Spectaculator vs AsteRAEds
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
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.
- Blast asteroids
- Protect your ship
- Swipe to rotate
- Tap to shoot
- Hyperspace escape
- Evade flying saucers
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Spectaculator | AsteRAEds |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (39 ratings) — better | 3.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 62.7% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 39 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 22 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jonathan Needle | Steve Rae |
Customer experience
Spectaculator
AsteRAEds
In-app purchases
Spectaculator
- Wheelie$0.99
- Realtime Games Pack$0.99
- The Lords Of Midnight$0.99
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- 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
AsteRAEds
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Spectaculator free?
Is AsteRAEds free?
Which has better reviews, Spectaculator or AsteRAEds?
Do Spectaculator or AsteRAEds have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spectaculator or AsteRAEds?
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