Report updated Apr 17, 2026
Hole Stars: Puzzle Game
For casual gamers looking for short, satisfying, and relaxing puzzle experiences to play during breaks or for stress relief.
Hole Stars: Puzzle Game is an established games app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 4.7/5 rating from 32.6K reviews, it shows polarized user reception. Users particularly appreciate engaging gameplay, though excessive advertising remains a common concern.
What is Hole Stars: Puzzle Game?
Current Momentum
v220000.1
We’re thrilled to launch Hole Stars! Get ready to dive into a fun, fast-paced world where your black hole swallows it all. Clear levels, collect stars, and enjoy the most satisfying way to relax and compete. We're just getting started — and you're at the center of it all.
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
What Are The Key Features?
Dynamic gameplay where the hole increases in size as it consumes objects.
Smooth animations and gentle sound effects for a satisfying sensory experience.
Action-oriented puzzles requiring board clearing before a timer expires.
How much does it cost?
- Free to play
- In-app purchases for boosters
- Ad-removal (approx. $12/£11)
The game uses an aggressive ad-supported model with a high-priced ad-removal tier that users describe as 'extortionate,' creating a significant barrier to conversion.
Who Built It?
Moon Active
Providing millions of players with engaging social and puzzle entertainment through high-production casual mobile experiences.
Portfolio
12
Apps
What other apps does Moon Active make?
Explore the full Moon Active report
Portfolio breakdown, audience, momentum, and every app published by Moon Active.
What do users think recently?
High confidence · Latest 100 of 31.3K total reviews analyzed
How did the latest release land?
What is the recent mood?
Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate engaging gameplay and visuals and haptics, but report excessive advertising and aggressive monetization.
What Users Love
What Frustrates Users
View the full user-sentiment analysis
Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.
What is the competitive landscape for Hole Stars: Puzzle Game?
How's The Games Market?
How does it evolve in the Games market?
Rank progression
192 active rankings tracked — 30-day window
The rivals identified
The outtake for Hole Stars: Puzzle Game
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- High-fidelity visual polish and animations
- Strong ASMR-driven haptic integration
- Moon Active's significant UA and production resources
Critical Frictions
- Aggressive ad frequency (interstitial after every level)
- High price point for ad-removal IAP ($12)
- Technical regressions causing level resets
Growth Levers
- Introduce an organization/filling meta-game to compete with Gismart
- Optimize ad-removal pricing to industry standards ($3-5 range)
- Expand social features beyond basic leaderboards
Market Threats
- Declining category rankings (#95/99 Grossing and falling)
- Competitors like Hole and Fill have better user sentiment regarding ads
- Homa's Attack Hole offers a more engaging combat meta-game
What are the next best moves?
Reduce interstitial ad frequency
Excessive advertising is the #1 complaint theme and a primary driver of the 'declining' sentiment trend.
Fix level progression and ad-loading bugs
Users report being reset to old levels after updates, which is a critical technical regression and churn risk.
A/B test lower ad-removal price points
Multiple reviews explicitly cite the $12/£11 price as 'extortionate,' suggesting it is currently a deterrent rather than a revenue driver.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Filling/Organization meta-game (available in Hole and Fill: Food Storage)
- Combat-based meta-game/Boss fights (available in Attack Hole)
- Real-time multiplayer (available in Hole.io)
Key Takeaways
Hole Stars is a visually superior product being throttled by hyper-aggressive monetization. While Moon Active has successfully built a 'satisfying' core loop, the current ad-to-gameplay ratio and uncompetitive IAP pricing are driving users toward rivals like Gismart who offer a more balanced experience.
Where Is It Heading?
Declining
Grossing ranks are falling (↓4 and ↓9 in US categories) indicating loss of momentum.
User sentiment is 'Mixed' with a 'declining' trend due to aggressive ad frequency.
Recent updates focused on content (worlds) but introduced technical regressions like level resets.