# Nova Drift Lite — Ship-crafting arcade combat > Roguelike space shooter with ship-crafting and arcade combat. (iPhone/iPad app by Chimeric LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-drift-lite/id6746450915 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Chimeric LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/996529169) - Category: Games, Action, Strategy - Price: Free - Rating: 4.50/5 from 11 App Store ratings · 12 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 9+ - Requires: iOS 10.0 · 573 MB - Languages: Russian, American English, European Spanish, Korean, German (Germany), Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan), Chinese (Simplified, China), French (France) and 1 more - Released: 2026-03-09 - Data updated: 2026-08-26 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-drift-lite/id6746450915/reviews.md ## What is Nova Drift Lite? - SURVIVE - EVOLVE - DOMINATE - Nova Drift is a roguelike space shooter that combines classic arcade combat with action-rpg elements, emphasizing build-crafting and deep customization. Your ship rapidly evolves as you defeat enemies, allowing you to take a build from inception to execution in a single, captivating game session. The Lite version allows players to experience the game up to wave 60 and play with a limited set of upgrades and game modes. The Full Version Features: - Quick gameplay sessions (15-45 minutes) that allow for rapid experimentation, iteration, and advancement. - Over 200 modular upgrades, unlocked over time, to create your ideal build with. Snipe, command a drone army, discharge your shields, charge up, burn enemies with your thrusters, or smash right through them... there's a way to make it work. - Modular challenge modes to unlock and activate, providing greater risk and rewards. The stakes are high, as death is permanent! - Every game is randomly generated, keeping the fight intense and unpredictable. Fight through the campaign or play endlessly... Nova Drift is created by Chimeric, with music by Miles Tilmann. Website: https://novadrift.io/ Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Zp2MkPJ ## Key features - Roguelike space shooter gameplay - Deep ship customization - Rapid ship evolution - Modular upgrades - Randomly generated levels - Arcade combat ## Recent user reviews (10 of 12) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-drift-lite/id6746450915/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Schlecht *2026-06-16* Unglaublich schlechte Steuerung, es lassen sich auch keine Upgrades des Schiffes durchführen. Es wird auch nicht transparent gemacht, dass es sich um eine Probeversion handelt. ### 5/5 — ~~~~ *2026-06-02* Прикольная. Затягивает **Developer response:** Glad to hear you had a good time :) ### 5/5 — Peak *2026-05-04* This is peak, even if it’s just the demo. Also, is the lack of super mods intentional? Because I remember using Barrage and Hidden Power on the computer demo, but they’re not on the mobile version **Developer response:** So glad you loved it! They're unlocked in the full version of the game. ### 5/5 — 🔥 *2026-04-19* Awesome game! **Developer response:** So happy you're enjoying it, thank you! ### 3/5 — Fun but crashes a lot *2026-04-05* Games is really fun and visually cool but my game crashes constantly. I’d buy the full version but not if it runs like this. Running on a iPad Air 5 so I am not sure what the deal is but would love a patch to stabilize it. Update: thanks for reaching out. And yes, it’s the B button issue so good to know a fix is on the way. Thanks again! **Developer response:** Thanks for letting us know. Are you playing on a gamepad, by chance? We haven't heard reports of crashing for any other reason. If you have any details to offer, please send them to chimericgames@gmail.com. If you're using a gamepad, it's just the "B" button that causes a crash, and this is an issue with the engine that was just patched, and we should be able to apply the fix this week. ### 4/5 — Dualsense edgeを使うと *2026-03-24* ゲーム自体はとても面白いのですが、さらに楽しもうとしてDualsense edgeを繋ぐと○ボタンでアプリが閉じてしまう。他のゲームでは同様の事象は起きないのに…という事でゲーム中は○ボタンが押せない。自分だけだろうか？ **Developer response:** Thanks for the review! We're aware of this bug, and the engine has to fix it (we can't). They are working on it, and as soon as their new build become stable we will incorporate the fix. ### 5/5 — Nice game. Will definitely buy the full version. *2026-03-20* The movement feels a little finicky but I'm sure I'll improve with skill. Seems to have a lot of strategy building potential. I think you call this a rogue like or rouge lite if you regard the full version as there's unlocks and that's a difference for defining the game genre. Go play it. It's a free version so you're not gonna lose money. **Developer response:** Thanks so much for the review! Please know that we are working on refining controls in the coming weeks, as deploying a handful of quality of life features and fixes. Enjoy! ### 5/5 — コントローラーで楽しくなります *2026-03-16* 操作が難しいですが、コントローラーに対応していたので、繋げてコンフィグしたら快適に遊べました！ iPhoneでやるとダイナミックアイランドが邪魔で一部説明やスキルが隠れて見えないです。 **Developer response:** Thanks for the feedback-- please know that we are working on refining controls in the coming weeks, so I hope you'll come back and give it another chance! ### 2/5 — Controls on gamepad *2026-03-13* Why is the aiming with one analog and not both like a twin stick shooter should be thought this was gone be fun but five min of just trying to move around was enough to uninstall **Developer response:** I get where you're coming from its not a twin-stick shooter on purpose. It's a "retro-evolution" of a 1970s - 1980s arcade mechanic I wanted to explore. Coupling facing and firing is core to the design and the "Drift" mechanic, where you're intended to set yourself in motion, turn and fire, like "Asteroids". ### 5/5 — One of my favorite games on the pc now for mobile! *2026-03-12* While I prefer playing this with an actual controller or keyboard I still love this game. Don’t forget that you can turn on virtual joystick and auto-fire in the menu to make the touchscreen less complicated (although autofire does have some negative interactions with certain weapons like not being able to stockpile missiles). Now onto the game. This game is probably the best arcade game I’ve seen in at least 10 years. The gameplay is fluid and smooth, the music is minimalist but epic, and the upgrades/progression are super fun and gives you so much control over your builds. You have a liberal amount of perk rerolls, so that you can always get close to what you want. If you die then you have to start over but it doesn’t feel like such a big loss since the runs aren’t insanely long and you can jump right back in. Anyways, give this game a try on here or on pc. You won’t be disappointed! **Developer response:** Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review. I'm so glad you're loving it! ## Frequently asked questions about Nova Drift Lite ### What is Nova Drift Lite? Nova Drift Lite is a free roguelike space shooter that lets you build and evolve your ship through modular upgrades. It offers classic arcade combat with RPG elements, focusing on deep customization for each session. ### What content is available in Nova Drift Lite? The Lite version allows players to experience the game up to wave 60. It includes a limited set of upgrades and game modes, providing a taste of the full experience. ### How long are gameplay sessions in Nova Drift? Gameplay sessions are designed to be quick, typically lasting between 15 to 45 minutes. This allows for rapid experimentation, iteration, and advancement of your ship builds. ### Does Nova Drift Lite have ads? No, Nova Drift Lite does not contain advertisements. It is a free game that offers an uninterrupted gameplay experience. ### What kind of upgrades can I unlock in Nova Drift? The full version features over 200 modular upgrades that are unlocked over time. These allow for diverse builds, such as sniping, drone commanding, shield manipulation, or direct combat. ### Is Nova Drift Lite suitable for younger players? Nova Drift Lite has an age rating of 9+. It features space combat and strategic gameplay, which may appeal to players in this age group and older. ### How often is Nova Drift updated? The latest version, 1.2.370, was last updated on March 26, 2026. Updates typically bring new content, bug fixes, and balance adjustments to the game. ### Can I play Nova Drift Lite offline? The description does not explicitly mention offline play. However, roguelike games often feature single-player modes that can be played without an internet connection. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.2.374 — 2026-04-30 - Fix for when playing Draft, the upgrade button would be incredibly overscaled causing player to inadvertently open the upgrade screen - Fix for construct buttons deploying more than 1 with the same tap - Fix for a crash when having Blades or Swords ### 1.2.373 — 2026-04-20 - Fix for Gamepad B (east) button causing crash on iPad - Fix for Upgrade touch button being able to activate it by dragging over it. - Fix for toggle leaderboard button doing double presses when tapped - Fix for Scorching Wake when using virtual joystick thrust ### 1.2.370 — 2026-03-26 Features: - Improved virtual joystick controls: You can now thrust on the outer edges of the joystick. With this feature enabled, a thrust button is no longer needed. This can be disabled in Settings - When you first run the game, you'll now be asked which controls you prefer: Virtual joystick or arrow keys - Added a Save and Quit feature: Resume your game-in-progress anytime! Note that when using Resume, your score will not be submitted to online leaderboards - Increased the Menu and Settings spacing and font sizes so it's easier to use with touch controls - Added an opacity setting for touch controls - Added a snapping toggle for touch controls - When auto-firing, we now display the virtual button as "pressed" Fixes: - Added a fix for the double roll cost issue which was occurring on some iPhone models - The game now always shows virtual buttons in the Customize Touch Controls screen, even if using a gamepad - You can now navigate Settings sections with the gamepad shoulder buttons - Added a small virtual joystick deadzone - Fixed the thin text seen in some places (like the upgrade and pause screens) - Fixed construct buttons hit areas not being centered when resetting the controls to defaults - Fixed some text overlap with certain languages ### 1.2.346 — 2026-03-17 - Fixed rare issue where game crashes when pausing and pressing Resume - First time you launch the game, you will be presented with the type of touch interface you'd like to use for turning - virtual joystick or turn left/right buttons. - Some buttons are now easier to tap (e.g. Pause button). We will be overhauling the Settings screen soon. - Fixed clipping of Chinese characters in the upgrade screen - Name being entered for high-score was not visible due to the virtual keyboard ### 1.2.344 — 2026-03-09 No release notes. ## More apps by Chimeric LLC - [Nova Drift](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nova-drift/id6744329971) All apps by Chimeric LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/996529169 ## Related topics [nova drift lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/nova-drift-lite) · [nova drift](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/nova-drift) · [complex memory trainer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/complex-memory-trainer) · [galaxy drift x](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/galaxy-drift-x) · [novak](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/novak) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*