Comparison

cmnd/ctrl vs Pixel Squadron

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

Head to head
About

cmnd/ctrl

Engage in an endless pixel art space shooter experience with a retro soundtrack. Choose from over ten unique ships, each with distinct firing capabilities, and explore multiple game modes. Power-ups and leaderboards add to the classic arcade challenge.

Highlights
  • Unlock 10+ unique ships
  • Varying fire rates and bullet speeds
  • Several power-ups
  • 2 game modes (Main & Extreme)
  • Leaderboards
  • Retro soundtrack and sound effects
Features
Read full description

Fire through a pixel art universe to a retro soundtrack and sound effects that are inspired by the old-school arcade game era. Players can cycle through multiple game modes and choose between ten unique ships with varying fire rates and bullet speeds, meaning no one game will ever be the same! Features include: ◉ Unlock 10+ unique ships - with varying fire rate and bullet speeds ◉ Several power ups ◉ 2 game modes – Main, & Extreme - more to come! ◉ Leaderboards ◉ Music by Nihilore

About

Pixel Squadron

Features
Read full description

Five neon jets cut through twenty stages of pixel-art bullet hell. Eagle rains spread shot. Viper unloads rapid bursts. Titan drops heavy cannon rounds. Phantom slices with a continuous laser beam. Omega locks on with homing missiles. Pick a jet, learn its rhythm, weave through the wall. TEN BOSSES, FIVE WORLDS Atmosphere. Ocean Storm. Deep Space. Mechanical Fortress. Chaos Void. Each world hides a mid-boss and a final boss — ten multi-phase fights, each pattern built to read your thumb's habits and punish them. WHAT IT FEELS LIKE Thumb sweat. Screen-filling neon. The split-second between two laser walls. The bomb you save for the third phase. The drone that finally lines up your blind spot. DEPTH WHEN YOU WANT IT • 20 stages across 5 worlds, plus Endless mode that scales by your survival time • 13 enemy types in three tiers — normal, enhanced, elite • Bomb gauge charges with kills — release to clear the screen • Permanent upgrades: damage, fire rate, speed, bomb charge, coin bonus, option drones • Every upgrade earned in-game. Watch an ad to revive or double your coin drop — never forced. No timer, no paywall. If Sky Force taught you what an arcade shooter feels like, you're in the right room. Questions or feedback: support@hsiangyu.dev

Screenshots

cmnd/ctrl4 screens
Pixel Squadron4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixel Squadron at none against cmnd/ctrl's 1. cmnd/ctrl's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, update cadence 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. cmnd/ctrl sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pixel Squadron asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

cmnd/ctrl ships an update fortnightly, Pixel Squadron monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
cmnd/ctrl versus Pixel Squadron: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parametercmnd/ctrlPixel Squadron
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (44 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings44 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterMonthly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAstro Hound StudiosHSIANG-YU HUANG

In-app purchases

1 purchases

cmnd/ctrl

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$0.99
None

Pixel Squadron

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is cmnd/ctrl free?
cmnd/ctrl is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pixel Squadron free?
Pixel Squadron is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do cmnd/ctrl or Pixel Squadron have ads?
Pixel Squadron shows ads; cmnd/ctrl does not.
Which is updated more often, cmnd/ctrl or Pixel Squadron?
cmnd/ctrl ships an update fortnightly, and Pixel Squadron monthly. Most recently, cmnd/ctrl was updated on November 2, 2026 and Pixel Squadron on October 31, 2026.

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