Comparison

Area 52 Escape vs RetroBoy

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

Head to head
About

Area 52 Escape

Experience a retro first-person shooter inspired by classic FPS games. Battle aliens with a variety of weapons and power-ups in a humorous, fast-paced adventure. Explore new levels and content through free updates.

Highlights
  • Retro first-person shooter gameplay
  • Fast-paced action
  • Multiple alien enemies
  • Arsenal of weapons
  • Unique power-ups
  • Chapter-based levels with secret areas
  • Free updates with new content
Features
Read full description

Retro first person shooter! This app is based on the original Wolf3D code by the godfather of FPS John Carmack (id). If you long for a game that brings that retro feel, this is it. Originally published in 2009 which was derived from the game that started the FPS genre Wolfentein 3D. This was based on a pet project to bring it to the iphone. Our team had lovingly created all new art, animations, levels, weapons, sounds while painstakingly keeping with the original style and capabilities. If you're looking for a game that brings the classic retro feel, this is it! Backstory: Area 52 is a humorous first person shooter (FPS) in a classic retro graphic style and feel that runs FAST and SMOOTH. You are a janitor at a super secret government research facility and something has gone very wrong! Aliens are running rampant throughout the facility - can you stop them before it's too late? Make BJ proud and kick some alien butt! Start off with just your Mop and save the world! Area 52 Game features: -Fast paced first person action! -Intuitive and fluid controls so you can focus on the FUN! -Multiple alien enemies each with their own personalities! -An arsenal of weapons to find including your trusty janitor mop! -Unique experimental and alien artifact power-ups! Chapter 1 - A ten (10) level adventure into Area 52! - 8 Challenging primary levels to kick alien butt! - 1 Super Secret Level to seek out for the ultimate rewards! - 1 Big Boss Level to put you to the test with an Alien Boss! - More bosses, weapons, and aliens released in free updates - Future chapters will include new levels and other additional content Join the GameMonger community at www.GameMonger.com - Discuss and contribute ideas to future updates - Enter contests to win a place in our games and gaming history! Check out more games at www.GameMonger.com

About

RetroBoy

A retro action platformer where a single tap shifts the game between modern HD and 8-bit pixel art. This mechanic alters visuals, music, physics, and gameplay, revealing hidden paths and power-ups. Master both realities to uncover the game's secrets.

Highlights
  • World-flipping mechanic (HD/8-bit)
  • 6 handcrafted levels
  • 5 boss battles
  • Hidden rooms and collectibles
  • 3 unlockable weapons
  • 28 player upgrades
  • Multiple difficulty modes
Features
Read full description

Put on the shades. See the truth. RetroBoy is a handcrafted retro action platformer where a single tap flips the entire world between modern HD and raw 8-bit reality — changing the art, music, physics, abilities, and even the paths you can take. Nemo's world is a lie. His shades reveal the 8-bit code hidden underneath — and inside the code, he becomes more powerful. Run faster, jump higher, double-jump, and ride walls. But Nemo can only stay in the 8-bit world while his energy lasts. When the bar empties, reality snaps back to HD. Grab energy pickups to recharge, then switch at exactly the right moment — platforms, doors, enemies, and entire secret rooms can exist in one reality but not the other. Master both worlds to uncover the truth. FEATURES • Two realities, one tap — transform every level between modern HD visuals with full 3D character models and chunky 8-bit pixel art • 6 handcrafted levels — explore server rooms, neon rooftops, a towering corporate HQ, the corrupted Glitch Zone, the Architect's core, and a final trip to the other side • 5 boss battles and a boss-rush finale — with skippable intro cinematics • Secrets everywhere — 12 hidden rooms behind mode-exclusive doors, 27 data fragments, and 12 elusive pigeons • 3 weapons to master — fists, an energy blaster, and a laser sword • 28 upgrades earned through play — spend the chips you collect on new powers, all the way up to the Mech Suit • Built for replayability — 18 stars to earn, Normal / Hard / Brutal difficulty, and New Game+ prestige runs • A synchronized dual soundtrack — every track has an HD and a chiptune version that swap seamlessly with the world MADE FOR MOBILE • 3 touch layouts — reposition and resize every button to suit your style • Full game-controller support — touch controls tuck away automatically • Play the whole game offline — ideal for flights and commutes • Colorblind modes, haptic feedback, adjustable text size and screen shake • No ads, no in-app purchases, no account required The truth is waiting. Put on the shades.

Screenshots

Area 52 Escape4 screens
RetroBoy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Area 52 Escape at Free against RetroBoy's $2.99. Area 52 Escape also leads on ratings volume (30 vs 2) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). RetroBoy's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.9) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Area 52 Escape is free to download; RetroBoy costs $2.99 up front. Area 52 Escape sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. RetroBoy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RetroBoy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Area 52 Escape has 30 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Area 52 Escape's written reviews are positive against 100% of RetroBoy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Area 52 Escape ships an update monthly, RetroBoy fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Area 52 Escape versus RetroBoy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArea 52 EscapeRetroBoy
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating3.9 (30 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings30 — better2
Update frequencyMonthlyFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB750 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperGameMonger LLCPeter Hodges

Customer experience

Area 52 Escape

All ratings30 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral12.5%
Negative20.8%

RetroBoy

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Area 52 Escape

One-time1
  • RemoveAds$1.99
None

RetroBoy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Area 52 Escape free?
Area 52 Escape is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RetroBoy free?
RetroBoy costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Area 52 Escape or RetroBoy?
RetroBoy is rated higher. Area 52 Escape averages 3.9 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while RetroBoy averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Area 52 Escape or RetroBoy have ads?
Neither Area 52 Escape nor RetroBoy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Area 52 Escape or RetroBoy?
Area 52 Escape ships an update monthly, and RetroBoy fortnightly. Most recently, Area 52 Escape was updated on October 15, 2026 and RetroBoy on October 12, 2026.

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