# Tubesnake vs ArcEmu

The clearest difference is monetization model: ArcEmu at free against Tubesnake's paid. ArcEmu also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 15) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). Tubesnake's advantage is chart position (#121 vs unranked) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Tubesnake costs $1.99 and ArcEmu $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ArcEmu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcEmu has 1.3K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Tubesnake's written reviews are positive against 95% of ArcEmu's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Tubesnake ships an update weekly, ArcEmu every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tubesnake | ArcEmu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tubesnake/id1484342417/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 94.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#121** | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.1** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hesselbom Tech AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1119655397) | [Raffaele D'Amato](https://appshunter.io/developer/529947655) |

## What reviewers say

### Tubesnake

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tubesnake/id1484342417)

**Currently charting:** #121 Top Paid · Racing (US App Store)

Guide a pixel character through a map using your watch's crown. Compete with friends to achieve high scores in this addictive game designed for Apple Watch and iPhone.

**Highlights:** Watch crown control, Pixel character navigation, High score tracking, Multi-device support (Apple Watch & iPhone), Addictive gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### ArcEmu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733)

Experience retro gaming on your Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad. This emulator supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. Enjoy features like multiplayer, cheats, and customizable controls.

**Highlights:** Game Boy, GBC, GBA emulation, Multiplayer support, Cheat codes, Customizable on-screen controls, Save State sharing, iCloud support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fully functional
- 🚀 Impressive emulation on Apple Watch
- 👍 Great emulator for both phone and watch
- 👍 Seamless save state transfer between devices
- 👍 Customizable controls and layout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with some games
- 🐛 Audio quality problems on certain games
- 👎 Limited functionality on Apple Watch
- 👎 Difficult controls for action-heavy games on watch

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes
- Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
- Save data not transferring properly between devices

**Requested features**

- Add cheat/GameShark support
- Improve volume controls
- Implement fast forward/slow motion options
- Allow multiple save slots per game
- Improve Game Boy Color support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tubesnake free?

Tubesnake costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ArcEmu free?

ArcEmu costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Tubesnake or ArcEmu?

ArcEmu is rated higher. Tubesnake averages 4.6 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while ArcEmu averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Tubesnake or ArcEmu have ads?

Neither Tubesnake nor ArcEmu shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tubesnake or ArcEmu?

Tubesnake ships an update weekly, and ArcEmu every 2 weeks. Most recently, Tubesnake was updated on October 10, 2026 and ArcEmu on October 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*