Comparison

Control Tower Full vs Lode Runner Classic

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

Head to head
About

Control Tower Full

Guide aircraft to safe landing zones by drawing flight paths. Test your strategy and reflexes to prevent collisions and manage air traffic. Experience addictive gameplay with multiple aircraft types.

Highlights
  • Guide aircraft to landing zones
  • Draw flight paths
  • Prevent collisions
  • Classic game mode
  • 6 different planes and helicopters
  • Online high scores
  • Achievements
Features
Read full description

Guide aircraft to their landing zones and do not let them collide! This sounds easy? You will need good strategy and fast fingers to draw flight paths and keep the chaos under control. WARNING:Insanely Addictive! FEATURES - Classic game mode with 6 different planes and helicopters - Online high scores - Achievements (6) - Countless hours of addictive gameplay - No 1 air traffic controller game Similar games: Air Control,Air Traffic Control

About

Lode Runner Classic

Navigate maze-like levels, collecting gold while dodging enemies. Blast blocks to create paths or trap pursuers. Enjoy 150 classic levels with modern enhancements like zoom and adjustable speed.

Highlights
  • 150 classic levels
  • Two game modes
  • Screen magnification
  • Adjustable play speed
  • Customizable color palettes
  • Worldwide leaderboards
Features
Read full description

DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON FOOL’S GOLD Play the authentic Lode Runner… this is the real deal! AWARD WINNING GAMEPLAY Lode Runner Classic combines the game play and all 150 levels of the award-winning Apple II original Lode Runner with graphics and features engineered for today's advanced smartphones. The game's frantic action takes place in maze-like, static levels, where a single player dodges enemies while running and climbing to reach and claim stacks of gold. No jumping is allowed. And shooting enemies is forbidden, but you can blast blocks to access lower platforms or trap pursuing enemies. Winding your way through ever-increasing levels of complexity makes for a superior challenge, but now you can choose to play any one of the 150 levels at any time. EXCITING NEW FEATURES Although the gameplay remains true to the original Apple II version, there are plenty of new features to enhance the experience. You can magnify the screen around the Runner, set the play speed, adjust the coloring of the art and compete for top spot on the worldwide leaderboards. •150 puzzling levels – all unlocked and accessible •Two game modes – Expedition and Time Attack •New magnification effect – zoom the action around the Runner •Multiple play speeds – super slow to superfast action •Fully adjustable color palettes •Worldwide leaderboards •Multiple control schemes •Illustrated How to Play section "When the first Lode Runner came out on the Apple II, the last thing I expected was that the game would be alive and kicking on a platform as advanced as today’s smartphones more than 25 years later. It's really gratifying to me that so many people are still interested in the game." Douglas E. Smith, Original Creator “In the early days, there was Lode Runner. I consider it a real puzzle game. That was my favorite for many, many years. It’s such a good combination of dynamic stuff, the finger-work, and real planning and puzzle-solving. Every level was a real puzzle with its own mechanics, its own dynamics, its own kind of solution. At the same time, it was an arcade game to play. This combination was done absolutely right. I can’t imagine any other game with such inventive and unusual design.” Alexey Pajitnov, Tetris Creator Interview with Edge Magazine Tozai Games and Lode Runner are trademarks of Tozai, Inc. registered or protected in the US and other countries. Lode Runner is protected under US and international copyright laws ©1983-2017 Tozai, Inc. All rights reserved.

Screenshots

Control Tower Full4 screens
Lode Runner Classic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Control Tower Full at 4.5 against Lode Runner Classic's 3.9. Control Tower Full also leads on price ($0.99 vs $2.99) and iOS requirement (6.0 vs 12.0). Lode Runner Classic's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 25 months) and review sentiment (52% vs 41%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases 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

Control Tower Full costs $0.99 and Lode Runner Classic $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Control Tower Full holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 44 and 34 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of Control Tower Full's written reviews are positive against 52% of Lode Runner Classic's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Control Tower Full ships an update every 25 months, Lode Runner Classic every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Control Tower Full versus Lode Runner Classic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterControl Tower FullLode Runner Classic
Price$0.99 — better$2.99
Rating4.5 (44 ratings) — better3.9 (34 ratings)
Positive reviews40.7% of reviews52.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings44 — better34
Update frequencyEvery 25 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS6.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer4 Save SoftTozai, Inc.

Customer experience

Control Tower Full

All ratings44 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral2.3%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive40.7%
Neutral11.1%
Negative48.1%

Lode Runner Classic

All ratings34 ratings
Positive67.6%
Neutral5.9%
Negative26.5%
Written reviews128 reviews
Positive52.3%
Neutral10.9%
Negative36.7%

In-app purchases

None

Control Tower Full

No in-app purchases

None

Lode Runner Classic

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Control Tower Full free?
Control Tower Full costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lode Runner Classic free?
Lode Runner Classic costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Control Tower Full or Lode Runner Classic?
Control Tower Full is rated higher. Control Tower Full averages 4.5 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while Lode Runner Classic averages 3.9 from 34 ratings.
Do Control Tower Full or Lode Runner Classic have ads?
Neither Control Tower Full nor Lode Runner Classic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Control Tower Full or Lode Runner Classic?
Control Tower Full ships an update every 25 months, and Lode Runner Classic every 5 weeks. Most recently, Control Tower Full was updated on October 13, 2026 and Lode Runner Classic on October 10, 2026.

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