# Tractor Beam vs Retro Parsec

The clearest difference is rating: Tractor Beam at 5.0 against Retro Parsec's 4.0. Tractor Beam also leads on update cadence (every 6 months vs every 25 months) and review sentiment (82% vs 73%). Retro Parsec's advantage is ratings volume (50 vs 6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Tractor Beam costs $0.99 and Retro Parsec $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Tractor Beam holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Retro Parsec has 50 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Tractor Beam's written reviews are positive against 73% of Retro Parsec's.

Tractor Beam ships an update every 6 months, Retro Parsec every 25 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tractor Beam | Retro Parsec |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tractor-beam/id352841522/reviews)** | [4.0 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-parsec/id1059891563/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **50** |
| Positive reviews | **82.0% of reviews** | 73.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 25 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 8 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Manufacturing Content](https://appshunter.io/developer/352841525) | [Yesung Moore](https://appshunter.io/developer/998388794) |

## What reviewers say

### Tractor Beam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tractor-beam/id352841522)

Pilot a ship through an asteroid field using only a tractor beam.  Slingshot your vessel and use the beam to manipulate asteroids, creating a unique and challenging arcade experience.  Enjoy dynamic music or play your own.

**Highlights:** Tractor beam mechanics, Asteroid field navigation, Multi-touch gameplay, Procedurally generated music, Portrait and landscape modes, Three difficulty levels

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Retro Parsec

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-parsec/id1059891563)

Experience a classic 1980s space shooter re-imagined with retro graphics and sound. Pilot your starship, defend against alien fighters and cruisers, and navigate treacherous asteroid belts and refuelling tunnels. Test your skills and strategy in this thrilling one-player adventure.

**Highlights:** Retro 80s graphics and sound, Defend against alien fighters and cruisers, Navigate asteroid belts and refuelling tunnels, Synthesised speech warnings, Multiple speed control options, Increasing difficulty levels

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tractor Beam free?

Tractor Beam costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Retro Parsec free?

Retro Parsec costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Tractor Beam or Retro Parsec?

Tractor Beam is rated higher. Tractor Beam averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Retro Parsec averages 4.0 from 50 ratings.

### Do Tractor Beam or Retro Parsec have ads?

Neither Tractor Beam nor Retro Parsec shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tractor Beam or Retro Parsec?

Tractor Beam ships an update every 6 months, and Retro Parsec every 25 months. Most recently, Tractor Beam was updated on October 24, 2026 and Retro Parsec on October 21, 2026.

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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.*