Comparison

Space Out vs DAX HQ

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

Head to head
About

Space Out

Experience a retro arcade game that combines classic space shooter and brick-breaking mechanics. Enjoy authentic 8-bit sound effects and speech synthesis for an immersive blast from the past.

Highlights
  • Space shooter gameplay
  • Brick breaking mechanics
  • Retro arcade feel
  • 8-bit sound effects
  • Speech synthesis
  • Digital Crown control
Features
Read full description

"Very cool 8^) - Fun old style arcade for us old arcade fans!" - Drewx67 "Great game - Awesome." - Goodluck74 "Nice retro watch game - Still loving this app. Fun to play on the watch while waiting in line or out and about. Quick hit gaming with fun retro feel. They keep on updating app too to make sure it works on OS updates. Thanks! Great retro game for the watch. It's like space invaders & block out combined! Works really well on the Apple watch. Uses new API's from watchOS 3. Nice scrolling with the crown and even uses the watch speaker for the great retro sounds. Love it! Next gen of watch games is here!" - peteostro "Excellent-- an iOS Classic! - I bought this game when the first version came out on iOS 2. It's been nearly 10 years and I still play it! I am so glad the developer keeps it updated. My favorite thing about it is the Commodore 64 SID sound effects and the speech synthesis-- this game would not look out of place in an early 80s arcade. The watchOS version plays very well on top of that! The Digital Crown makes moving the paddle a dream. Would definitely recommend this app to any retro game fan." - cyelvington "Gamers ... will likely find Space Invaders to be overly simplistic and outdone by most of its clones in the App Store such as Space Out." - http://toucharcade.com "I took a look at about 40 [games], I decided which ones lived up to the hype and which ones didn’t. One of my favorites was the game called Space Out." - Jamin Brophy-Warren, Wall Street Journal Online "Arkanoid + Space Invaders with the gorf voice thrown in for good measure! Sold." - GreatLakesDrifta Space Out is the original mashup, a tribute to old school arcade games; it truly delivers that early arcade feel. It combines 2 classic game concepts, shooting invaders and brick breaking, into a unique and exciting retro experience. It's a blast back to the late '70s. Complete with all new 8-bit sound effects created with a MOS 6581 SID chip from the Commodore 64 and speech generated with 8kHz 8-bit allophones. (Any control issues were fixed years ago.)

About

DAX HQ

Engage in a fast-paced neon arcade game requiring sharp reflexes to defend a core against incoming plasma. Master different difficulty levels, unlock cosmetic items, and compete on leaderboards. Offers various control options and accessibility features for an enhanced experience.

Highlights
  • Fast touch arcade defense
  • Plasma deflects and saber parries
  • Boss rounds with guard breaks
  • Multiple difficulty presets
  • Training modes
  • Unlockable cosmetic items
  • Multiple control options
Features
Read full description

DAX HQ is a fast neon arcade game for quick runs, sharp reflexes, and one more try. Swipe to guide an energy saber and defend the core. Deflect plasma, parry enemy arcs, crack boss guards, and strike exposed weak points. Read the arena, time your movement, and keep the run alive. A CAMPAIGN BUILT TO CLIMB Take on 12 stages across Orbital Foundry, Solar Drift, and Void Crown. Learn the basics, face new attack patterns and mines, and challenge each chapter boss. Checkpoints at the start of chapters two and three let you return to the campaign with a fresh score. TURN DEFENSE INTO A COMEBACK Sweep up repair relays, build your combo, and charge Overdrive. Deliberate outward swipes counter directional attacks, while shield recovery gives you another chance at the next stage. YOUR NEXT RUN IS ALWAYS READY Chase an endless high score, take on Daily Challenge goals, or practice in the no-fail Training Room. Choose Junior, Arcade, or Master difficulty. Unlock saber trails, collect boss cards, earn ranks, and track local achievements. Optional Game Center leaderboards and achievements add another reason to return. PLAY YOUR WAY Use touch, pointer, arrow keys, or W A S D. Optional touch assist helps on phones. Calm Mode reduces shake, flashes, and particles, and the game respects reduced-motion preferences. Independent sound and music controls, adaptive chapter music, and optional haptics on supported iPhones let you tune the experience. - 12-stage campaign across three distinct chapters - Chapter bosses, checkpoints, repair relays, and Overdrive - Endless runs, Daily Challenge, and playable training - Junior, Arcade, and Master difficulty - Local progress, achievements, trails, and boss cards - Optional Game Center leaderboards and achievements - Core gameplay works offline - No ads or in-app purchases - No in-app account required Made as a small family arcade project.

Screenshots

Space Out4 screens
DAX HQ3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: DAX HQ at Free against Space Out's $0.99. DAX HQ also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (100% vs 77%). Space Out's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.6 vs 15.0). On update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

DAX HQ is free to download; Space Out costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DAX HQ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Space Out has 16 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Space Out's written reviews are positive against 100% of DAX HQ's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Space Out ships an update every 2 months, DAX HQ monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Space Out versus DAX HQ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpace OutDAX HQ
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (16 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews77.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings16 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.6 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB20 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperDanny BlissNeil Williams

Customer experience

Space Out

All ratings16 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral18.8%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews84 reviews
Positive77.4%
Neutral10.7%
Negative11.9%

DAX HQ

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Space Out

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Crashes on Apple Watch Series 4
  • Game plays 2x faster after pausing on iPhone X
  • Unplayable on iPhone X
  • App freezes on iPad after update
  • Stopped opening day after purchase
Show 5 more
  • Freezing paddle issue
  • Screen gets sticky, missed moves
  • Paddle gets stuck, doesn't move
  • Crash problem, also affecting email
  • Paddle sometimes freezes for seconds

Requested features

8 requests
  • High score list (not just highest)
  • Online daily/weekly/all-time high score lists
  • Separate iPhone and Watch lists
  • Settings for shooting on/off
  • Volume control
Show 3 more
  • Tilt control option
  • Pause game when not touching screen
  • Describe power-ups in-game

DAX HQ

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Space Out

No in-app purchases

None

DAX HQ

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Space Out free?
Space Out costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is DAX HQ free?
DAX HQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Space Out or DAX HQ?
DAX HQ is rated higher. Space Out averages 4.3 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while DAX HQ averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Space Out or DAX HQ have ads?
Neither Space Out nor DAX HQ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Space Out or DAX HQ?
Space Out ships an update every 2 months, and DAX HQ monthly. Most recently, Space Out was updated on October 22, 2026 and DAX HQ on October 8, 2026.

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