# Mars vs Retro Paddle Ball Arcade

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Retro Paddle Ball Arcade at none against Mars's 10. Retro Paddle Ball Arcade also leads on ads (none vs shown). Mars's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mars sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Retro Paddle Ball Arcade asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mars ships an update monthly, Retro Paddle Ball Arcade every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars | Retro Paddle Ball Arcade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 256 MB | 156 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pomelo Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/899606172) | [Voxiven, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822383623) |

## What reviewers say

### Mars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-mars/id1108964305)

Embark on a thrilling space adventure as a volunteer on a mission to Mars. Pilot a jetpack to explore the Martian surface, capture unique selfies, and navigate the challenges of interplanetary travel. Prove the doubters wrong and make history on this groundbreaking expedition.

**Highlights:** Explore Mars on a jetpack, Take selfies on Mars, Avoid Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies, Discover Martian sights, Volunteer for a space mission

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arnold | $0.99 | one-time |
| Little Martha | $0.99 | one-time |
| Marselot | $0.99 | one-time |
| Nigiri | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ufo | $0.99 | one-time |
| Discman | $0.99 | one-time |
| Kestrel 5 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Eagle | $0.99 | one-time |
| Stephen | $3.99 | one-time |
| El Dorado | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and addictive gameplay
- 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
- 👍 Variety of unique characters with different themes
- 👍 Optional ads that provide rewards
- 👍 Offline playability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔁 Repetitive and can get boring over time
- 🔁 Lack of difficulty progression
- 🔁 Duplicate character unlocks can be frustrating

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when taking selfies
- Streak resets when returning to a previous level
- Inconsistent controls and fuel usage

**Requested features**

- Add new planets and environments to explore
- Introduce different gameplay modes (e.g., time trials, challenges)
- Allow players to customize platforms and backgrounds
- Implement a way to revisit previous levels


### Retro Paddle Ball Arcade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-paddle-ball-arcade/id6747687707)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars free?

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

### Is Retro Paddle Ball Arcade free?

Retro Paddle Ball Arcade is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Mars or Retro Paddle Ball Arcade have ads?

Mars shows ads; Retro Paddle Ball Arcade does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mars or Retro Paddle Ball Arcade?

Mars ships an update monthly, and Retro Paddle Ball Arcade every 4 weeks. Most recently, Mars was updated on November 5, 2026 and Retro Paddle Ball Arcade on October 30, 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.*