Sublight Empire vs GridLinx
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide 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.
GridLinx
Read full descriptionHide full description
GridLinx is a "connect" game that demands careful but quick thought in placing tiles together to build the largest connected structures. The more tiles you connect together, the higher the score. Stay alert though, there is a time limit on each round. So if your not quick enough you'll run out of time. When you build a connected structure you are credited both with game points and with more play time. So look for every chance to link your tiles. As you climb higher in levels you will notice that later levels require higher scores to advance. You will also notice new challenges that will keep you on your toes. So, get in the zone and put your puzzle brains on blast!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sublight Empire at none against GridLinx's 6. Sublight Empire also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 months vs every 16 months). GridLinx's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). 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
Both are free to download. GridLinx sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Sublight Empire asks for nothing beyond the download.
Sublight Empire ships an update every 6 months, GridLinx every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sublight Empire | GridLinx |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months — better | Every 16 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 159 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Enrico Unger | Player1games Inc. |
In-app purchases
Sublight Empire
No in-app purchases
GridLinx
- Gridlinx Skins$0.99
- Buy 10 time tokens$0.99
- Buy 30 tokens special price$0.99
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Gridlinx - No more ads special$0.99
- No More Ads$1.99
- Buy 30 time tokens$1.99









