Comparison

Retro Games Collection vs Ascender

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

Head to head
About

Retro Games Collection

Experience six classic arcade games with customizable visual styles, including Neon and LCD. Enjoy timeless gameplay without interruptions like timers or lives to purchase. Compete on leaderboards and unlock achievements.

Highlights
  • Six arcade classics included
  • Neon and LCD visual styles
  • No timers or lives to buy
  • Game Center leaderboards
  • Unlockable achievements
  • Halloween theme option
Features
Read full description

Retro games collection. Six arcade classics in one app, in two looks: glowing Neon or a handheld-style LCD. No timers, no lives to buy and no clutter. Just pick a game and play. Games: - Pong - Block Breaker - Space Invaders - Snake - Falling Blocks - Block Puzzle Pong - beat the computer or pass the phone and play head to head. Block Breaker - nine levels of bricks, with power-up drops and bonus balls. Space Invaders - waves of invaders, destructible bunkers and a boss fight, with a dedicated fire button so you can move and shoot at once. Snake - the one that started it all, with power-ups and a shield. Falling Blocks - move, rotate, hold and drop the falling pieces, and clear lines to climb the levels. Block Puzzle - fit the blocks onto the board and clear full lines before you run out of space. Two looks - Neon, with glowing arcade colours, or LCD, like a pocket console. Switch any time in Settings. From 15 October to 2 November every game gets a Halloween look, which you can also turn off. Game Center leaderboards for every game, plus achievements to earn.

About

Ascender

Embark on an 8-bit arcade adventure, ascending from an abyss. Navigate treacherous terrain, defeat enemies, and manage your engine's heat. Experience thrilling gameplay with retro graphics and sound, aiming for the highest score.

Highlights
  • Retro arcade graphics and sound
  • 1000m of level design
  • Easy mobile controls
  • Quick start checkpoints
  • 3 Game modes
  • Game Center leaderboards
Read full description

Ascend from the depths of the abyss in this original 8-BIT style arcade game. Navigate through challenging terrain and defeat enemies while trying not to overheat your engine. This simple arcade game will have your heart pumping as you approach the next checkpoint. Features: - Retro arcade graphics and sound - 1000m of level design to ascend - Easy to use mobile controls - Quick start checkpoints every 100m - Lovable enemies to defeat - 3 Game modes (Classic, Time Trial and Survivor) - Game Center global leaderboards NO Ads, NO In App purchases, Completely FREE.

Screenshots

Retro Games Collection4 screens
Ascender4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ascender at 98% against Retro Games Collection's 50%. Ascender also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.9) and ads (none vs shown). 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ascender holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 156 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Retro Games Collection's written reviews are positive against 98% of Ascender's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retro Games Collection ships an update every 3 months, Ascender weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Retro Games Collection versus Ascender: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetro Games CollectionAscender
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (48 ratings)4.9 (156 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews98.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings48156 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMIchal LucanskyPeter Moyle

Customer experience

Retro Games Collection

All ratings48 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral8.3%
Negative22.9%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral9.1%
Negative40.9%

Ascender

All ratings155 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral0.6%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews65 reviews
Positive98.5%
Neutral1.5%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Retro Games Collection

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Ascender

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Controls don't register sometimes causing flight or fire errors
  • Input detection issues leading to unexpected deaths

Requested features

7 requests
  • Sequel or Part 2 with more levels
  • Progress saving functionality
  • Additional levels and content
  • Adjustable button sizes
  • Discord server for community
Show 2 more
  • Repositioned control buttons for better accessibility
  • More game modes or variations

In-app purchases

None

Retro Games Collection

No in-app purchases

None

Ascender

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Retro Games Collection free?
Retro Games Collection is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ascender free?
Ascender is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Retro Games Collection or Ascender?
Ascender is rated higher. Retro Games Collection averages 3.9 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Ascender averages 4.9 from 156 ratings.
Do Retro Games Collection or Ascender have ads?
Retro Games Collection shows ads; Ascender does not.
Which is updated more often, Retro Games Collection or Ascender?
Retro Games Collection ships an update every 3 months, and Ascender weekly. Most recently, Retro Games Collection was updated on November 6, 2026 and Ascender on November 7, 2026.

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