Comparison

UFO Emoji vs Smash Runner!

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

Head to head
About

UFO Emoji

Pilot unique spacecraft through vibrant levels in this addictive arcade-style side-scroller. Blast through obstacles, collect power-ups, and aim for high scores across three distinct themes. Perfect for players aged 12 and up seeking fast-paced, engaging fun.

Highlights
  • Arcade-style side-scrolling gameplay
  • Three unique pilots with distinct abilities
  • 12 levels across 3 themes
  • Unlockable power-ups and boosters
  • Parallax backgrounds and animated creatures
  • Designed for iPhone and iPad
Read full description

Originally launched on the App Store in 2018, UFO Emoji is a thrilling, arcade-style, side-scrolling video game that’s easy to pick up, fun to play, and highly addictive! Perfect for players aged 12 and beyond, this fast-paced game lets you experience the excitement of blasting through unique levels while piloting playful characters with their own themed spacecraft. Choose from three quirky and creative pilots: Alien – Navigate cosmic adventures in an intergalactic cruiser. Monkey – Switch between “Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil” expressions as you fly a banana-shaped ship and fire bananas instead of lasers. Poo Emoji – Cause hilarious chaos as you drop bombs and engage in messy, comedic battles in space. Each character offers a unique playstyle, encouraging exploration of their abilities as you race for high scores. The game features 12 immersive levels spread across three distinct themes—Water World, Egyptian Sand Dunes, and Outer Space. Every level comes alive with animated creatures like marine life and insects, creating dynamic environments that are both beautiful and challenging. With parallax backgrounds of grass, dirt, and sand, the visuals are packed with artistic depth, keeping players engaged from start to finish. Master the Controls Discover the finesse required to guide your spacecraft through tight spaces. Whether leisurely exploring underwater depths or blasting obstacles with power-ups, UFO Emoji gives players the freedom to play at their own pace. Unlock Hidden Power-ups and Boosters Find shields, auto-fire, extra lives, and other power-ups hidden throughout the levels to help you blast your way to victory. Each boost brings you closer to achieving your next high score! Designed with Apple at Its Core Built entirely in Swift using SpriteKit, UFO Emoji reflects creativity, originality, and the power of the Apple ecosystem. Its engaging gameplay and playful design celebrate independent development. Tested across all iPhones and iPads from iOS 14 to iOS 18, including the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPad Pro, UFO Emoji runs flawlessly on any screen size. Whether you're a casual gamer or a high-score chaser, this game offers endless fun and challenges for everyone. So, what are you waiting for? Grab the controls, pick your pilot, and blast through the exciting worlds of UFO Emoji! We hope you enjoy the adventure—happy flying! UFO Emoji – Highest AppStore Rating, All Star Super Arcade Fun for Ages 12 and Up!

About

Smash Runner!

Embark on a colorful adventure where you collect layers to grow larger. Become big enough to smash through blocks and experience the satisfying feeling of destroying cubes.

Highlights
  • Collect layers
  • Grow bigger
  • Smash blocks
  • Colorful adventure
  • Cube smashing
Features
Read full description

Take a step into this colorful adventure. Collect as many layers as you can. You need to get bigger in order to pass over the blocks. You will like this feeling of smashing cubes.

Screenshots

UFO Emoji4 screens
Smash Runner!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: UFO Emoji at 100% against Smash Runner!'s 22%. UFO Emoji also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Smash Runner!'s advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and ratings volume (14K vs 5). On update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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

Smash Runner! is free to download; UFO Emoji costs $0.99 up front. Smash Runner! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. UFO Emoji asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

UFO Emoji holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smash Runner! has 14K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of UFO Emoji's written reviews are positive against 22% of Smash Runner!'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

UFO Emoji ships an update every 8 days, Smash Runner! weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
UFO Emoji versus Smash Runner!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUFO EmojiSmash Runner!
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (5 ratings) — better4.6 (14K ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better21.7% of reviews
Number of ratings514K — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB283 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperTodd BrussRollic Games

Customer experience

UFO Emoji

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Smash Runner!

All ratings14,100 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral4.1%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews138 reviews
Positive21.7%
Neutral18.1%
Negative60.1%

Bugs and requests

UFO Emoji

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Smash Runner!

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Game freezes and crashes at higher levels
  • Levels not loading or resetting progress
  • Unresponsive controls and gameplay issues

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add an ad-free option
  • Improve level progression and difficulty scaling
  • Fix stability issues and crashes

In-app purchases

None

UFO Emoji

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Smash Runner!

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$2.99

Questions

Is UFO Emoji free?
UFO Emoji costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Smash Runner! free?
Smash Runner! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, UFO Emoji or Smash Runner!?
UFO Emoji is rated higher. UFO Emoji averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Smash Runner! averages 4.6 from 14K ratings.
Do UFO Emoji or Smash Runner! have ads?
Smash Runner! shows ads; UFO Emoji does not.
Which is updated more often, UFO Emoji or Smash Runner!?
UFO Emoji ships an update every 8 days, and Smash Runner! weekly. Most recently, UFO Emoji was updated on October 14, 2026 and Smash Runner! on October 20, 2026.

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