Last verified 2026-09-22 by ReviewGamers Editorial
Dave the Diver launched on iOS, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro on 17 September 2026 with a free download, a US$7.99 purchase to unlock the full game and a US$4.99 content pack. This is a buying guide built from the App Store listing and press reports, not a review: nothing here reflects time spent with the mobile version, and there is no score.
What it is
MintRocket’s game splits each day in two. Paraphrasing the App Store description: daylight hours are spent diving a reef home to more than 200 sea creatures; evenings are spent running a sushi restaurant stocked with the day’s catch, with minigames and side quests threaded through both. It is the same structure as the PC original, which has been on Steam since its full release and is the version most people know.
The gameplay loop combines adventure, resource gathering and light combat during the day, with restaurant management at night. Diving uses oxygen management to create natural pacing: stay down too long and you must surface. Combat uses harpoons and weapons alongside rogue-like mechanics, where you collect fish and rare creatures both as progress markers and as ingredients for the sushi bar. Equipment can be forged or upgraded using resources gathered and profits earned from running Bancho Sushi. The game weaves multiple storylines through both the diving and management sections, with what Metacritic summarises as a cast of “quirky but lovable characters.”
Art style and visual presentation
The game combines pixel graphics with 3D elements to create a distinctive look. The Blue Hole environment and underwater scenes layer both techniques together. The PC original on Steam has a 96% positive rating across 51,089 reviews and scores 90 on Metacritic, suggesting the visual and narrative foundation translates well—though the mobile port’s visual rendering is the only variable the App Store listing does not document.
The try-before-you-buy flow
The download is free. You play the opening, and if you want to continue you make a single in-app purchase that the listing calls Unlock Full Game. That means you can check how the touch controls feel on your own device before spending anything, which is the main advantage of this model over a straight paid download.
Price and DLC
As of 22 September, the App Store listings show:
US Store:
- Unlock Full Game: US$7.99
- In the Jungle Content Pack: US$4.99
Australian Store (AUD):
- Unlock Full Game: AUD $12.99
- In the Jungle Content Pack: AUD $7.99
The DREDGE crossover pack launched on 17 September and is included at no extra charge. Early press reports referred to a US$4.99 unlock price, but the current listing shows US$7.99 for the full unlock.
Devices
The listing covers a range of current Apple devices:
- iPhone and iPad: iOS 15.0 or later
- Mac: macOS 12.0 or later on an M1 or later Apple silicon Mac
- Apple Vision Pro: visionOS 1.0 or later
The iOS 15 requirement excludes iPhone models older than iPhone 6s (2015). The Mac listing is currently “not verified for macOS” according to the Australian App Store. The download is 3.7 GB.
Two things the listing does not say, so this article does not claim them. It does not state whether one purchase covers iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro together, so treat it as listed for each platform rather than confirmed as a single universal purchase. And it does not mention controller support, so do not buy on the assumption a gamepad will work.
Controls, per press
Gematsu reports touch controls with an adjustable layout, and use of the phone’s motion sensor for pouring tea in the restaurant section. Neither detail appears on the store page, so both are attributed to that report rather than stated as fact. The free opening is the right place to judge the controls for yourself.
What’s included and what isn’t
Once you purchase the Unlock Full Game in-app purchase, you receive access to the base game and the DAVE THE DIVER Digital Extra, a content bundle that was previously sold separately on Steam. The DREDGE crossover pack is also included at launch.
The listing does not mention iCloud cross-save support, and user reports confirm saves are local to each device. If you plan to play across both iPhone and iPad, or between your Mac and an iPhone, know that progress does not synchronise. This differs from the Steam version, which supports cloud saves. Family Sharing is enabled for the iOS purchase, meaning family members on the same account can access it on their own devices—but their progress will still be separate.
Game Center achievements are supported, but the App Store listing does not detail how many or what they cover.
Mobile-specific features
The mobile release adds several handheld-optimised features absent from the original. A three-level view distance option lets you dial graphics back on older or less powerful devices. Fast travel between NPCs in the Sea People’s Village reduces navigation busywork. For the tea-pouring activity at Bancho Sushi, you can use your phone’s gyroscope to tilt and pour, just as you would with a physical teapot—the same motion control mentioned in the touchscreen section above.
The PC version on Steam supports 14 languages; the iOS release is English-only as of launch.
Rating and language
The App Store rates the game 13+, attributed to alcohol and tobacco references. As of 22 September, the game has a 4.3-star rating on the US App Store based on 199 reviews.
How it compares to the Steam original
The PC version launched on June 28, 2023 and is still active. It cost US$14.99 at launch and remains a paid purchase, not free-to-play. The Steam version includes six DLC packs: three free crossovers (Godzilla, Guilty Gear Strive and DREDGE), plus three paid packs (In the Jungle, Ichiban’s Holiday, and the Digital Extra). The iOS release includes the base game, the In the Jungle expansion and the DREDGE crossover at launch for the stated prices (US$7.99 unlock plus the optional US$4.99 In the Jungle Content Pack). You do not get Ichiban’s Holiday or other crossovers included with the iOS unlock, so the iOS offering is a subset of what a Steam owner has fully purchased. The PC version supports 14 languages; iOS is English-only. The PC version has cloud saves; iOS does not. Gyroscope-based tea pouring and the three-level view distance option are new to the mobile release.
The offer, now that it’s out
Without a verdict on the port itself, the shape of the offer is clear. If you own a compatible Mac or an iPhone from the last several years and have not played the PC version, the free opening costs nothing to try and the full unlock is a single US$7.99 purchase. If you have already finished it on Steam, the question is whether you want it on a phone or tablet for portability; the iOS version at launch carries the same core content as the Steam original plus the In the Jungle expansion and DREDGE crossover, making it roughly equivalent to a mid-tier Steam purchase. If you want the full Steam content parity, note that Ichiban’s Holiday and other crossovers are not included in the iOS launch offering.
Android and the wider month
The Android version launches the same day; what is and is not confirmed there is in Dave the Diver on Android. If you would rather pay a subscription than a one-off, Apple’s October Apple Arcade line-up lands on 1 October. Browse the iOS hub for the rest.