# Nuclear War 2 vs Operation

The clearest difference is ads: Nuclear War 2 at none against Operation's shown. Nuclear War 2 also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 52%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Operation's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nuclear War 2 sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Operation sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Operation holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Operation has 625 ratings behind it against 61, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of Nuclear War 2's written reviews are positive against 52% of Operation's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Nuclear War 2 ships an update every 4 months, Operation every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nuclear War 2 | Operation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nuclear-war-2/id1063997960/reviews) | **[4.2 (625 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/operation-new-earth/id1098898838/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 61 | **625** |
| Positive reviews | **73.3% of reviews** | 52.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 68 MB | 302 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [GameZen, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/440126422) | [Tilting Point LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1095401785) |

## What reviewers say

### Nuclear War 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nuclear-war-2/id1063997960)

Lead your nation through a global crisis, building armies and researching nuclear weapons to defend your people. Strategize your attacks and manage scarce resources to emerge as the dominant world power and prevent the end of civilization.

**Highlights:** Build and discover new military units, Research and utilize nuclear weapons, Manage scarce uranium resources, Engage in various battle modes, Spy and scout enemy actions, Compete for rankings and honors

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 300 Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| 550 Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1150 Gems | $9.99 | one-time |
| 2500 Gems | $19.99 | one-time |
| 7000 Gems | $49.99 | one-time |
| 15000 Gems | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun gameplay
- 👍 Realistic (for some)
- 👍 Good strategy (for some)
- 👍 Entertaining
- 👍 Lots of events

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Pay to win
- 💸 Expensive hero units
- 💸 High cost for progression
- ⏳ Time wasting
- 🐌 Slow progression

**Reported bugs**

- UI needs update
- Messages cannot be deleted
- Boss section thrown together
- Energy bug (shows full when used)
- Network errors occur often

**Requested features**

- Update UI/interface
- Add avatars
- Add male/female character options
- Add 'add player' option
- Add recruit wall


### Operation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/operation-new-earth/id1098898838)

Defend Earth from a massive alien invasion in this sci-fi multiplayer strategy game. Build your base, raise an army, and command powerful heroes to retake the planet. Form alliances and engage in real-time faction wars against both aliens and hostile humans.

**Highlights:** Build and upgrade military facility, Train specialized army units, Command and capture enemy heroes, Chat, trade, and invite players, Join alliances for strategic warfare, Engage in real-time faction wars

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bronze Supply Drop | $0.99 | one-time |
| Iron Supply Drop | $1.99 | one-time |
| Gold Supply Drop | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bronze Shard Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Epic Bronze Booster Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Silver Shard Bundle | $29.99 | one-time |
| Gold Shard Bundle | $49.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Shard Bundle | $89.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Shard Bundle | $99.99 | one-time |
| Platinum Hero Equipment Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Enjoyable strategy elements
- 🤝 Good alliance system
- 💡 Potential for improvement

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🕰️ Slow progression and long upgrade times
- 🤺 Bullying and imbalance between players

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and connection issues
- Inability to update or download new versions
- Glitches with UI and in-game mechanics

**Requested features**

- Improved shielding and protection options
- Expanded map and zoom functionality
- Better resource production and gathering
- More balanced matchmaking and region merges


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nuclear War 2 free?

Nuclear War 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Operation free?

Operation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Nuclear War 2 or Operation?

Operation is rated higher. Nuclear War 2 averages 3.8 out of 5 from 61 ratings, while Operation averages 4.2 from 625 ratings.

### Do Nuclear War 2 or Operation have ads?

Operation shows ads; Nuclear War 2 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Nuclear War 2 or Operation?

Nuclear War 2 ships an update every 4 months, and Operation every 2 weeks. Most recently, Nuclear War 2 was updated on November 2, 2026 and Operation 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.*