Retro Games Collection vs Ascender
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Six arcade classics included
- Neon and LCD visual styles
- No timers or lives to buy
- Game Center leaderboards
- Unlockable achievements
- Halloween theme option
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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.
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.
- Retro arcade graphics and sound
- 1000m of level design
- Easy mobile controls
- Quick start checkpoints
- 3 Game modes
- Game Center leaderboards
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Retro Games Collection | Ascender |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (48 ratings) | 4.9 (156 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 98.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 48 | 156 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MIchal Lucansky | Peter Moyle |
Customer experience
Retro Games Collection
Ascender
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
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- Repositioned control buttons for better accessibility
- More game modes or variations
In-app purchases
Retro Games Collection
No in-app purchases
Ascender
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Retro Games Collection free?
Is Ascender free?
Which has better reviews, Retro Games Collection or Ascender?
Do Retro Games Collection or Ascender have ads?
Which is updated more often, Retro Games Collection or Ascender?
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