Customer Reviews (500)

A FaithFull 1 87 • 2025-03-26T20:24:20-07:00

Live 4 Ever 💯❤️😎

Robbie Jo88 • 2025-03-26T19:55:54-07:00

Merge Dragons is one of my favoritest games ever!!

LiL’BraT • 2025-03-26T19:49:48-07:00

I first started this game as a challenge on testerup. But I found that I enjoyed it so much that you’ve been played a while afterwards. Then when I saw it again, I had to try playing it again. Now they have completely new dragons and even dragon breeding. I definitely like the changes

Summary of Key Insights

  • Merge Dragons! is generally well-received, with a high percentage of positive reviews. The core gameplay loop of merging objects and collecting dragons is addictive and relaxing for many users. However, several pain points related to in-app purchases, limited playtime due to the "chalice" system, dragon behavior, and technical issues detract from the overall experience. The game is often described as fun, relaxing, and addictive. There is a desire for more ways to earn gems without spending real money.
  • Key Strengths: Addictive gameplay, cute dragon designs, relaxing experience, and engaging events.
  • Key Weaknesses: Aggressive monetization (perceived "pay-to-win"), limited playtime due to chalice system, issues with dragon AI/harvesting, and technical glitches (lost progress, freezing).
  • Overall Sentiment: Positive, but with recurring concerns about monetization and gameplay limitations.
  • Quantitative Metrics:
    • Overall Rating (implied): High, based on score distribution.
    • Score Distribution: 5-star (62%), 4-star (20%), 3-star (7%), 2-star (3%), 1-star (8%).

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews.
  • Time Frame of Reviews: Not explicitly stated, but likely recent based on the version number (12.2.2) and mentions of recent updates.
  • Analysis Methods: The analysis was conducted through a qualitative review of user reviews, focusing on identifying recurring themes, sentiment, and feature requests. Keyword extraction was implicitly used to identify frequent topics.

Key User Pain Points

  • Aggressive Monetization/Pay-to-Win: Many users feel pressured to spend real money to progress, especially for gems, chests, and event participation. High prices for in-app purchases and perceived imbalance for free-to-play users are major concerns. Some also felt the pop-ups encouraging purchases were too frequent.
  • Limited Playtime (Chalice System): The chalice system restricts the amount of time users can actively play levels, leading to frustration and a feeling of being artificially limited. The slow recharge rate of chalices is a common complaint.
  • Dragon AI/Harvesting Issues: Dragons often harvest low-level or unwanted items, making it difficult to manage the camp and achieve specific goals. Users desire more control over dragon behavior or a way to prioritize tasks.
  • Technical Glitches/Lost Progress: Some users have experienced glitches, such as lost progress, freezing screens, disappearing items, and events not working correctly. These issues can be very frustrating, especially for long-time players.
  • Lack of Camp Space: Many players report running out of space in their camp, making it difficult to manage items and progress.
  • Event Difficulty/Time Constraints: Some users find events too difficult or time-consuming to complete, especially for those with limited playtime due to work or other commitments.
  • Misleading Ads: Some users have stated that the ads shown for the game do not accurately reflect the actual gameplay.

Frequently Requested Features

  • More Ways to Earn Gems Without Spending Money: This is the most frequently requested feature. Users want more opportunities to obtain gems through gameplay, daily rewards, or other means.
  • Control Over Dragon Behavior/Harvesting: A feature to prioritize dragon tasks or disable auto-harvesting would be highly appreciated.
  • Camp and Chill Event Return: Many users request the return of this particular event.
  • More Camp Space: Expanding the available camp space or providing better organization tools would alleviate space constraints.
  • Pause Button: A way to pause the dragons' activity when not actively playing.
  • "Merge All" Button: A button to quickly merge all available items of the same type.
  • Confirmation for Gem Spending: A confirmation prompt before spending gems to prevent accidental purchases.
  • Improved Support System: More responsive and helpful customer support for addressing technical issues.
  • More Equal Events: Events that do not require spending money to complete.
  • Option to skip quests/challenges: Users want the ability to skip challenges that are too difficult or that they do not wish to complete.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Addictive Gameplay: The core merging mechanic is highly addictive and satisfying for many players.
  • Cute Dragon Designs: The dragons are visually appealing and contribute to the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • Relaxing Experience: Many users find the game relaxing and a good way to de-stress.
  • Engaging Events: The frequent events provide variety and new challenges.
  • No Forced Ads: The game is generally praised for not forcing ads on players.
  • Offline Play: The ability to play without an internet connection is a significant advantage.
  • Sense of Accomplishment: Users enjoy the feeling of progress and building their dragon camp.
  • Strategic Element: The game involves strategic decision-making and planning.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address Aggressive Monetization: Rebalance in-app purchases to be less intrusive and more rewarding for free-to-play users. Provide more opportunities to earn gems through gameplay.
  • Improve Chalice System: Increase the number of chalices available or reduce the recharge time to allow for longer play sessions. Consider alternative energy systems.
  • Fix Technical Glitches: Prioritize bug fixes and address reported issues with lost progress, freezing, and disappearing items.
  • Improve Dragon AI: Implement a system for controlling dragon behavior or prioritizing tasks.

Medium Priority:

  • Increase Camp Space: Expand the available camp space or provide better organization tools.
  • Re-evaluate Event Difficulty: Adjust event difficulty and time constraints to be more accessible to a wider range of players.
  • Implement Confirmation for Gem Spending: Add a confirmation prompt before spending gems to prevent accidental purchases.

Low Priority:

  • Bring Back Camp and Chill: Reintroduce the "Camp and Chill" event, which was popular among players.
  • Add "Merge All" Button: Implement a button to quickly merge all available items of the same type.
  • Add Pause Button: A way to pause the dragons' activity when not actively playing.
  • Address Misleading Ads: Ensure that advertisements accurately reflect the actual gameplay experience.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Dragon AI Management Tool: A separate app or overlay that allows players to plan and schedule dragon tasks in Merge Dragons!, addressing the core issue of chaotic harvesting.
  • Merge Game with Skill-Based Progression: A merge game that relies less on IAP and more on player skill and strategy to unlock content, offering a more balanced and rewarding experience.
  • Community-Driven Event Design Platform: A platform where players can submit and vote on event ideas for Merge Dragons!, fostering a stronger sense of community involvement.

Trends and Observations

  • Language Preferences: The majority of reviews are in English, but there are also reviews in Chinese and Spanish, indicating a global player base.
  • Shift in Sentiment (Potential): Some older reviews express more positive sentiment, while some recent reviews suggest increasing frustration with monetization and glitches, indicating a potential decline in player satisfaction.
  • Long-Term Players: Many users have been playing for years, suggesting a strong core player base.
  • "Not like the ads": This is a recurring phrase, suggesting the marketing may not be accurately representing the gameplay.

Conclusion

Merge Dragons! has a strong foundation with its addictive gameplay and appealing visuals. However, to maintain player satisfaction and prevent churn, the developers need to address the key pain points related to monetization, playtime limitations, and technical issues. By prioritizing the recommendations outlined above, the game can improve its overall user experience and retain its loyal player base.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/merge-dragons/id1208952944?uo=2