# Wavecade vs Elderand

The clearest difference is price: Wavecade at Free against Elderand's $6.99. Elderand's advantage is review sentiment (74% vs 30%) and rating (4.2 vs 3.7). On ratings volume, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Wavecade is free to download; Elderand costs $6.99 up front. Wavecade sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Elderand asks for nothing beyond the download.

Elderand holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70 and 36 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Wavecade's written reviews are positive against 74% of Elderand's.

Wavecade ships an update fortnightly, Elderand weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Wavecade | Elderand |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $6.99 |
| Rating | [3.7 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavecade/id1661057707/reviews) | **[4.2 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elderand/id6446288146/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **70** | 36 |
| Positive reviews | 29.6% of reviews | **73.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 312 MB | 818 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Spalato](https://appshunter.io/developer/1582912136) | [Plug In Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/608306412) |

## What reviewers say

### Wavecade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavecade/id1661057707)

Experience classic arcade shooter nostalgia with a modern twist. Manipulate time, collect powerups, and utilize unique abilities to overcome challenging waves, hazards, and epic bosses. Customize your ship and compete with friends in various game modes.

**Highlights:** Time manipulation mechanics, Upgradeable powerups, Player abilities for survival, Block shooting and destruction, Hazard avoidance and strategic use, Epic boss battles, Local and online multiplayer, Multiple game modes, Ship and visual customization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100K XP | $0.79 | one-time |
| Double XP | $0.99 | one-time |
| Wavecade - Ships Pack | $1.49 | one-time |
| Wavecade - 500K XP | $1.49 | one-time |
| Wavecade - Propulsions Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Small Brilliants Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Wavecade - 5 Million XP Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Wavecade - Designs Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Medium Brilliants Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Wavecade - Ultimate Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Brilliants Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Mega Brilliants Pack | $59.99 | one-time |


### Elderand

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elderand/id6446288146)

Embark on a brutal, skill-based action platformer in a Lovecraftian world. Wield diverse weapons and customize your character with RPG elements to battle terrifying creatures and explore a dark, hand-drawn pixel environment. Collect loot to upgrade your arsenal and uncover the land's secrets.

**Highlights:** Skill-based combat, Metroidvania exploration, Lovecraftian horror themes, RPG character customization, Diverse weapon arsenal, Hand-drawn pixel art, Loot collection and crafting

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great game overall
- 🗺️ Deep lore and world-building
- 🎵 Amazing music and audio
- ⚔️ Challenging yet approachable combat
- 🎮 Excellent controller support (mostly)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Game crashes frequently
- 🐛 Controls can be buggy and unresponsive
- 🐛 Dash function sometimes not working
- 🐛 Game freezes intermittently
- 🐛 Bosses getting stuck in animations

**Reported bugs**

- Permanent crashes
- Character spawning underneath level
- R button for subweapon not working on Steelseries Nimbus
- Dash function not working
- Game freezing for a moment

**Requested features**

- Full controller remapping for bindings
- Multiplayer PvP 'Invasions' system
- Cloud saves (iCloud)
- Adjustable button layout and size
- Ability to track materials acquired


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Wavecade free?

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

### Is Elderand free?

Elderand costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Wavecade or Elderand?

Elderand is rated higher. Wavecade averages 3.7 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Elderand averages 4.2 from 36 ratings.

### Do Wavecade or Elderand have ads?

Neither Wavecade nor Elderand shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Wavecade or Elderand?

Wavecade ships an update fortnightly, and Elderand weekly. Most recently, Wavecade was updated on October 5, 2026 and Elderand on October 10, 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.*