# ZX Globus vs Pac.io

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ZX Globus at none against Pac.io's 10. ZX Globus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (78% vs 54%). Pac.io's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 18 months) and ratings volume (297 vs 12). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pac.io sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. ZX Globus asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for ZX Globus against 4.2 for Pac.io. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pac.io has 297 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of ZX Globus's written reviews are positive against 54% of Pac.io's.

ZX Globus ships an update every 18 months, Pac.io fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ZX Globus | Pac.io |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zx-globus/id1122804481/reviews) | [4.2 (297 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pacio/id1274026778/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **297** |
| Positive reviews | **77.8% of reviews** | 53.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 68 MB | 139 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Fractal Graphics](https://appshunter.io/developer/626316273) | [Nomadic Bear Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1188304416) |

## What reviewers say

### ZX Globus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zx-globus/id1122804481)

Control a sophisticated robot to save the planet Xenon from destruction by restoring the central reactor's energy. Avoid enemy robots and deactivate bombs to complete your mission. This version retains the original graphics and sound while improving gameplay.

**Highlights:** Robot control, Planet saving mission, Energy restoration, Bomb deactivation, Enemy robot avoidance, Original graphics and sound

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pac.io

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pacio/id1274026778)

Engage in an addictive grid-battle by swiping to outsmart opponents and dominate the arena. Utilize a variety of power-ups and unlock unique skins to enhance your gameplay and rise through the ranks. Enjoy endless fun offline or online with intuitive controls.

**Highlights:** Swipe controls for movement, Strategic power-ups, Unlockable skins, Offline and online play, Intuitive gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Coin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Magnet | $4.99 | one-time |
| Thunder | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sword | $4.99 | one-time |
| Big Coin Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| No Ads | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Coin Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Huge Coin Pack | $49.99 | one-time |
| Massive Coin Pack | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😍 Highly addictive and engaging gameplay
- 🎮 Fun Pac-Man inspired mechanics
- 👥 Real multiplayer players (not just bots)
- ⚡ Fast-paced and entertaining
- 🏆 Leaderboard and competitive features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📺 Excessive ads throughout gameplay
- ⚠️ Ads interrupt and crash the game
- 😤 Unfair difficulty and instant death
- 🎮 Sliding controls instead of D-pad/joystick
- 🤖 Questionable AI behavior and cheating

**Reported bugs**

- Ads crash game at end of video
- Game freezes after ad completion
- Pink screen ad that cannot be closed
- Instant death upon spawning
- Players getting stuck behind walls

**Requested features**

- Arrow buttons or D-pad controls instead of sliding
- Ad-free premium version for purchase
- Ability to disable ads with WiFi off
- Friend list and private room creation
- Real player names instead of randomized ones


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ZX Globus free?

ZX Globus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pac.io free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ZX Globus or Pac.io?

ZX Globus and Pac.io are both rated 4.2 out of 5 on the App Store, from 12 and 297 ratings respectively.

### Do ZX Globus or Pac.io have ads?

Pac.io shows ads; ZX Globus does not.

### Which is updated more often, ZX Globus or Pac.io?

ZX Globus ships an update every 18 months, and Pac.io fortnightly. Most recently, ZX Globus was updated on September 13, 2026 and Pac.io on September 21, 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.*