Comparison

Retro Parsec vs Fire Across

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

Head to head
About

Retro Parsec

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
Read full description

Enjoy the nostalgia of this classic game re-created in the original style of the TI-99/4a computer game from the 1980's! Re-live the era with blocky but colourful graphics and simple but captivating sound effects. You are the commander of the starship Parsec patrolling an alien planet. Suddenly, the on-board computer announces that you are about to come under attack by small alien fighters and large, heavily armed, hostile alien cruisers! The fighters are highly mobile, and unless they are eliminated by your laser, they fill the screen, restrict manoeuvering of your craft, and may cause a deadly collision. The cruisers are highly aggressive and their armament devastating. Armed with photon missiles, they track your ship and fire on it. You must out-manoeuver and destroy them with accurate fire from your ship's laser. If you survive the waves of alien craft, do not let down your guard, for you also have to blast through an asteroid belt or refuel your ship, demanding the utmost in skilful flying. Parsec is a challenging, exciting game packed with thrills. Danger and excitement are brought on with each new attack. Some of Parsec's features include: - Waves of attack from seven different alien craft. - Challenging flights through refuelling tunnels. - Asteroid belts through which you must blast a path for your starship. - Synthesised speech to warn of approaching alien craft or when it's time to refuel. - Three different lifts to vary the speed at which the ship moves vertically. - Increased difficulty levels to challenge you. Parsec is a one-player game which tests your skills and strategy. Movement of the ship on screen may be controlled by on-screen controls or an MFI certified Bluetooth controller. When the Bluetooth controller is used, the A button is for firing the laser and the B button alters the lift speed. Scoring of points for destroying alien craft increases with waves and levels. Bonus points are awarded for successfully navigating an asteroid belt and refuelling. Asteroid belts increase in speed and duration as levels increase. Extra ships are awarded at certain score levels throughout the game.

About

Fire Across

Features
Read full description

The excitement of 1980s computer and arcade games is brought back from the past in Fire Across. It is modeled after those early games, but uses modern touch and wireless remote control technology. You command a space ship with the latest Binomiam technology. Be a hero by protecting the Binomians from their mortal enemy, the Trinomians. Supports MFi controllers. Tested with a SteelSeries Nimbus. 0, 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45, 55

Screenshots

Retro Parsec1 screens
Fire Across4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Retro Parsec at 9.0 against Fire Across's 17.2. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Retro Parsec costs $0.99 and Fire Across $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retro Parsec ships an update every 25 months, Fire Across every 36 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Retro Parsec versus Fire Across: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetro ParsecFire Across
Price$0.99$0.99
Rating4.0 (50 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews73.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings50 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 25 months — betterEvery 36 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple TV
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.2
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB14 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperYesung MooreJon Tollefson

In-app purchases

None

Retro Parsec

No in-app purchases

None

Fire Across

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Retro Parsec free?
Retro Parsec costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fire Across free?
Fire Across costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Retro Parsec or Fire Across have ads?
Neither Retro Parsec nor Fire Across shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Retro Parsec or Fire Across?
Retro Parsec ships an update every 25 months, and Fire Across every 36 months. Most recently, Retro Parsec was updated on October 29, 2026 and Fire Across on October 29, 2026.

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