a vs Love2D Game Maker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
a
Run a full Unix-like terminal environment on your iOS device. Execute a wide range of commands, edit files, and even program using included interpreters and compilers. Supports multitasking and integration with Shortcuts.
- Local Unix terminal emulator
- SSH client
- File transfer (scp, curl)
- Text editing (vim, ed)
- Scripting languages (Python, Lua, Perl, JS)
- C/C++ compiler
- TeX distribution
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a-Shell is a complete local terminal emulator, allowing to run most Unix commands on your iOS device. You can transfer files using scp and curl, edit them with vim and ed, process them using grep, awk and sed. You can work with git repositories using lg2. Most commands are compiled for iOS native Arm64 format, making them fast and well integrated with the BSD Unix that powers iOS/iPadOS. a-Shell includes Python, Lua, Perl, JavaScript, C, C++ for programming and TeX (texlive 2025, with Tikz and LuaTeX) for text processing. There are also multiple network utilities: nslookup, ping, whois, ifconfig... Type help for help, help -l to get the full list of commands. a-Shell can be controlled from Shortcuts: run commands in order, process files in a-Shell, get the results as text or files, transfer files to other apps... a-shell uses iOS 13+ “multiple windows” ability, so you can run multiple shells at the same time, with different commands, in different directories. You can edit a file in one window with vim and process it in the other with python. Compile your C or C++ programs to webAssembly using clang or clang++, and execute the resulting binary. A complete webAssembly SDK is included (WASI-libc). a-Shell is the complete version. If you need a smaller app, and you don't need a C compiler, a TeX engine, or numpy and matplotlib, there is a-Shell mini.
Love2D Game Maker
Create 2D games on your mobile device using the Love2D framework. Features a powerful code editor, virtual joystick, and asset management. Learn from open-source games and share your creations.
- Love2D framework integration
- Advanced Lua code editor
- Virtual joystick support
- Asset management and import
- Cross-platform export
- Learning resources with open-source games
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Unleash your creativity and dive into the world of game development with Love2D Game Maker – the ultimate app for creating 2D games on iOS! Love2D Game Maker harnesses the power of Love2D, a popular game development framework, to bring you an intuitive and versatile game creation experience right on your phone or pad. ***Difference between this app with Love2D Studio, and the official app (currently unavailable on App Store and other store)?*** Love2D Game Maker integrates a modified version of the Love2D framework to support windowed mode on both iOS and other mobile platforms. ◉The official Love2D for iOS and other mobile platform only supports fullscreen mode. When running Love2D games designed for Mac, PC, Linux, Steam Deck, Switch, or other game consoles, they are typically optimized for resolutions like 1440x900, 1024x768, or 800x600—standard desktop monitor sizes. These resolutions are not mobile-friendly. On mobile devices, the game graphics are scaled to match the screen size, often distorting the aspect ratio. To address this, I modified the Love2D framework to support any resolution while preserving the aspect ratio. For instance, if your game is designed to run at 1920x1080, Love2D Game Maker creates a window with that resolution, scales it to fit the mobile screen, and ensures the aspect ratio is maintained. Additionally, it supports dragging the game window (like on Mac, PC, or Linux) and landscape mode to maximize the use of the mobile screen. ◉ Virtual Joystick(Gamepad) ◉ Powerful Code Editor: Love2D Game Maker includes an advanced code editor, allowing you to write or modify the Lua source code for your games. ◉ Learning Resources: Love2D Game Maker provides access to many open-source games, making it an excellent resource for learning and experimentation. Key Features: Love2D Framework: Built on the Love2D framework, Love2D Game Maker offers a familiar and robust environment for developing 2D games. Take advantage of Love2D's extensive features and libraries to bring your game ideas to life. Feature-Rich Editor: Explore a feature-rich editor designed to streamline your game development process. From creating sprites and animations to scripting game mechanics with Lua, Love2D Game Maker provides all the tools you need to build captivating games. Lua Scripting: Dive into Lua scripting to create dynamic and interactive gameplay experiences. With Love2D Game Maker's Lua support, you have full control over your game's behavior and can unleash your creativity without limitations. Asset Management: Import your own assets or choose from a vast library of sprites, animations, sound effects, and more. Customize every aspect of your game's visuals and audio to match your creative vision. Cross-Platform Compatibility: Export your games to multiple platforms, Share your creations with friends or publish them to app stores worldwide with ease. Active Community: Join a thriving community of Love2D enthusiasts, share your projects, and collaborate with fellow developers. Get inspired by exploring projects created by others and receive valuable feedback on your own creations. Comprehensive Documentation: Access comprehensive documentation and resources to guide you through every step of the game development process. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, Love2D Game Maker has you covered. Regular Updates: We're dedicated to enhancing Love2D Game Maker based on your feedback and suggestions. Expect regular updates with new features, optimizations, and improvements to enhance your game development experience. Contact Us: Have questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you! Contact our support team! Website: https://www.iamadman.com Email: amadman380743909@gmail.com Twitter: @andy38074 Reddit: u/iamadmancom Ready to turn your game ideas into reality? Download Love2D Game Maker now and start creating your masterpiece today!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: a at Free against Love2D Game Maker's $12.99. a also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (78% vs 50%). On update cadence, ads, monetization model 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
a is free to download; Love2D Game Maker costs $12.99 up front. Love2D Game Maker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. a asks for nothing beyond the download.
a holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: a has 553 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of a's written reviews are positive against 50% of Love2D Game Maker's.
a ships an update monthly, Love2D Game Maker every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | a | Love2D Game Maker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $12.99 |
| Rating | 4.6 (553 ratings) — better | 4.3 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 553 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #21 — better | #176 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.9 GB | 140 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nicolas Holzschuch | 盼军 崔 |
Customer experience
a
Love2D Game Maker
Bugs and requests
a
Reported bugs
3 issues- Toolbar buttons not accessible in portrait mode on some devices
- Pasting from clipboard can insert unexpected characters
- Sourcing certain script files causes crashes
Requested features
5 requests- Add support for package managers like Homebrew or APT
- Implement more advanced shell features like job control and better tab completion
- Integrate Git for version control
- Allow installing additional packages and libraries
- Improve clipboard and file management integration
Love2D Game Maker
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
a
No in-app purchases
Love2D Game Maker
- Buy me a coffee$2.99









