5 Games Like Vampire Survivors on iPhone, Plus Zombie Defence Alpha

Brotato breaks the run into waves that last 20 to 90 seconds. You collect materials in the arena, then spend them in a shop before the next rush. Six weapon slots, character traits and a deep item pool make those short breaks part of the strategy: you are deciding what the potato can become as well as where to move.

Weapons fire automatically by default, with optional manual aiming when you want to focus your attacks. The free iPhone app includes in-app purchases; the $4.99 Brotato:Premium app is a separate listing, so this entry rates the free one. The stop-start wave and shop rhythm is a good fit for short sessions, though it is less continuous than a single long horde run.

The verdict

Choose Brotato if you want the fastest decision loop here: survive a brief rush, improve the build, then see whether it holds up in the next wave.

Survivor.io fits if you want the one-thumb movement at the center of Vampire Survivors but would rather face zombies. HABBY describes one-hand controls, roguelite skill combinations and stages with different difficulty levels; its store listing says a stage can put more than 1,000 monsters on screen. Keep moving through the crowd, gather upgrades and turn a simple run into a specialized build.

The larger chapter and event ladder gives the game goals beyond a single survival attempt, so it feels more like a long-term mobile game than a stripped-back arcade run. The iPhone app is free with in-app purchases. Its appeal is easy steering and steady new goals; the tradeoff is that those wider progression layers share attention with the immediate run.

The verdict

Survivor.io is the closest fit if you want zombie stages and simple one-hand steering, with a longer mobile progression ladder waiting after each run.

20 Minutes Till Dawn: Premium puts upgrades and runes at the center of its survivor-like run. Its App Store listing advertises more than 80 upgrades and 10-to-20-minute sessions, giving a build time to develop within a shorter target than Halls of Torment’s roughly 30-minute descent. Your character and weapon set the direction: build around a shotgun that ignites enemies, or magical knives that pierce through them.

This is the $4.99 Premium iPhone app, not the separate free download. The free app advertises Mid-Run Saves and an Ad-Free Premium Pass among its own features and purchase options. Compare the two linked listings before installing; they are separate apps, and buying one should not be confused with unlocking the other.

The verdict

Choose this Premium edition for a concise survivor-like run built around upgrades and runes, with its paid terms kept distinct from the free sibling app.

Halls of Torment: Premium is the longer-form dungeon pick. Its App Store listing describes roughly 30-minute runs, a roster of heroes, quests, traits, abilities and items; some unique items can be sent to the overworld to customize later attempts. That quest-and-gear layer gives each descent a purpose beyond lasting as long as possible.

The paid Premium iPhone app is $4.99 in the U.S., with Boglands DLC and a supporter pack sold separately. A free Halls of Torment app is a distinct listing with different purchase terms, so this review is only of Premium. The extra quests and item management reward longer play, but the 30-minute run target asks for more time than a quick wave-based pick.

The verdict

Choose Halls of Torment: Premium if you want the survivor formula wrapped in a grim dungeon crawl with quests and gear to bring forward.

Pickle Pete gives autofire a more hands-on mobile rhythm. The iPhone listing pairs it with a dodge roll and other on-demand abilities, so your attention can stay on avoiding enemies and timing a skill instead of aiming every shot. Boss fights, biome-specific enemy mechanics, weapons and multiple modes add variety to the arena runs.

The iPhone app is free with in-app purchases, including an optional VIP subscription. Its cheerful pickle hero and broader progression menu are a tonal change from Vampire Survivors’ gothic mood; the tradeoff is a busier free-to-play structure than a compact paid arcade game.

The verdict

Pick Pickle Pete if you like automatic attacks but still want dodges and abilities to make your movement matter.

Zombie Defence is the adjacent project for players who want a survival run to lead into a larger campaign loop. Its current browser Alpha separates horde battles from Scrap expeditions: during an expedition, you scavenge and choose when to extract. Scrap picked up on those outings is retained after extraction or defeat, up to the shelter’s storage capacity.

Back at the shelter, fixed stations connect weapon crafting, research, production and crops to the next deployment. Desktop combat uses cursor aim; touch fire targets the nearest living enemy instead of offering free manual aim. The separate extraction layer gives the horde action a persistent payoff: collected Scrap becomes resources for the next shelter upgrade.

The verdict

Zombie Defence suits players who want each horde outing to fund something lasting: retained Scrap supports a shelter loop of crafting, research and production.