Comparison

Gatecrasher vs Star Jolt

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

Head to head
About

Gatecrasher

Navigate a ship through challenging gates using simple directional controls. Avoid collisions to progress in this skill-based arcade game. Test your reflexes and precision in a minimalist, engaging experience.

Highlights
  • Ship control
  • Gate navigation
  • Collision avoidance
  • Two-button controls
  • Skill-based gameplay
Features
Read full description

Gatecrasher is a game. As a player of this game you will control a ship. You will have two buttons; one button to rotate your ship clockwise, and another to rotate your ship the direction that isn't clockwise. You must navigate your ship through gates, without crashing into them. I realise while writing this that the name of the game may be misleading, as the objective of the game is to not crash into the gates. I apologise for this, and those responsible have been fired.

About

Star Jolt

Experience a fast-paced, retro arcade space game focused on high-score chasing. Master lightning-fast reflexes and precise control to navigate cosmic debris and compete globally. Unlock unique ships and replay endlessly for the ultimate challenge.

Highlights
  • Global leaderboards
  • Unlockable ships
  • Ghost ship races
  • One-hand gameplay
  • Record and share runs
  • Achievements
Features
Read full description

Challenge yourself, your friends, and players worldwide in a fast-paced retro arcade space game built for pure high-score chasing. Star Jolt is a hardcore 80s-inspired arcade space racer where lightning-fast reflexes, precise control, and nerve decide everything. Games are short, brutal, and endlessly replayable — perfect for one-hand, portrait play anytime, anywhere.  “New Games We Love” — Apple “Hidden Gems” — Apple “The Best Free iPhone Games 2023” — TechRadar “Best Free iPhone Games” — Macworld Can you navigate the cosmic debris and claim your spot on the global leaderboard? • Global leaderboards — climb the rankings and chase the perfect run • Achievements for long-term mastery • 20 unique ships to unlock — each with its own feel • Race against ghost ships from other players and your own best runs • One-touch, one-hand gameplay in portrait mode • Record and share your highscore attempts “Death comes often, but because games are so short, you’ll instantly want to try again — not least because of Star Jolt’s humor, entertaining hidden features, and eye-popping visuals.” — TechRadar “It laughs in your face as your digits repeatedly fail you, ending games within mere seconds. But the compulsion loop is strong — you’ll want another crack immediately.” — Macworld The Mission: Clean Up the Galaxy Space is full of dangerous junk — not just near Earth, but also near the left shoulder of Orion. There, a civilization of annoying lizard-like aliens is locked in an eternal race against their own creations: stupid, but friendly robots. As the unlikely hero of both sides, only you can keep them from tearing themselves apart — by flying faster, surviving longer, and cleaning up space one crash at a time. Reach for the hottest scores. Crash. Retry. Improve.

Screenshots

Gatecrasher3 screens
Star Jolt4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Gatecrasher at none against Star Jolt's 2. Gatecrasher also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). Star Jolt's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume and device support 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. Star Jolt sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Gatecrasher asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Star Jolt holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 495 and 846 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Gatecrasher's written reviews are positive against 88% of Star Jolt's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gatecrasher ships an update every 5 months, Star Jolt every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Gatecrasher versus Star Jolt: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGatecrasherStar Jolt
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (495 ratings)4.8 (846 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.9% of reviews88.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings495846 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB122 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBen GrantBeardybird AB

Customer experience

Gatecrasher

All ratings498 ratings
Positive87.6%
Neutral6.8%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews157 reviews
Positive73.9%
Neutral8.9%
Negative17.2%

Star Jolt

All ratings827 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral2.1%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews100 reviews
Positive88.0%
Neutral3.0%
Negative9.0%

User reviews

Gatecrasher

From 495 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Good casual game
  • 🚀 Simple and addictive
  • 🚀 Attractive, simple, and fun
  • 🚀 No ads or IAP
  • 👍 Great game design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Controls are difficult to master
  • 🐛 Levels become unreasonably hard after a certain point
  • 🐛 Lack of checkpoints or practice mode
  • 🐛 Sensitivity issues with controls
  • 🐛 Disorienting when at the top of the screen

Star Jolt

From 846 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎮 Retro arcade style
  • 🎨 Stylish visuals
  • 🎯 Challenging gameplay
  • 🏆 Competitive leaderboards
  • 🎼 Great audio and sound effects

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional glitches and crashes
  • 📺 Frequent and unskippable ads
  • 🔍 Sensitivity issues with controls
  • 🔋 Potential battery drain

Bugs and requests

Gatecrasher

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on certain devices
  • Issues with the 'Linechaser' mode
  • Screen orientation problems

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more soundtracks
  • Implement a pause button
  • Add a scoring system based on gates passed
  • Introduce different skill levels or difficulty modes
  • Allow customization of controls and sensitivity

Star Jolt

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Game freezing during runs
  • Crashes on certain device models
  • Purchase restoration issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Sensitivity adjustment options
  • More ship/character customization
  • Expanded story or progression system
  • Ability to name/customize player profile

In-app purchases

None

Gatecrasher

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Star Jolt

One-time2
  • Remove all ads + unique ship$2.99
  • Unlock all ships$7.99

Questions

Is Gatecrasher free?
Gatecrasher is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Star Jolt free?
Star Jolt is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Gatecrasher or Star Jolt?
Star Jolt is rated higher. Gatecrasher averages 4.5 out of 5 from 495 ratings, while Star Jolt averages 4.8 from 846 ratings.
Do Gatecrasher or Star Jolt have ads?
Star Jolt shows ads; Gatecrasher does not.
Which is updated more often, Gatecrasher or Star Jolt?
Gatecrasher ships an update every 5 months, and Star Jolt every 3 weeks. Most recently, Gatecrasher was updated on November 6, 2026 and Star Jolt on November 6, 2026.

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