# Pixel Cave 2018 vs PPSSPP

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixel Cave 2018 at none against PPSSPP's 1. Pixel Cave 2018 also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5). PPSSPP's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 27 months) and ratings volume (2.8K vs 6). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PPSSPP sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pixel Cave 2018 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pixel Cave 2018 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PPSSPP has 2.8K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Pixel Cave 2018's written reviews are positive against 72% of PPSSPP's.

Pixel Cave 2018 ships an update every 27 months, PPSSPP every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pixel Cave 2018 | PPSSPP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-cave-2018/id1327692439/reviews)** | [4.5 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ppsspp-psp-emulator/id6496972903/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **2.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 72.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 27 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Zolotov](https://appshunter.io/developer/324462547) | [Henrik Rydgård](https://appshunter.io/developer/1741218068) |

## What reviewers say

### Pixel Cave 2018

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-cave-2018/id1327692439)

Experience a retro-style flight simulator through a pixelated cave. Enjoy real-time synthesized music and simple one-touch controls for an immersive retro gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Retro pixel graphics and effects, Real-time synthesized music, One-touch control, Flight simulation gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PPSSPP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ppsspp-psp-emulator/id6496972903)

Experience your favorite PSP titles on your iOS device with high-definition graphics and enhanced features. This emulator allows you to play a vast library of PSP games with excellent performance. Access your own game files or explore free homebrew titles.

**Highlights:** Play PSP games on iOS, High-definition graphics, Extra features, High performance, Supports ISO/CSO files, Built-in Homebrew Store

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PPSSPP Gold | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Supports controllers
- 🎮 Able to play classic PSP games
- 🔥 Amazing emulation experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🤔 Compatibility problems with certain games
- 🔇 Sound issues with some games

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to load save files
- Controller mapping not working properly
- Certain games not launching or freezing

**Requested features**

- Add support for PS2 and PS3 emulation
- Improve save state functionality
- Implement haptic feedback for on-screen controls
- Allow customization of button mapping
- Add portrait mode support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pixel Cave 2018 free?

Pixel Cave 2018 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PPSSPP free?

PPSSPP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pixel Cave 2018 or PPSSPP?

Pixel Cave 2018 is rated higher. Pixel Cave 2018 averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while PPSSPP averages 4.5 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do Pixel Cave 2018 or PPSSPP have ads?

Neither Pixel Cave 2018 nor PPSSPP shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pixel Cave 2018 or PPSSPP?

Pixel Cave 2018 ships an update every 27 months, and PPSSPP every 4 weeks. Most recently, Pixel Cave 2018 was updated on October 20, 2026 and PPSSPP on October 22, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*