Hollow Knight Silksong was one of the most anticipated games of any platform before its 2026 release. The sequel to Team Cherry’s beloved Hollow Knight – widely considered one of the greatest Metroidvania games ever made – arrived on console and PC first before the mobile port landed on iOS and Android several months later. As someone who played the console version at launch and has now completed the mobile version, this review focuses specifically on what the iPhone experience delivers and whether it matches the quality of the original platform releases.
What Is Hollow Knight Silksong
Silksong is a Metroidvania action platformer in which you play as Hornet, the skilled hunter from the original Hollow Knight, who finds herself in a vast new kingdom called Pharloom. You explore an interconnected world of increasingly treacherous areas, fight dozens of unique enemies and bosses, unlock new movement abilities that open previously inaccessible areas, and piece together the lore of a world filled with insect civilisations facing an existential threat.
The game is a direct sequel in setting and lore but functions as a standalone experience with its own mechanics, characters, and world. Knowledge of the original game enriches the experience but is not required to understand or enjoy Silksong.
Combat System – Deeper Than the Original
Silksong’s combat system is the most immediately impressive aspect of the game for anyone coming from Hollow Knight. Hornet uses a needle and thread-based combat style that is faster, more aerial, and more combo-oriented than the original’s nail-based system. The variety of silk tools – each with different offensive and utility applications – creates a depth of combat expression that rewards experimentation and mastery rather than just execution of the same effective pattern repeatedly.
The boss encounters in Silksong are remarkable. Team Cherry has clearly learned from the years of community discussion about Hollow Knight’s boss design and produced a roster of boss fights that are mechanically inventive, aesthetically distinctive, and fairly balanced. Each boss teaches its patterns progressively across multiple phases, and the moment of finally defeating a particularly difficult boss is among the most satisfying in the Metroidvania genre.
The iPhone Controls – Surprisingly Good
The touch control implementation for Silksong is the most impressive aspect of the mobile port. Rather than simply mapping the console button layout to on-screen buttons, Team Cherry worked closely with the porting team to create a context-sensitive control interface that adapts to the action currently on screen. During exploration, movement controls are prominent. During combat, attack and dodge controls are prioritised.
The directional input uses a floating joystick that appears where your thumb touches the screen rather than a fixed position, which is more ergonomic for players who hold their phones at different angles. The attack timing sensitivity has been calibrated specifically for touchscreen input rather than simply porting the console timing unchanged. After two hours of adjustment, the controls feel genuinely natural rather than a compromise – a rare achievement for a precision action game on touchscreen.
Physical controller support via Bluetooth is also fully implemented and recommended for extended sessions. The GameSir T4 Mini and PlayStation DualSense both pair flawlessly.
Performance on iPhone
On iPhone 15 Pro, Silksong runs at a locked 60 frames per second throughout the entire game with no perceptible drops even during the most particle-effect-heavy boss encounters. On iPhone 14, performance is also stable at 60fps in most areas with occasional brief drops during the most demanding combat scenarios. On iPhone 13 and earlier, the game runs but at a lower default frame rate cap – still smooth but not the optimal experience.
The loading times between areas are minimal – area transitions complete in under three seconds on iPhone 15 Pro. The battery consumption is moderate for a demanding 2D game and comparable to other premium mobile titles in the same category.
Content – Is It the Full Game?
The iOS version of Silksong is the complete game with all content included in the base purchase. There are no DLC exclusions, no content gates, and no in-app purchases. The game contains approximately twenty-five to forty hours of content for a first playthrough depending on how thoroughly you explore, with significant additional content for completionists pursuing the full achievement set.
This is a premium game at a premium price point – a one-time purchase with no ongoing costs. For a game of this quality and length, the pricing is entirely justified.
How It Compares to Playing on Console or PC
The honest answer is that the console and PC versions are the definitive experience for players who have access to them. The larger screen, physical controls, and higher resolution output of even a Nintendo Switch make Silksong’s detailed hand-drawn visuals more impactful. But for players whose primary gaming platform is iPhone, the mobile version is not a diminished experience – it is an excellent adaptation that delivers the full game competently.
Who Should Buy Silksong on iPhone
Any fan of challenging action platformers, Metroidvania games, or the original Hollow Knight. Any iPhone gamer who wants a premium game experience with genuine depth, length, and quality at a one-time purchase price with no ongoing costs. Anyone who missed the console launch and wants to experience what is widely considered one of the best games released in 2026 on any platform.
Download Hollow Knight Silksong on the App Store. Also available on the Play Store. Visit www.teamcherry.com.au for all platform details and updates.
Final Verdict
Hollow Knight Silksong on iPhone is a five-star mobile game. The touch controls are the best implementation of a precision action game on touchscreen in recent memory, the performance is excellent on supported hardware, and the content is the full game without compromise. For iPhone gamers, this is one of the definitive purchases of 2026