# Space Impact Watch vs ArcEmu

The clearest difference is price: ArcEmu at Free against Space Impact Watch's $0.99. ArcEmu also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 15 months). Space Impact Watch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

ArcEmu is free to download; Space Impact Watch costs $0.99 up front. ArcEmu sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Space Impact Watch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ArcEmu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcEmu has 1.3K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Space Impact Watch's written reviews are positive against 95% of ArcEmu's.

Space Impact Watch ships an update every 15 months, ArcEmu every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Space Impact Watch | ArcEmu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-impact-watch/id1550604563/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 73.7% of reviews | **94.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 11 MB | 234 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Small Water s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1188809867) | [Raffaele D'Amato](https://appshunter.io/developer/529947655) |

## What reviewers say

### Space Impact Watch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-impact-watch/id1550604563)

Relive classic retro arcade shooter memories on your wrist. This game offers eight classic levels with bosses, sharp graphics, and adjustable controls. Compete on a worldwide leaderboard and enjoy an infinite mode for endless alien-blasting action.

**Highlights:** Eight classic levels with bosses, Crispy sharp retro graphics, Adjustable gesture and Digital Crown controls, Three special weapons, Worldwide leaderboard, Infinite mode

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**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, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All (Upgrade 4) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Game Boy Advance | $0.99 | one-time |
| SNES | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pokémon Mini | $0.99 | one-time |
| Atari 2600 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mega Drive / Genesis | $0.99 | one-time |
| Game Gear | $0.99 | one-time |
| Master System | $0.99 | one-time |
| SG-1000 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All (Upgrade 3) | $1.99 | one-time |

**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 Space Impact Watch free?

Space Impact Watch costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ArcEmu free?

ArcEmu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Space Impact Watch or ArcEmu?

ArcEmu is rated higher. Space Impact Watch averages 4.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while ArcEmu averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do Space Impact Watch or ArcEmu have ads?

Neither Space Impact Watch nor ArcEmu shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Space Impact Watch or ArcEmu?

Space Impact Watch ships an update every 15 months, and ArcEmu every 2 weeks. Most recently, Space Impact Watch was updated on October 30, 2026 and ArcEmu on October 30, 2026.

---

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