Comparison

Arkfront vs Rusty Sword

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

Head to head
About

Arkfront

Guide humanity's last hope across the galaxy to a new home. Strategize in the hangar, customize ships and equipment, then engage in fast-paced arcade combat. Explore over 120 randomly generated levels, gather resources, and upgrade your arsenal for survival.

Highlights
  • Strategic hangar preparation
  • Customizable ship loadouts
  • Randomly generated campaigns
  • Fast-paced arcade action
  • Multiple game modes
  • Resource gathering and research
Features
Read full description

Guide your colony across the galaxy to reach Eden, the new home for mankind. “If you enjoy shooters with unique strategic twists then don’t hesitate to give Arkfront a shot…” - TouchArcade “…there’s sure to be heaps of content for you to work through on your way to finding that intergalactic paradise.” - PocketGamer “Arkfront is a MUST-HAVE!” - SnapAttack Supports: GameCenter achievements iCloud save syncing Haptic response during gameplay Plan ahead in the hangar, customize loadouts with upgradable equipment and ships, spend riches on new gear and research. Then plot your course through the Galactic Map towards Eden, defending the ARK and the future of humanity along with it. Gather resources and experience to use on future attempts. The campaign offers more than 120 levels to increase the diversity of each attempt. Find events for higher rewards and outposts for shopping and repairing along your way. FAST-PACED ACTION: Mobile first controls make high-paced arcade action simple to play, but hard to master. GALACTIC MAP: The Galactic Map system randomly generates new campaigns. Pulling from a collection of over 120 levels, each attempt is always unique. PREPARE: Build your custom loadout slots using the gear you want and set-off across the galaxy. Each attempt grants experience and coins to use on unlocking or leveling up powerups. 9 ships, 7 unique powerups, turrets, shield upgrades and 4 supers are available through the galaxy. WAYS TO PLAY: Play the campaign, a weekly challenge level, or alternative game modes like Countdown, Endless and Boss Rush. Arkfront demands short-term skill, medium-term preparation, and long-term planning in order to survive. SUPPORT: Twitter: @arkfront_game Email: shamus@arkfront.net

About

Rusty Sword

Embark on a nostalgic top-down adventure across a small island and a sprawling dungeon. Battle monsters, uncover secrets, and quest for a hidden relic with intuitive controls and classic 16-bit inspired graphics and music. Enjoy single-player or two-player co-op.

Highlights
  • Non-linear adventure structure
  • Intuitive touch or controller support
  • Secrets and Easter eggs
  • Two-player co-op mode
  • Nostalgic 16-bit graphics and music
  • Multiple display options
  • Multilingual support
Features
Read full description

Now includes a second island and dungeon, along with new enemies and equipment! The Rusty Sword: Vanguard Island is a short, top-down adventure game inspired by several 16-bit games you know and love. It features a small island overworld, a large non-linear dungeon, countless monsters to battle, classic art that takes you back through time, and a nostalgic soundtrack. In the game, you venture on a quest to find the hidden Vanguard Relic. Features: Non-linear adventure structure with multiple ways to get to most places. Simple, intuitive controls. Use the touch screen or connect a controller. *Display of touch controls can be hidden in the Settings menu in-game. Tons of secrets and Easter eggs. Designed around single-player, but even more fun with two-player co-op *You will need two connected/paired, compatible controllers to play co-op. Nostalgic graphics and music inspired by many 16-bit classics. Several display options, including widescreen and classic aspect ratios. Language support for English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese.

Screenshots

Arkfront4 screens
Rusty Sword4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Rusty Sword at 4.5 against Arkfront's 4.1. Rusty Sword also leads on price ($0.99 vs $3.99). Arkfront's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (32 vs 8). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Arkfront costs $3.99 and Rusty Sword $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Rusty Sword holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Arkfront's written reviews are positive against 75% of Rusty Sword's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Arkfront ships an update monthly, Rusty Sword every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Arkfront versus Rusty Sword: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArkfrontRusty Sword
Price$3.99$0.99 — better
Rating4.1 (32 ratings)4.5 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews68.2% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings32 — better8
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better11.0
Further details — not scored
Size175 MB90 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperIntensity Faucet Games, Inc.PLOW DIGITAL, LLC

Customer experience

Arkfront

All ratings32 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral3.1%
Negative21.9%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive68.2%
Neutral4.5%
Negative27.3%

Rusty Sword

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

Arkfront

No in-app purchases

None

Rusty Sword

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Arkfront free?
Arkfront costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rusty Sword free?
Rusty Sword costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Arkfront or Rusty Sword?
Rusty Sword is rated higher. Arkfront averages 4.1 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Rusty Sword averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.
Do Arkfront or Rusty Sword have ads?
Neither Arkfront nor Rusty Sword shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Arkfront or Rusty Sword?
Arkfront ships an update monthly, and Rusty Sword every 2 months. Most recently, Arkfront was updated on November 2, 2026 and Rusty Sword on November 3, 2026.

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