Efemeris vs Save the Arctic
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Efemeris
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Two fleets face each other across a star map that does not exist yet. You build it, one tile at a time, as you explore. A turn-based board game duel, played solo against the AI or with a friend across phone, tablet and PC. A game lasts about twenty minutes. HOW YOU WIN First to conquer five planets in ten turns takes it. Lose every planet you hold and the game ends there. EVERY TURN, FOUR DECISIONS • Explore — place a tile and open a new stretch of the Celestial Vault • Harvest — collect Star Pepper and Celestial Vanilla from the trading posts you hold • Manoeuvre — move your galleon and frigates, spend your crew cards • Build — buy frigates, raise fortresses, pay a planet's price THREE NATIONS, THREE WAYS TO PLAY The British Royal Navy, the French Royal Navy or the Spanish Armada. Each fields its own captains and its own crew: the Spanish Governor talks a planet's price down, the French Lady of the Night fills your holds, the Gunner opens fire. You pick two captains and five crew members before the first tile is laid. That choice shapes the whole game. NOTHING IS FREE Your holds never exceed five spices. Firing costs a Gunner card. Your captain's ability only triggers if a Chief mate is there to relay the order — and if your galleon falls, your captain goes down with it. SOLO OR TWO PLAYERS • Solo — face an AI that drafts its hand, plays its cards and races you to the fifth planet • Duel — play a friend across Android, iOS and PC HAND-DRAWN CELESTIAL CHARTS Engraved constellations, gilded compass roses and inked portraits: Efemeris is played on an old star atlas that slowly fills with light. A complete game. No ads, no in-app purchases. Available in English and French.
Save the Arctic
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Save the Arctic is a cooperative game about melting ice, limited paths, and careful planning. Together, you help two polar bears find food while a researcher removes trash from the Arctic. Each turn starts with a die roll: either you move a figure across the ice floes or shift entire rows or columns. The board is constantly changing - paths appear, disappear, or suddenly become blocked. But the ice is unstable: after each move, it becomes more fragile, creating gaps that can no longer be crossed. Every turn becomes a small tactical challenge. Your goal: feed both polar bears while collecting all the trash. You can only succeed as a team - or lose together if no valid moves remain. Features: • Original License • Cooperative gameplay - win or lose together • Dice-based turns with two clear actions • Dynamic board with shifting ice floes • Melting ice as a core mechanic • Short, compact play sessions • Supporting Game Center with leaderboard and achievements A simple game with clear rules and a meaningful theme.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Save the Arctic at every 2 weeks against Efemeris's every 8 months. Save the Arctic also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Efemeris costs $3.99 and Save the Arctic $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Efemeris ships an update every 8 months, Save the Arctic every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Efemeris | Save the Arctic |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | $3.99 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 130 MB | 49 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | DTDA Games | Outline Development |
In-app purchases
Efemeris
No in-app purchases
Save the Arctic
No in-app purchases





