Comparison

Star Duster vs XGalaga

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

Head to head
About

Star Duster

Experience a retro-inspired arcade challenge that harks back to the 80s. Control your character through unique gameplay mechanics, including physical head movements via push-ups, and enjoy an immersive soundscape. Compete for high scores across two distinct game modes.

Highlights
  • Two distinct game modes
  • High score lists
  • Head control via push-ups (iOS)
  • Retro 80s aesthetic
  • Immersive soundscape
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

***** "A rare Apple Watch game that's actually worth playing" - iMore ***** "A game you’ll return to" - GQ Magazine ***** "Travel back to the 80s" - AppAdvice Star Duster for iPhone and Apple Watch takes handheld games (and you) back to their origins: - Two game modes with different challenges, gameplay and high score lists! - Let's get physical! Get exercise and a new type of challenge by controlling Star Duster with your head through push ups (iOS) - A Beep-boop-ity soundscape that will get stuck on your brain! Star Duster is a prequel to the mobile arcade mayhem that is Star Jolt. Can it explain why the space junk is lined up so neatly?

About

XGalaga

Experience classic arcade space-shooter action with fast gameplay and responsive controls. Test your reflexes against intense enemy waves in a clean retro style, optimized for all Apple devices. Enjoy instant pick-up-and-play fun with quick sessions.

Highlights
  • Classic arcade space shooter gameplay
  • Options for sound, auto-fire, lives, and controller
  • Record high scores and view scoreboard
  • Optimized for Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac
  • Smooth 60 FPS performance
  • Quick sessions for short bursts of play
  • Retro visuals
Features
Read full description

XGalaga brings classic arcade space-shooter action to Apple devices with fast gameplay, responsive controls, and a clean retro style. Inspired by timeless arcade shooters, XGalaga delivers intense waves of enemies, smooth performance, and instant pick-up-and-play fun. Jump straight into the action and test your reflexes as you dodge incoming fire and clear the screen. Features • Classic arcade space shooter gameplay. • Options Menu , Change Sound , Auto Fire , Lives , Controller or Bonuses. • Record high scores , Scoreboard. • Optimised for Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac • Smooth performance and responsive controls 60 FPS. • Quick sessions — perfect for short bursts of play. • Clean retro visuals inspired by old-school arcade games. • No accounts, no logins — just launch and play. Whether you’re playing on your wrist, your phone, or the big screen, XGalaga delivers pure arcade fun with a modern Apple-platform polish.

Screenshots

Star Duster4 screens
XGalaga4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Star Duster at 5.0 against XGalaga's 1.0. Star Duster also leads on chart position (#184 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). XGalaga's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks) and device support (5 vs 3). On ratings volume, 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

Star Duster costs $2.99 and XGalaga $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Star Duster holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Star Duster ships an update every 3 weeks, XGalaga every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Star Duster versus XGalaga: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStar DusterXGalaga
Price$2.99$1.99 — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#184 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS14.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBeardybird ABMichael Wickens

Customer experience

Star Duster

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

XGalaga

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Star Duster

No in-app purchases

None

XGalaga

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Star Duster free?
Star Duster costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is XGalaga free?
XGalaga costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Star Duster or XGalaga?
Star Duster is rated higher. Star Duster averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while XGalaga averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Star Duster or XGalaga have ads?
Neither Star Duster nor XGalaga shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Star Duster or XGalaga?
Star Duster ships an update every 3 weeks, and XGalaga every 5 days. Most recently, Star Duster was updated on November 3, 2026 and XGalaga on November 9, 2026.

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