# Retro Parsec vs Zylon Defenders

The clearest difference is price: Zylon Defenders at Free against Retro Parsec's $0.99. Zylon Defenders also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 25 months). Retro Parsec's advantage is ratings volume (50 vs 4) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Zylon Defenders is free to download; Retro Parsec costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Zylon Defenders holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retro Parsec has 50 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Retro Parsec's written reviews are positive against 100% of Zylon Defenders's.

Retro Parsec ships an update every 25 months, Zylon Defenders every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Retro Parsec | Zylon Defenders |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-parsec/id1059891563/reviews) | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zylon-defenders/id1191618583/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **50** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 15 MB | 266 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yesung Moore](https://appshunter.io/developer/998388794) | [Jeff Glasse](https://appshunter.io/developer/887910702) |

## What reviewers say

### Retro Parsec

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-parsec/id1059891563)

Experience a classic 1980s space shooter re-imagined with retro graphics and sound. Pilot your starship, defend against alien fighters and cruisers, and navigate treacherous asteroid belts and refuelling tunnels. Test your skills and strategy in this thrilling one-player adventure.

**Highlights:** Retro 80s graphics and sound, Defend against alien fighters and cruisers, Navigate asteroid belts and refuelling tunnels, Synthesised speech warnings, Multiple speed control options, Increasing difficulty levels

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Zylon Defenders

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zylon-defenders/id1191618583)

Experience a modern take on a classic space combat simulator. Engage in thrilling first-person space battles inspired by a legendary 1979 title. Explore the cosmos and defend against alien threats in this immersive simulation.

**Highlights:** First-person space combat, Real-time simulation, Modern reinterpretation of classic, Space exploration, Alien defense

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Retro Parsec free?

Retro Parsec costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Zylon Defenders free?

Zylon Defenders is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Retro Parsec or Zylon Defenders?

Zylon Defenders is rated higher. Retro Parsec averages 4.0 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Zylon Defenders averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do Retro Parsec or Zylon Defenders have ads?

Neither Retro Parsec nor Zylon Defenders shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Retro Parsec or Zylon Defenders?

Retro Parsec ships an update every 25 months, and Zylon Defenders every 2 months. Most recently, Retro Parsec was updated on November 2, 2026 and Zylon Defenders on November 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*