RayForce vs Sky Force
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RayForce
Experience a classic 2D arcade shooter on your mobile device. Choose between faithful arcade recreation or optimized touch controls, with multiple shooting methods and display options. Compete globally for high scores and achievements.
- Remix Mode with flick controls
- Arcade Mode faithful recreation
- Auto and Manual shooting methods
- MFi Bluetooth controller support
- Game Center rankings and achievements
- Zoom and Original display types
- 8 difficulty modes
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TAITO is famous for arcade shooting games, and the RAY trilogy is one of the most beloved series! Ever since the 1993 release of the trilogy's first installment, RAYFORCE, fans have been thrilled by the game's cinematic visuals and gorgeous layered raster scrolling graphics. RAYFORCE became a 2D shooting instant classic, and now it's available for iPhone and iPad! *Two Game Modes: Remix Mode and Arcade Mode! The Remix Mode provides a new, iPhone-optimized experience with simple flick-style controls. For the hardcore, Arcade Mode is a faithful touchscreen recreation of the original arcade game. *Two Shooting Methods: Auto and Manual! Auto Mode provides automatic, button-free firing for both the standard weapon and lock on laser, allowing players to take on this challenging game with a single finger. Manual Mode adds weapon controls (a toggle for the standard shot and a fire button for the lock on laser), providing a more arcade-like play experience. *Support MFi Bluetooth controllers!! Key configuration is also possible! *Game Center Compatibility! Individual rankings have been prepared for each ships and for each game mode. Let's compete with high-score players from all over the world! Get Achievement fulfilling various conditions in game! Aim for Achievement Complete!! *Two Display Types: Zoom and Original! The Zoom display enlarges the play area, filling the entire iPhone screen with dynamic visuals. For the purist, the Original display mode delivers a pixel-perfect rendition of the arcade game's screen. *Difficulty Modes Added! A total of 8 difficulty modes are now available, ranging from Very Easy to Very Hard. *RAYFORCE's gorgeous graphics and striking raster scrolling, perfectly recreated! RAYFORCE owes much of its unique look to the arcade technology of the time, and no expense has been spared replicating those visuals for the iPhone edition of the game. *RAYFORCE's enchanting soundtrack is back! One of the highlights of the original RAYFORCE experience was its sound design, perfectly replicated here under the supervision of TAITO's ZUNTATA sound team. *Added a arranged BGM by SHOHEI TSUCHIYA(ZUNTATA) on Area1! Using Option setting,you can choose Original BGM or Arranged BGM!! **Nortification** This app is intended for the iPhone 4 or newer, running iOS version 4.2 or newer. **A Request from TAITO** If you have any question, please contact our customer support address: appsupport@taito.co.jp
Sky Force
Experience a classic arcade shooter reborn with stunning 3D graphics and intuitive touch controls. Upgrade your ship, battle intense bosses, and compete in weekly tournaments against other players. Rescue fallen pilots for rewards and achieve victory in this action-packed scrolling shooter.
- Stunning 3D graphics
- Intuitive touchscreen controls
- Powerful ship upgrade system
- Weekly player tournaments
- Rescue fallen pilots for rewards
- Multiple boss battles
- In-game achievements
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Sky Force - The Legendary Shoot'em Up Reborn for a New Generation Sky Force is a modern arcade shoot'em up that brings classic top-down shooter action back to mobile with explosive 3D visuals, satisfying progression, and endless replay value. The skies are burning. Enemy squadrons, towering war machines, and colossal bosses stand between you and victory. Strap into the cockpit, push the throttle, and rediscover one of the most acclaimed airplane games ever made. A Classic SHMUP Experience, Rebuilt for Modern Players Inspired by the golden age of vertical arcade shooters, Sky Force 2014 combines fast-paced aerial combat with smooth touch controls, handcrafted enemy waves, and intense bullet-dodging action. Every mission challenges your reflexes, your timing, and your ability to stay calm when the screen fills with fire. Whether you are a longtime fan of classic shoot'em up games, a bullet hell veteran, or discovering the genre for the first time, Sky Force delivers a polished, accessible, and deeply rewarding arcade experience. Explosive 3D Action on Mobile Sky Force takes the classic top-down shooter formula and upgrades it with detailed 3D environments, cinematic explosions, dynamic effects, and beautifully designed battlefields. Fight across oceans, scorched war zones, and storm-filled skies as you blast through enemy forces and push deeper into the campaign. Every stage is built to feel fast, readable, and satisfying - perfect for quick mobile sessions, but deep enough to keep you coming back for perfect runs. Play online or take the action offline anywhere you go. Epic Boss Battles That Test Your Skill Massive flying fortresses. Mechanized war machines. Screen-filling enemies armed with devastating bullet patterns. Sky Force's boss battles are designed to be both spectacular and demanding. Learn their attacks, dodge incoming fire, strike at the right moment, and prove you have what it takes to become an ace pilot. Upgrade Your Ship and Master Every Mission This is more than a one-run arcade shooter. Sky Force rewards persistence, precision, and smart upgrades. Collect stars, improve your aircraft, and return stronger after every mission. Upgrade your main cannon, side guns, magnets, shields, missiles, and special weapons. Rescue civilians, complete objectives, unlock new difficulty levels, and chase medals as you work toward 100% completion. Every run matters. Every upgrade brings you closer to building the ultimate fighter. Built for Replayability Sky Force is easy to start, but hard to master. Replay missions on higher difficulties, improve your score, perfect your routes, and compete for better results. With multiple objectives, upgrades, medals, tournaments, and leaderboards, every level gives you a reason to return. Why Players Love Sky Force - Classic vertical shoot 'em up gameplay reimagined for modern devices - Intuitive touch controls designed for fast arcade action - Explosive 3D visuals, cinematic effects, and detailed environments - Deep aircraft upgrade system with meaningful progression - Massive bosses and intense bullet hell combat - Multiple difficulty modes for casual players and hardcore arcade fans - Missions, medals, tournaments, and leaderboards for long-term replay value - Retro arcade soul with modern mobile polish - Plays online or offline, anywhere you go Take to the Skies Sky Force is a love letter to classic arcade shooters - fast, explosive, challenging, and endlessly satisfying. It is the airplane game that redefined mobile shoot 'em ups and continues to thrill millions of pilots worldwide. Download Sky Force free, upgrade your aircraft, and fight your way through one of the most iconic plane shooter experiences ever made. The war for the skies has begun. The leaderboard is waiting. Take off now.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Sky Force at Free against RayForce's $6.99. Sky Force also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.1) and review sentiment (89% vs 57%). RayForce's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence 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
Sky Force is free to download; RayForce costs $6.99 up front. Sky Force sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. RayForce asks for nothing beyond the download.
Sky Force holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sky Force has 2.1K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of RayForce's written reviews are positive against 89% of Sky Force's.
RayForce ships an update every 3 months, Sky Force every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RayForce | Sky Force |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.1 (10 ratings) | 4.7 (2.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 57.3% of reviews | 89.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 2.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 52 MB | 260 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | TAITO Corporation | Infinite Dreams Inc. |
Customer experience
RayForce
Sky Force
Bugs and requests
RayForce
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Sky Force
Reported bugs
3 issues- Game crashes on launch for some users
- Saved progress not syncing across devices
- Ads not working as expected
Requested features
4 requests- More levels and content updates
- Controller support
- Ability to reset progress
- Customization options for the ship
In-app purchases
RayForce
No in-app purchases
Sky Force
- Precious Cargo$1.99
- Ads Removal$3.99
- Plane Generator$3.99
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