# SPACE INVADERS vs Defender 1

The clearest difference is rating: SPACE INVADERS at 4.1 against Defender 1's 3.5. SPACE INVADERS also leads on update cadence (every 5 months vs every 38 months) and review sentiment (59% vs 31%). Defender 1's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $4.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and chart position there is nothing between them.

SPACE INVADERS costs $4.99 and Defender 1 $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SPACE INVADERS holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SPACE INVADERS has 82 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of SPACE INVADERS's written reviews are positive against 31% of Defender 1's.

SPACE INVADERS ships an update every 5 months, Defender 1 every 38 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SPACE INVADERS | Defender 1 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | **[4.1 (82 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-invaders/id305608072/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/defender-1/id1038282445/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **82** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **58.8% of reviews** | 31.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 38 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#189** | #198 |
| Size | 93 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TAITO Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/305608085) | [APD Consulting, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/506064473) |

## What reviewers say

### SPACE INVADERS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/space-invaders/id305608072)

**Currently charting:** #189 Top Paid · Casual (US App Store)

Defend Earth from alien invaders in this classic arcade shooter. Relive the iconic gameplay with faithful recreations of original features, optimized controls, and multiple screen modes.

**Highlights:** Defend Earth from alien waves, Faithful recreation of original features, Optimized touch, on-screen, and tilt controls, Four screen modes, Bonus development material

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Faithful recreation of the original
- 👍 Variety of control options
- 👍 Authentic sounds and visuals
- 👍 Nostalgic experience
- 👍 Good value for classic game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unresponsive controls
- 🔍 Small gameplay screen
- 💰 Overpriced for a classic game
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Firing sound cuts out
- Game freezes and crashes
- Controls stop working after updates

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode
- Leaderboards and achievements
- More game modes and content updates
- Improved controls and sensitivity


### Defender 1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/defender-1/id1038282445)

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Paid · Casual (US App Store)

Relive a classic arcade experience by defending astronauts from alien abduction and destroying enemy ships. Be careful not to harm the astronauts, as their safety is crucial to preventing planetary destruction and mutant alien transformations.

**Highlights:** Defend astronauts from aliens, Obliterate enemy spaceships, Avoid friendly fire, Prevent planetary explosion, Mutant alien transformations

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Faithful recreation of original game
- 🤩 Nostalgic experience
- 💰 Good value for price
- ✨ Good graphics
- 🕹️ Joystick option available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Awful, unresponsive controls
- 🐌 Very slow gameplay
- 💥 Frequent crashes
- 🔇 No sound or intermittent sound
- 🕹️ Poorly spaced controls

**Reported bugs**

- No sound on iPad
- No sound on iPhone
- Intermittent sound
- App crashes often
- Enemies don't move

**Requested features**

- Update to fix sound issues
- Update to fix crashing
- Enable game controller support
- Improve control responsiveness
- Adjust control spacing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SPACE INVADERS free?

SPACE INVADERS costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Defender 1 free?

Defender 1 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SPACE INVADERS or Defender 1?

SPACE INVADERS is rated higher. SPACE INVADERS averages 4.1 out of 5 from 82 ratings, while Defender 1 averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do SPACE INVADERS or Defender 1 have ads?

Neither SPACE INVADERS nor Defender 1 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SPACE INVADERS or Defender 1?

SPACE INVADERS ships an update every 5 months, and Defender 1 every 38 months. Most recently, SPACE INVADERS was updated on October 14, 2026 and Defender 1 on October 12, 2026.

### Which is more popular, SPACE INVADERS or Defender 1?

SPACE INVADERS currently peaks at #189 in the App Store charts, and Defender 1 at #198. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*