Orbital vs RetroQix
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Orbital
Score points by destroying orbs in this addictive puzzle game. With simple one-thumb controls and beautiful visual effects, it's perfect for short play sessions. Compete with friends and aim for the top of the leaderboards.
- One-thumb gameplay
- Score points by destroying orbs
- Beautiful visual effects
- Single & Two player modes
- 3 game modes (Gravity, Pure, Supernova)
- Online leaderboards
- Facebook integration
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Get the Game of the Year** now! ORBITAL is a 1-thumb experience with a simple goal: score points by destroying orbs. A simple puzzle game for all with beautiful visual effects, it can be played in short sessions and is highly addictive. HOW FAR CAN YOU GO? ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Awards and Prizes: **Game of the Year denki.co.uk *Winner DiscoveryBeats Apps Contest *Silver Award pocketGamer.co.uk ----------------------------------------- VIDEO TRAILER 1) www.tinyurl.com/orbitaliphone ----------------------------------------- AWARDS TOP RATED - jayisgames.com SILVER AWARD - pocketgamer.co.uk ----------------------------------------- WHAT THE CRITICS SAY «ORBITAL is a game of skill, it's a game of strategy, it's a game of reflexes, and it's a game you will keep front and center of your iPhone for weeks on end.» - John Bardinelli (jayisgames.com) «A picnic to understand, but a marathon to get beyond the first few minutes, Orbital's simple style is perfect for those looking for fill the odd spare moment.» 8/10 - Keith Andrew (pocketgamer.co.uk) «Orbital is the most visually appealing brick breaker type game that I have ever laid eyes on and had the chance to play.» 5/5 - Mike (iphoneincanada.ca) «While there are already a few iPhone games that share the same gameplay mechanics as Orbital, none of them look anywhere near as cool.» - Eli Hodapp (toucharcade.com) «BitForge has managed to combine the addictive gameplay of Peggle and the beauty of Geometry Wars, two digital forms of crack, into one easy to use package.» - Chad George (thatvideogameblog.com) «Orbital takes simple gameplay and dresses it up with a unique “gravity” feature and enhanced graphics. The game can be very frustrating at times, but that won’t keep you from coming back for another try.» 4/5 - Will Raskin (148apps.com) «Orbital has got fantastic graphics and unfussy features. Come to think of it, there are really no negative points about the game. Good going, Bitforge!» 5/5 - Yoyo (iphonefootprint.com) ----------------------------------------- GAMEPLAY You must shoot orbs into a grid with your cannon. The orb you fired will expand until it touches a wall or another orb. Each orb contains the number ‘3’, which decreases by one every time it is hit. After 3 hits they explode and you earn a point. The game could be endless… There is just one condition: a shot orb must not touch the death line above the cannon! If it does, the game is over. A simple concept to rack your brains and nerves. ----------------------------------------- FEATURES - Single & Two player mode - 3 game modes: Gravity, Pure & Supernova - Beautiful particle effects - All-time & 24 Hours online Leader board - Facebook connection: Compare with your friends on Facebook ----------------------------------------- ORBITAL is based on Gimme Friction Baby by Wouter Visser.
RetroQix
Reclaim the neon grid by drawing lines to capture territory and trap bouncing enemies. Utilize power-ups like slow motion and shields to survive increasingly challenging levels. Compete for high scores with smooth, retro-inspired gameplay.
- Reclaim grid territory
- Trap bouncing enemies
- Unlock power-ups
- Smooth 120Hz gameplay
- Retro neon aesthetic
- Procedurally generated levels
- Local leaderboards
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RETROQIX: Territory Conquest Rediscover the golden age of arcades with a modern, high-speed twist! RETROQIX challenges you to reclaim the grid from chaotic bouncing enemies. Swipe to draw lines, cut off territory, and fill the screen with vibrant neon light. But be careful—if an enemy hits your trail while you're drawing, it's Game Over! CONQUER THE GRID Your goal is simple: capture at least 80% of the game area. Use strategy and speed to trap enemies in small pockets or slice huge chunks of the field at once for massive bonus points. POWER-UP YOUR PLAY Unlock game-changing abilities to turn the tide: Slow Motion: Matrix-style bullet time to dodge impossible attacks. Freeze: Stop enemies cold in their tracks. Shield: momentary invincibility to make risky cuts. Blaster: Fight back! Shoot down enemies to clear the path. Extra Life: Now guaranteed on milestone levels to keep your run alive! FEATURES Butter-Smooth Gameplay: Optimized for 120Hz ProMotion displays. Experience zero-lag precision even on the latest iPhones. Retro aesthetic: Stunning neon visuals, scanline CRT effects, and a synthwave atmosphere. Endless Challenge: Procedurally generated levels that get harder as you progress. High Score Chase: Local leaderboards to track your best runs. Haptic Feedback: Feel every cut and collision. Are you fast enough to conquer the RetroQix grid? Download now and start slicing!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: RetroQix at Free against Orbital's $4.99. RetroQix also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). Orbital's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (42 vs 2). On ads 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
RetroQix is free to download; Orbital costs $4.99 up front. RetroQix sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Orbital asks for nothing beyond the download.
RetroQix holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Orbital has 42 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Orbital's written reviews are positive against 100% of RetroQix's.
Orbital ships an update every 2 months, RetroQix every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | Orbital | RetroQix |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (42 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 86.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 42 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 23 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bitforge | Juan Manuel Bravo |
Customer experience
Orbital
RetroQix
Bugs and requests
Orbital
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashes on iOS 13+
- Leaderboards not working
- Inconsistent physics on newer devices
Requested features
7 requests- Undo feature
- New game modes
- Power-ups
- Online multiplayer
- PC/Mac version
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- Original music option
- Customizable controls
RetroQix
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Orbital
No in-app purchases
RetroQix
- Continue Pack (3x)$0.99
- Premium Power-Ups$1.99
- Premium Pack$3.99









