Comparison

Defender 1 vs Space Defender

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Defender 1

Relive a classic arcade experience by defending astronauts from alien abduction and destroying enemy ships. Be careful not to harm the astronauts, as their safety is crucial to preventing planetary destruction and mutant alien transformations.

Highlights
  • Defend astronauts from aliens
  • Obliterate enemy spaceships
  • Avoid friendly fire
  • Prevent planetary explosion
  • Mutant alien transformations
Features
Read full description

DEFENDER 1 brings the excitement of classic 1980s arcade action to your mobile device! Take control of your spacecraft and defend the planet from relentless waves of alien invaders. Your mission is simple—but surviving it won't be. Protect the astronauts on the planet's surface as alien Landers attempt to abduct them. Destroy the enemy ships, rescue the astronauts, and watch your fire—an astronaut caught in the crossfire is one less person you can save. Fail to protect the astronauts and the consequences are catastrophic: the planet will be destroyed and the surviving aliens will transform into deadly Mutants! Battle a variety of enemies, master fast-paced arcade combat, and push your skills to the limit as the action becomes increasingly intense. Features include: Classic arcade-inspired space combat Fast-paced alien battles Astronaut rescue missions Multiple enemy types with different behaviors Touch controls and game controller support Customizable gamepad controls High-score tracking Retro-inspired graphics and gameplay Defend the astronauts. Destroy the invaders. Save the planet. How long can you survive in DEFENDER 1?

About

Space Defender

Engage in an addictive space combat experience with vibrant pixel art. Navigate through challenging waves and aim for the highest score to protect the galaxy. This game offers endless replayability and fun.

Highlights
  • Endless gameplay
  • Challenging and fun
  • Pixel art animations
  • 24 different waves
  • Hi-score competition
Features
Read full description

Space Defender - Ultimate A fun and very addictive Space Defender game with amazing pixel art animations. - Endless Gameplay - Challenging and fun Game - Pixel art - 24 different Waves Try to beat the hi-score and save the Space! Have fun :)

Screenshots

Defender 14 screens
Space Defender4 screens

Verdict

The call

Defender 1 and Space Defender both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Space Defender's written reviews are positive against 32% of Defender 1's. Space Defender also leads on price (Free vs $2.99) and update cadence (every 15 months vs every 38 months). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Space Defender is free to download; Defender 1 costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Defender 1 against 5.0 for Space Defender. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Space Defender has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 32% of Defender 1's written reviews are positive against 100% of Space Defender's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Defender 1 ships an update every 38 months, Space Defender every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Defender 1 versus Space Defender: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDefender 1Space Defender
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews31.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better
Update frequencyEvery 38 monthsEvery 15 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAPD Consulting, Inc.ilan TETRUASHVILI

Customer experience

Defender 1

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews69 reviews
Positive31.9%
Neutral4.3%
Negative63.8%

Space Defender

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Defender 1

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • No sound on iPad
  • No sound on iPhone
  • Intermittent sound
  • App crashes often
  • Enemies don't move
Show 2 more
  • Ship doesn't continue moving after thrusters stop
  • Lasers don't react properly when changing direction

Requested features

10 requests
  • Update to fix sound issues
  • Update to fix crashing
  • Enable game controller support
  • Improve control responsiveness
  • Adjust control spacing
Show 5 more
  • Add vertical-only joystick option
  • Add tilt control for travel motion
  • Add separate button for direction change
  • Add more stages
  • Improve graphics (less pixelated)

Space Defender

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Defender 1

No in-app purchases

None

Space Defender

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Defender 1 free?
Defender 1 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Space Defender free?
Space Defender is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Defender 1 or Space Defender?
Defender 1 and Space Defender are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 5 ratings respectively.
Do Defender 1 or Space Defender have ads?
Neither Defender 1 nor Space Defender shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Defender 1 or Space Defender?
Defender 1 ships an update every 38 months, and Space Defender every 15 months. Most recently, Defender 1 was updated on September 20, 2026 and Space Defender on September 15, 2026.

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