmi 15C, working external controller support, and incomplete Brazilian Portuguese text. Published without a byline or date, so it is cited as an outlet observation. ](https://vortexgaming.io/en/postdetail/629612) 9. [**Android app intelligence ↗** Checked September 17, 2026: package version 1.0.34, a 3.24 GB APK estimate, the September 15, 2026 update date, a no-ads label, the $7.99 discounted price with 13 days remaining, and an Adventure chart position. ](https://www.appbrain.com/app/dave-the-diver/com.mintrocket.drmobile) 10. [**Steam review summary ↗** Checked September 17, 2026: 156,771 positive of 162,480 total reviews with an Overwhelmingly Positive summary, and the $19.99 desktop price used as the value comparison. Desktop reception is cited for game design quality only, never for the mobile port's performance. ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1868140/DAVE_THE_DIVER/) 11. [**Inven Global launch report by Minwoo Kang ↗** Named, dated September 16, 2026 report on the global mobile launch, more than ten million cumulative sales, the Chinese mobile edition passing one million copies and topping local paid charts, and the Digital Extra pack included with the base purchase. ](https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/26112/mintrocket-launches-dave-the-diver-mobile-globally) 12. [**Pocket Gamer launch report by Iwan Morris ↗** Named September 17 report confirming the paid purchase model on both stores, all current base-game DLC included, In the Jungle as a separate purchase, and more than 500,000 mobile copies sold in China, a figure lower than the publisher's own, which is why the China number is presented as approximate. ](https://www.pocketgamer.com/dave-the-diver/splashes-onto-mobile/) Your next step ## Price and download Checked September 17, 2026 on the US stores. Google Play sells the app outright at $7.99, marked 20% off a $9.99 list price with the offer ending September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM, and lists in-app purchases at $4.99 per item. The US App Store lists the app as a free download with two in-app purchases: DAVE THE DIVER Full Version at $7.99 and the In the Jungle Content Pack at $4.99. Because only Google Play displays an explicit launch discount, treat $7.99 as a launch-period US price and recheck both stores after September 30. Local prices, taxes, and availability differ by country. Find DAVE THE DIVER in your store [ GET IT ON**Google Play** ](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mintrocket.drmobile)[ Download on the**App Store** ](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dave-the-diver/id6759962259)[Official game page](https://www.mintrock.et/en/) **Regional store note:** Listed on both reference stores on September 17, 2026 . GamesRanker uses this consistent baseline for comparison; use the store links to see availability, pricing, size, and requirements in your region. 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