# Arcade Reference vs Ultimate Game Guide

The clearest difference is rating: Ultimate Game Guide at 4.4 against Arcade Reference's 3.1. Ultimate Game Guide also leads on ratings volume (2.7K vs 52). Arcade Reference's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Arcade Reference sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Ultimate Game Guide sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ultimate Game Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ultimate Game Guide has 2.7K ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Arcade Reference's written reviews are positive against 51% of Ultimate Game Guide's.

Arcade Reference ships an update every 5 days, Ultimate Game Guide every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Arcade Reference | Ultimate Game Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcade-reference/id1178311507/reviews) | **[4.4 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultimate-game-guide/id1182547155/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 52 | **2.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 46.2% of reviews | **51.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 170 MB | 670 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nicola Canali](https://appshunter.io/developer/939541887) | [Embraceware Software Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/313634512) |

## What reviewers say

### Arcade Reference

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcade-reference/id1178311507)

Access comprehensive information on classic arcade games from the 70s to the 2000s. This app provides a detailed guide with tips and data compiled from enthusiast communities, focusing on video games and excluding gambling machines.

**Highlights:** Extensive arcade game database, Information compiled from Mame data, Tips and reference material, Organized game data, Covers 70s-2000s titles, Excludes gambling machines

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### Ultimate Game Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ultimate-game-guide/id1182547155)

Explore a comprehensive resource for Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Nintendo Entertainment System games. Access reviews, screenshots, and detailed information on hundreds of classic titles. Track your collection and discover new games with powerful search and updated pricing.

**Highlights:** Game reviews and screenshots, Detailed game information (genre, publisher, developer, release date), Collection tracking tools, Wishlist functionality, Powerful search engine, Daily updated game prices, Hardware and cartridge variant information

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Super NES Library | $6.99 | one-time |
| NES Library | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great reference for NES collectors
- 🚀 Comprehensive NES game database
- 💡 Ability to track personal collection
- 🌟 Detailed game reviews and information

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy after recent updates
- 🔁 Issues with syncing and saving collection data
- 🤔 Missing key features like export/import
- 📱 Compatibility problems on newer devices

**Reported bugs**

- Scrolling issues and jumbled UI elements
- Frequent crashes and app instability
- Incorrect or missing game data and pricing
- Login/account syncing problems

**Requested features**

- Add support for more retro systems (SNES, Genesis, etc.)
- Implement wishlist and collection value tracking features
- Improve search and sorting functionality
- Add ability to export/backup collection data


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Arcade Reference free?

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

### Is Ultimate Game Guide free?

Ultimate Game Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Arcade Reference or Ultimate Game Guide?

Ultimate Game Guide is rated higher. Arcade Reference averages 3.1 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Ultimate Game Guide averages 4.4 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do Arcade Reference or Ultimate Game Guide have ads?

Neither Arcade Reference nor Ultimate Game Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Arcade Reference or Ultimate Game Guide?

Arcade Reference ships an update every 5 days, and Ultimate Game Guide every 6 weeks. Most recently, Arcade Reference was updated on June 10, 2026 and Ultimate Game Guide on September 26, 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.*