Comparison

Mars vs Blue Box Simulator

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

Head to head
About

Mars

Engage in a scientific simulation of establishing a Mars colony. Manage a small group of settlers, research technologies, and build a thriving settlement from a single module. Compete with other human-controlled colonies for success on the Red Planet.

Highlights
  • Scientific Mars settlement simulation
  • Research and development of technologies
  • Exploration of the Red Planet
  • Building and managing specialized structures
  • Managing settler types and life cycles
  • 3D view of settlement and Mars surface
  • Offline playability
Features
Read full description

Settle on MARS in a mixture of game and scientific simulation. Take control over a tiny group of 10 settlers and choose a landing site on the barren Mars. Develop your venture from one single landing module into a thriving settlement with hundreds of specialized buildings and even more inhabitants. Research & development of new technologies as well as exploration of the Red Planet are key for establishing a permanent presence in this hostile environment. And you are not alone. Other settlements, each one controlled by a real human somewhere on Earth, are starting to grow everywhere and a competition for being the most successful Mars colony has already begun. Features: - Scientific orientated building & simulation of a Mars settlement - Background story in 6 phases with according phase goals - Mars simulation in 30x real time (even running when app is not active) - Choosing one of 7 Earth organizations providing (dis-)advantages - Research & development of 152 individual technologies - Construction, maintenance & repair of 51 individual building - 35 individual building enhancements (no level 1,2,3...) - Sending Mars exploration teams and analyzing found soil samples - Production & dispatching of 23 different resource/module types - Assignment of 5 settler types to all activities in the settlement - Settler life cycle including children and elders - 3D view of own settlement in authentic Mars topography - Panning & zooming of the Mars surface in high resolution 3D - 100% usable without Internet connection - Optional online: ranking list & other settlements on Mars surface - Unlocking of advanced app functionalities step by step - Tutorial explaining all app functionalities - Contains some Ads but only after 15 Minutes of game and very decent - Contains In-App-Purchases but NO PAY TO WIN! - This is a peaceful app! NO FIGHTING, NO KILLING, NO WAR!

About

Blue Box Simulator

Embark on interstellar journeys with a virtual time and space machine. Explore planets, engage in manual flight with warp capabilities, or utilize autopilot for guided expeditions. Experience time travel through a vortex for ultimate exploration.

Highlights
  • Time and space travel simulation
  • Manual flight with warp capabilities
  • Autopilot for guided navigation
  • Time vortex travel
  • Planet exploration
  • Superluminal speed travel
Read full description

Step into the incredible world of time and space travel with Blue Box Simulator, your very own Time and Space Machine on your phone! Explore the universe and travel to any planet you desire at superluminal speeds. With easy-to-use controls, simply tap the screen to access the console and begin your adventure. Experience manual flight like never before! Set the Handbrake mode to FLIGHT, pull it up to prevent unwanted braking, then lower the Space Throttle to around 50%. Set its mode to WARP to exponentially increase its power, allowing you to fly around planets and explore the vast expanse of space. Prefer a guided journey? Simply tap on a planet icon or enter coordinates in the menu, set the Autopilot to ON, and your ship will automatically navigate to your chosen destination! Adjust your cruise speed with the Space Throttle. Feeling adventurous? Dematerialize and travel through the Time Vortex! Set the Handbrake mode to VORTEX, pull the Space Throttle all the way down, and once inside the vortex, select a new destination. Then, pull up the Space Throttle to materialize in your new location! We're always looking to improve Blue Box Simulator, so show your support by joining our Patreon or leaving a review with your suggestions for our next exciting update! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Mars4 screens
Blue Box Simulator3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Blue Box Simulator at 4.5 against Mars's 4.1. Blue Box Simulator also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (79% vs 66%). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Mars sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Blue Box Simulator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Blue Box Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 108 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Mars's written reviews are positive against 79% of Blue Box Simulator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mars ships an update every 2 months, Blue Box Simulator every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Mars versus Blue Box Simulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarsBlue Box Simulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (26 ratings)4.5 (108 ratings) — better
Positive reviews65.6% of reviews79.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings26108 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2.6 GB2.4 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStefan NyulJesus Garces Villarrubia

Customer experience

Mars

All ratings26 ratings
Positive69.2%
Neutral15.4%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews32 reviews
Positive65.6%
Neutral9.4%
Negative25.0%

Blue Box Simulator

All ratings108 ratings
Positive88.0%
Neutral5.6%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews197 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral8.6%
Negative12.2%

Bugs and requests

Mars

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Blue Box Simulator

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashing when trying to land on planets
  • Chameleon circuit issues causing problems
  • Google Maps API unavailability
  • Controls and navigation not always intuitive

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add 13th, 14th, and 15th Doctor's TARDIS interiors
  • Implement more rooms and areas to explore within the TARDIS
  • Introduce quests, companions, and other Doctor Who elements
  • Optimize performance and stability across devices

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Mars

One-time3
  • Logistics contract$0.99
  • MAA Gold Membership$1.99
  • Sponsors contract$2.99
3 purchases

Blue Box Simulator

Subscriptions1
  • Access to the 3D Earth$0.991 Month
One-time2
  • Cup of tea$0.99
  • Unlock All The Extra Content$3.99

Questions

Is Mars free?
Mars is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Blue Box Simulator free?
Blue Box Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mars or Blue Box Simulator?
Blue Box Simulator is rated higher. Mars averages 4.1 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Blue Box Simulator averages 4.5 from 108 ratings.
Do Mars or Blue Box Simulator have ads?
Both Mars and Blue Box Simulator show ads.
Which is updated more often, Mars or Blue Box Simulator?
Mars ships an update every 2 months, and Blue Box Simulator every 2 weeks. Most recently, Mars was updated on October 5, 2026 and Blue Box Simulator on October 15, 2026.

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