Comparison

ZX81 vs Chip8 Emulator

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

Head to head
About

ZX81

Experience early 1980s home computing with this app dedicated to the Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81. It includes a wealth of example software, offering a nostalgic journey into the origins of personal computing.

Highlights
  • Sinclair ZX80/ZX81 emulation
  • Timex Sinclair 1000 support
  • Includes example software
  • Focuses on early 1980s computing
  • ROM code included with permission
Features
Read full description

Welcome to a taste of early 1980s home computing. This app focuses on the Sinclair ZX81 experience and is loaded with example software. A streamlined watchOS app is included, offering saved session syncing with the iOS app on the paired iPhone. Background: In 1980 the British company Science of Cambridge (later renamed Sinclair Research) released the Sinclair ZX80 home computer. The computer was developed with another technology company, Nine Tiles, and manufactured in a Timex Corporation factory in Dundee, Scotland. Followed in March 1981 by the even more popular successor, the Sinclair ZX81, both models had a profound impact on home and hobbyist computing in the UK and many other countries. Timex Corporation and Sinclair Research continued their joint venture and released the Timex Sinclair 1000 (TS1000) and 1500 (TS1500) variants of the ZX81 for the US market in July 1982 and July 1983 respectively. Meanwhile, another iconic British home computer, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, was under development and hit the market in April 1982... but that's another story. Special thanks to Nine Tiles for granting permission to include the ROM code, to which they retain the intellectual property rights after all these years. Additionally, many thanks to all the developers of the loaded ZX81 software who have all granted permission to include their titles in the app. We hope this list of software will continue to grow in future updates.

About

Chip8 Emulator

Experience vintage games and programs from 8-bit microcomputers on your mobile device. This app brings the charm of retro computing to the palm of your hand.

Highlights
  • Play classic Chip-8 games
  • Experience vintage programs
  • Retro computing simulation
  • Mobile retro gaming
Features
Read full description

Relive the golden age of retro computing with Chip8 Emulator! Experience the charm of vintage games and programs, originally developed for 8-bit microcomputers, all in the palm of your hand.

Screenshots

ZX814 screens
Chip8 Emulator3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ZX81 at 98% against Chip8 Emulator's 50%. ZX81 also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (92 vs 3). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ZX81 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ZX81 has 92 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 98% of ZX81's written reviews are positive against 50% of Chip8 Emulator's.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ZX81 versus Chip8 Emulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZX81Chip8 Emulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (92 ratings) — better4.3 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews98.4% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings92 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 10 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.2
Further details — not scored
Size86 MB0 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperKevin PalserSUPERSONIC BYTE Sarajevo

Customer experience

ZX81

All ratings92 ratings
Positive97.8%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive98.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative0.0%

Chip8 Emulator

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

ZX81

No in-app purchases

None

Chip8 Emulator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ZX81 free?
ZX81 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chip8 Emulator free?
Chip8 Emulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ZX81 or Chip8 Emulator?
ZX81 is rated higher. ZX81 averages 4.9 out of 5 from 92 ratings, while Chip8 Emulator averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.
Do ZX81 or Chip8 Emulator have ads?
Neither ZX81 nor Chip8 Emulator shows ads.

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