# Bleak Sword vs Retrocade

The clearest difference is monetization model: Retrocade at free against Bleak Sword's paid. Retrocade also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (7.5K vs 899). Bleak Sword's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 65%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Bleak Sword against 4.5 for Retrocade. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retrocade has 7.5K ratings behind it against 899, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Bleak Sword's written reviews are positive against 65% of Retrocade's.

Bleak Sword ships an update every 8 months, Retrocade every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bleak Sword | Retrocade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (899 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleak-sword/id1403554793/reviews) | [4.5 (7.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrocade/id6746784702/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 899 | **7.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **79.9% of reviews** | 65.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 467 MB | 752 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Devolver](https://appshunter.io/developer/457410262) | [Resolution Games AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1317208408) |

## What reviewers say

### Bleak Sword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleak-sword/id1403554793)

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure across cursed diorama battlefields. Battle creatures through nine chapters, lifting a legendary curse by upgrading your hero with magic and items. Challenge yourself further in Arena Mode with unlockable achievements.

**Highlights:** Diorama battlefields, Nine tense chapters, Powerful magic invocation, Item discovery, Character leveling and stat upgrades, Arena Mode, Unlockable achievements

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and responsive controls
- 👍 Satisfying combat mechanics
- 🎨 Unique and atmospheric pixel art style
- 🕹️ Challenging but fair gameplay
- 🕰️ Suitable for short play sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional save data loss issues
- 🔍 Difficulty in tracking character on screen
- 🤕 Overly punishing difficulty curve
- 🧠 Lack of progression and upgrade systems
- 🔍 Blurry visuals on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Controls becoming unresponsive after app switch
- Inconsistent blocking mechanics

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode support for tablets
- Ability to skip credits after first completion
- More enemy and boss variety
- Customizable controls
- Expanded story and lore


### Retrocade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrocade/id6746784702)

Relive the golden age of arcades with a collection of legendary 80s games. Enjoy classic titles, compete on global leaderboards, and unlock achievements. Supports Bluetooth controllers for an authentic experience.

**Highlights:** Collection of 80s arcade games, Global leaderboards, Unlockable achievements, Bluetooth controller support, Authentic gameplay experience

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bleak Sword free?

Bleak Sword is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Retrocade free?

Retrocade is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bleak Sword or Retrocade?

Bleak Sword and Retrocade are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 899 and 7.5K ratings respectively.

### Do Bleak Sword or Retrocade have ads?

Neither Bleak Sword nor Retrocade shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bleak Sword or Retrocade?

Bleak Sword ships an update every 8 months, and Retrocade every 2 weeks. Most recently, Bleak Sword was updated on October 13, 2026 and Retrocade on October 16, 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.*