Comparison

Orba vs Stardash

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

Head to head
About

Orba

Tap chains of same-colored orbs to clear the screen and earn points. Longer chains yield higher scores. The game becomes more challenging as additional colors are introduced, increasing the difficulty of forming long chains.

Highlights
  • Tap same-colored orb chains
  • Clear screen to earn points
  • Longer chains for more points
  • Increasing difficulty with more colors
  • Game over when screen is full
Features
Read full description

Say hello to Orba—the deliciously addictive color smasher from Kieffer Bros. Tap chains of same-colored orbs to clear the screen. Line up longer chains to earn more points. Each time you clear the screen, more orbs fall into play. As you progress, more colors are added making it increasingly difficult to build longer chains. When your screen is completely filled and there are no moves left, it's game over. Addiction incarnate—Orba's a lovely way to stretch your mind or waste your time.

About

Stardash

Experience a challenging retro platformer with classic gameplay and vibrant pixel art. Master difficult levels with infinite lives, unlock secret areas, and enjoy an authentic chiptune soundtrack. This game offers a rewarding experience for those who love a good challenge.

Highlights
  • Classic platformer gameplay
  • Challenging levels
  • Infinite lives
  • Unlockable temple levels
  • Flip-mode challenges
  • Retro graphics
  • Original chiptune soundtrack
Features
Read full description

Not just the looks of a classic game, also the gameplay of a classic platformer. This game is NOT EASY! you have an endless amount of lives, so you can quickly restart a level when you miss a jump, get hit by an enemy, get bitten by a plant, get hit by a spiky-ball, crushed by big statues, run onto spikes, get hit by a wasp, or any of the other many ways you’ll get stopped in your run. BUT when you do complete a level, the rush you get will keep you coming back for more, and more, and more, and.. Unlock special temple levels by finding hidden keys, unlock a flip-mode by completing a level both within the time set, and also by collecting all the coins in a level. Stardash is all about the gameplay thrown at you in awesome retro graphics and original chiptunes. ** OTHERS SAY: "all the ingredients needed for platforming excellence" - iFanzine "Orange Pixel nailed everything they were going for in this veritable symphony of old school gaming." - Appolicious "back to my early years, playing my favorite platform games" - unbound gamer "if you’re not gonna grab this, you will miss something truly wonderful" - app-score

Screenshots

Orba4 screens
Stardash4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Orba at 4.6 against Stardash's 3.9. Orba also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 69%) and ratings volume (196 vs 24). Stardash's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and price ($1.99 vs $2.99). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

Orba costs $2.99 and Stardash $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Orba holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Orba has 196 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Orba's written reviews are positive against 69% of Stardash's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Orba ships an update every 3 months, Stardash every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Orba versus Stardash: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOrbaStardash
Price$2.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.6 (196 ratings) — better3.9 (24 ratings)
Positive reviews91.2% of reviews — better69.4% of reviews
Number of ratings196 — better24
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.08.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKieffer Bros.Pascal Bestebroer

Customer experience

Orba

All ratings196 ratings
Positive89.8%
Neutral5.1%
Negative5.1%
Written reviews511 reviews
Positive91.2%
Neutral3.1%
Negative5.7%

Stardash

All ratings24 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral12.5%
Negative20.8%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive69.4%
Neutral12.9%
Negative17.7%

User reviews

Orba

From 196 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Addictive
  • 👍 Simple yet challenging
  • 💎 Beautiful graphics and animations
  • 🎨 Relaxing and calming
  • 🕹️ Great gameplay

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or compatibility issues
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly
  • 💤 Lacks more advanced features or modes

Stardash

From 24 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great retro feel
  • 👍 Addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Tight controls
  • 👍 Well-designed levels
  • 👍 Good value for money

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Glitchy controls
  • 🐛 High difficulty curve
  • 🐛 Pixel-perfect jumps required
  • 🐛 Inconsistent hit detection
  • 🐛 Stuttering frame rate

Bugs and requests

Orba

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Doesn't work on iOS 11 and above
  • Music/sound issues for some users

Requested features

5 requests
  • Endless/Zen mode
  • More color/orb sets
  • Leaderboards or achievements
  • Undo/reset option
  • Support for newer devices and iOS versions

Stardash

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Jump button disappeared after update
  • Game crashes on iOS 7
  • Doesn't work with iOS 11
  • Proximity to enemies kills needs work
  • Hit detection is weird
Show 6 more
  • Animation could be smoother
  • Collision detection needs to be tighter
  • Controls broken on iControlPad in iCade mode
  • Crash on launch
  • Frame rate issues
  • Invisible walls for secret areas

Requested features

15 requests
  • Joystick for movement
  • Make Shesan Level 9 easier
  • Update for iOS 11 compatibility
  • Full screen on iPhone 5
  • More sound effects
Show 10 more
  • Character upgradable
  • Make game compatible with 60beat controller
  • Add mega difficulty mode
  • Fix achievements
  • Move OpenFeint logo
  • Rearrange buttons
  • More levels
  • Add color or costume for character
  • Unique control system
  • Flip iPad upside down for headphone jack clearance

In-app purchases

None

Orba

No in-app purchases

None

Stardash

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Orba free?
Orba costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Stardash free?
Stardash costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Orba or Stardash?
Orba is rated higher. Orba averages 4.6 out of 5 from 196 ratings, while Stardash averages 3.9 from 24 ratings.
Do Orba or Stardash have ads?
Neither Orba nor Stardash shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Orba or Stardash?
Orba ships an update every 3 months, and Stardash every 3 weeks. Most recently, Orba was updated on October 26, 2026 and Stardash on October 23, 2026.

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