Comparison

Spectaculator vs AsteRAEds

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

Head to head
About

Spectaculator

Relive the golden era of 8-bit gaming with this emulator. Play over 150 licensed classic ZX Spectrum games, with more available through in-app purchases. Features include save states, cheat codes, game hints, and authentic 1980s visual simulations.

Highlights
  • Play over 150 licensed ZX Spectrum games
  • Save game progress with multiple slots
  • Enter cheats and lookup game hints
  • Authentic 1980s TV screen simulation
  • Virtual and external keyboard support
  • iCloud save syncing across devices
  • Program in Sinclair BASIC
Features
Read full description

Now over 150 licensed ZX Spectrum games available! In April 1982, Sir Clive Sinclair launched what was to become one of the most popular home computers ever made - the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. Spectaculator takes you back to the 1980s - to the golden era of 8-bit gaming! Play the following 22 officially licensed classic ZX Spectrum games:     - 3D Starstrike by Realtime Games Software     - Auf Wiedersehen Monty by Gremlin Graphics     - Avenger by Gremlin Graphics     - Bounder by Gremlin Graphics     - Cyclone by Vortex Software     - Dark Star by Design Design     - Dynamite Dan by Rod Bowkett/Mirrorsoft     - Forbidden Planet by Design Design     - Halls of the Things by Design Design     - Highway Encounter by Vortex Software     - Jack The Nipper by Gremlin Graphics     - Krackout by Gremlin Graphics     - Jekyll & Hyde by Zenobi Software     - Metabolis by Gremlin Graphics     - Monty On The Run by Gremlin Graphics     - On The Run by Design Design     - Revolution by Vortex Software     - Tau Ceti by Pete Cooke/CRL     - The Way Of The Tiger by Gremlin Graphics     - Albatrossity by Jonathan Cauldwell     - Battery's Not Precluded by Jonathan Cauldwell     - The Fantastic Mister Fruity by Jonathan Cauldwell ... with more available from the in-app shop. Spectaculator gives you the most authentic ZX Spectrum experience available on your iPhone, iPod and iPad, and comes with lots of additional features: • Universal App - runs on iPhone, iPod and iPad. • Supports iPhone 5 and iPod touch 5th generation screen. • Play in portrait or landscape orientations • Save your game progress (four saved game slots + one iCloud saved game slot per game). • Save your progress to iCloud from one device (e.g. iPod) and load to continue playing on another (e.g. iPad). • Enter pokes (cheats) for infinite lives, shields etc. • Lookup game hints, tips and maps • Play in black and white with TV screen simulation for the ultimate 1980s experience! • Battle to the top of the (Game Center) leaderboards! • Type on a virtual ZX Spectrum keyboard • Use an external Bluetooth keyboard for playing adventure games • Choose authentic cassette loading or fast play • Program in Sinclair BASIC • Enjoy high resolution graphics on Retina screens • Play using an external arcade controller (iCade or iControlPad) Additional Game Packs ------------------- The following games packs are available from the in-app shop: Design Design Games Pack     - 5 Games. Includes Halls of the Things, Dark Star, Forbidden Planet Gremlin Graphics Vol. 1     - 6 games. Includes Wanted! Monty Mole, Skate Crazy, Thing Bounces Back Gremlin Graphics Vol. 2     - 6 games. Includes Jack The Nipper II: In Coconut Capers, North Star, Grumpy Gumphrey, Supersleuth Gremlin Graphics Vol. 3     - 6 games. Includes Switchblade, Trailblazer, Super Scramble Simulator, Percy The Potty Pigeon Odin Computer Graphics Anthology     - 9 games. Includes Nodes Of Yesod, Robin Of The Wood, Heartland Realtime Games Pack     - Starstrike II     - 3D Tank Duel Stephen Crow Anthology (Free!) ©1983-2013 Stephen Crow. All rights reserved.    - 5 games. Includes Firelord, Starquake, Wizard's Lair Vortex Anthology     - 6 games. Includes Alien Highway, Deflektor, T.L.L. (Tornado Low Level) Zenobi Adventure Pack Vol. 1     - 6 games. Includes Aura-Scope, The Gods of War, Leopold The Minstrel Zenobi Adventure Pack Vol. 2     - 6 games. Includes The Khangrin Plans, The Krazy Kartoonist Kaper, A Murder Mystery Weekend Zenobi Adventures Vol. 3    - 5 games. Includes The Apprentice, The Bardic Rite, Jester Quest, Knight Life, Mutiny! The following single games are available from the in-app shop:     - Carrier Command     - Dynamite Dan II     - Frank N. Stein     - Laser Squad     - Lords Of Chaos     - The Lords Of Midnight     - Doomdark's Revenge     - Everyone's a Wally     - KWAH!     - Redhawk     - Skool Daze

