Comparison

Sublight Empire vs Red Wave TD

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

Head to head
About

Sublight Empire

Experience a unique 4X space strategy game where actions and events unfold over years due to the speed of light limitations. Explore, colonize, and conquer star systems to achieve galactic dominance.

Highlights
  • Relativistic speed of light mechanics
  • Real-time command propagation delays
  • Explore and colonize star systems
  • Defend and conquer colonies
  • Classic 4X gameplay
  • Galactic conquest objective
Features
Read full description

Einstein's theory of relativity states that nothing is faster than light. This also applies to this game. Information is radio signals propagating at the speed of light. These radio signals transmit your commands and the events you receive. Spaceships move at a fraction of the speed of light. So it takes years for a command or a spaceship to reach its destination. When a battle takes place, you won't know about it until years later. Apart from this, it is a classic 4X game. In the beginning you rule a single star system and you are exploring and colonizing the surrounding systems. Later on you will meet your opponents and you will have to defend and conquer colonies. To win the game, you must conquer 2/3 of all stars.

About

Red Wave TD

Defend America from invading communist forces in this real-time strategy and tower defense game. Engage in a full story mode campaign or enjoy quick skirmishes on additional maps. Experience RTS gameplay on the go.

Highlights
  • Real-time strategy gameplay
  • Tower defense mechanics
  • Story mode campaign
  • Skirmish maps
  • On-the-go fun
Features
Read full description

Communist forces have invaded America! Do you have what it takes to stop the Red Wave? Red Wave is a real-time strategy and tower defense game with a totally unique look — every unit and tile is hand-drawn in colored pencil and scanned in. Take command of American forces and hold the line across America. STORY CAMPAIGN - 6 MISSIONS • Mission 1: Crossing the Rio Grande - stop them at the southern border • Mission 2: Remember the Alamo! • Mission 3: Mighty Mississip' - hold the river • Mission 4: The Siege of St. Louis - defend the secrets hidden below the Gateway Arch • Mission 5: Marine One Down - the President is down in Nashville. Save him! • Mission 6: Escape - crush the tank brigade fleeing to the Atlantic Plus 3 Skirmish maps for quick play: Beginners Field (Easy), Two Rivers (Medium), Surrounded (Hard). BUILD YOUR DEFENSE • Marine - cheap, fast rapid-fire infantry • Pillbox - tough fortified gunner • Landmine - hidden one-shot boom • Artillery - long-range shells • Rocket Launcher - massive splash damage HOLD BACK THE WAVE Conscripts, Jeeps, Tanks, and Rocket Trucks that shoot back. Earn gold for every kill, build fast, and hold the line. MADE FOR ON-THE-GO RTS • Full campaign + skirmish - hours of play • Quick sessions, perfect for mobile • Landscape play with touch, mouse, and gamepad menu support • Free to play with Premium upgrade to unlock all maps and remove ads Get your RTS fix on the go. Stop the Red Wave! Includes Fireworks music composition by Sujin Wonglakorn. Includes various musical compositions by Espilan.

Screenshots

Sublight Empire4 screens
Red Wave TD4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sublight Empire at 5.0 against Red Wave TD's 4.3. Sublight Empire also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Red Wave TD's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 2). On price 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. Red Wave TD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sublight Empire asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sublight Empire holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 6 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sublight Empire ships an update every 6 months, Red Wave TD every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Sublight Empire versus Red Wave TD: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSublight EmpireRed Wave TD
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.3 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings26 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 months — betterEvery 22 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB46 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperEnrico UngerBrandon Stecklein

Customer experience

Sublight Empire

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Red Wave TD

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Sublight Empire

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Red Wave TD

One-time1
  • Red Wave Premium$1.99

Questions

Is Sublight Empire free?
Sublight Empire is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Red Wave TD free?
Red Wave TD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sublight Empire or Red Wave TD?
Sublight Empire is rated higher. Sublight Empire averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Red Wave TD averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.
Do Sublight Empire or Red Wave TD have ads?
Red Wave TD shows ads; Sublight Empire does not.
Which is updated more often, Sublight Empire or Red Wave TD?
Sublight Empire ships an update every 6 months, and Red Wave TD every 22 months. Most recently, Sublight Empire was updated on October 24, 2026 and Red Wave TD on October 21, 2026.

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