Comparison

Bounder vs Core Arcade

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

Head to head
About

Bounder

Experience a classic 80s arcade game faithfully recreated for mobile. Bounce and dodge through challenging levels, enjoying innovative features like parallax scrolling. This version offers multiple original platform ports with enhancements for modern devices.

Highlights
  • Faithful recreation of original game
  • Parallax scrolling
  • Multiple platform versions (C64, Spectrum, Amstrad)
  • Challenging levels
  • High score chasing
  • Mobile-optimized controls
Read full description

Bounder was one of the most successful games in the 80’s and was published by Gremlin Graphics in 1985. Gremlin were responsible for many classics such as Bounder, Re-Bounder, Monty Mole, Thing on a Spring, Zool etc… they were one of the biggest developers and publishers in the world and started by Ian Stewart, Gremlin was one of the pioneers to kickstart the games industry.  Bounder’s popularity spans decades and has continued to be featured in Retro Gamer with a 2 page spread only recently, Walk-through videos on Youtube, regular mentions about the game on social media and it’s been included in the new Mini C64 machine. This little tennis ball of fun continues to be highly regarded and fondly remembered in the retro-gaming community.  Originally created by Christian Shrigley, Andrew Green, Robert Toone, Bounder featured many ground-breaking features such as Parallax Scrolling, first seen on a computer game. The game featured 10 levels, all as challenging as the first and at times is unforgiving but that's what kept drawing people back to this best selling game. Zzap!64 gleefully pinned a Gold Medal on the daredevil tennis ball in its tenth issue, calling Bounder “an absorbing, demanding and totally innovative approach to the ageing platform formula,” and that's exactly what Bounder is.  Our Bounder version is faithful to the original and includes features which helps it translate to mobile devices. Our App includes the C64, Spectrum and Amstrad versions, not emulated but re-coded to a high standard so it looks and feels like the original computer versions but with new added extras to please retro gamers and attract new gamers to Bounder.  Bounce and dodge your way to your highest score yet!  This game is free to download but does offer in-app purchases.

About

Core Arcade

Features
Read full description

Your phone becomes a pocket game console. Console Game packs 12 original arcade experiences into one polished library. Jump between quick sessions, discover different genres, and launch straight into gameplay with responsive on-screen controls. INCLUDES 12 GAMES Snake Ball Bounce Breakout Alien wave shooter Number Merge Meteor Run Signal Match Minefield Orbit Guard Hyper Gate Pulse Lock Skyline Stack WHY PLAY CONSOLE GAME One app, many game styles: arcade, puzzle, shooter, reflex, strategy Instant launch flow from the library to gameplay Adaptive challenge tuning to help you improve while staying engaged Console-style interface designed for iPhone and iPad Touch-first controls with a familiar D-pad and action button layout Progress tracking across your sessions PLAY YOUR WAY Use quick runs to chase high scores, improve your timing, and master each game’s mechanics. Whether you want a 2-minute break or a longer session, Console Game is built for smooth, pick-up-and-play fun. Download now and start your next run.

Screenshots

Bounder4 screens
Core Arcade4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Bounder at none against Core Arcade's shown. Bounder also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Core Arcade's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 34 months). On price, in-app purchases 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. Bounder sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Core Arcade sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bounder ships an update every 34 months, Core Arcade every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Bounder versus Core Arcade: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBounderCore Arcade
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 34 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAtatio Interactive LtdJose Blanco

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bounder

One-time1
  • Full Game$1.99
4 purchases

Core Arcade

Subscriptions2
  • Arcade Plus Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Arcade Plus Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time2
  • 14 Day Free TrialFree
  • Remove Ads Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is Bounder free?
Bounder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Core Arcade free?
Core Arcade is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Bounder or Core Arcade have ads?
Core Arcade shows ads; Bounder does not.
Which is updated more often, Bounder or Core Arcade?
Bounder ships an update every 34 months, and Core Arcade every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bounder was updated on October 8, 2026 and Core Arcade on October 6, 2026.

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