About

AsteRAEds

Pilot a retro spaceship, blasting asteroids and evading enemies. Master swipe and tap controls to rotate, thrust, and hyperspace to survive as long as possible. Watch out for flying saucers.

Highlights
  • Blast asteroids
  • Protect your ship
  • Swipe to rotate
  • Tap to shoot
  • Hyperspace escape
  • Evade flying saucers
Features
Read full description

Relive those great times of Lesterday with this re-imagining of another retro classic.... How long can you survive - Blast asteroids and protect your ship, use your finger to swipe left and right to rotate your ship, tap to shoot...... Swipe up to thrust and swipe back to Hyperspace - get out of trouble!!   Watch out for those pesky flying saucers

Screenshots

Spectaculator4 screens
AsteRAEds4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Spectaculator at 63% against AsteRAEds's 0%. Spectaculator also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 22 months). AsteRAEds's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 24). 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

AsteRAEds is free to download; Spectaculator costs $2.99 up front. Spectaculator sells 21 one-off in-app purchases. AsteRAEds asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Spectaculator holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spectaculator has 39 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Spectaculator's written reviews are positive against 0% of AsteRAEds's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spectaculator ships an update every 2 months, AsteRAEds every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Spectaculator versus AsteRAEds: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpectaculatorAsteRAEds
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (39 ratings) — better3.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews62.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings39 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 22 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB1 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperJonathan NeedleSteve Rae

Customer experience

Spectaculator

All ratings39 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews118 reviews
Positive62.7%
Neutral5.1%
Negative32.2%

AsteRAEds

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

21 purchases

Spectaculator

One-time21
  • Wheelie$0.99
  • Realtime Games Pack$0.99
  • The Lords Of Midnight$0.99
Show 18 more
  • Skool Daze$0.99
  • Strike Force Cobra$0.99
  • Doomdark's Revenge$0.99
  • Splat!$0.99
  • Rex$0.99
  • Dynamite Dan 2$0.99
  • Frank N. Stein$0.99
  • Design Design Anthology$1.99
  • Gremlin Pack 1$1.99
  • Vortex Anthology$1.99
  • Odin Anthology$1.99
  • Alternative Software Pack 1$1.99
  • Gremlin Pack 2$1.99
  • Alternative Software Pack 3$1.99
  • Gremlin Pack 3$1.99
  • Zenobi Adventures Vol. 2$1.99
  • Zenobi Adventures Vol. 3$1.99
  • Zenobi Adventures Vol. 1$1.99
None

AsteRAEds

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Spectaculator free?
Spectaculator costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is AsteRAEds free?
AsteRAEds is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Spectaculator or AsteRAEds?
Spectaculator is rated higher. Spectaculator averages 4.7 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while AsteRAEds averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Spectaculator or AsteRAEds have ads?
Neither Spectaculator nor AsteRAEds shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Spectaculator or AsteRAEds?
Spectaculator ships an update every 2 months, and AsteRAEds every 22 months. Most recently, Spectaculator was updated on September 24, 2026 and AsteRAEds on August 10, 2026.

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