# Mars Quest vs Beach Defender

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mars Quest at 68% against Beach Defender's 43%. Mars Quest also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Beach Defender's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mars Quest sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Beach Defender sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Beach Defender holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 91 and 34 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Mars Quest's written reviews are positive against 43% of Beach Defender's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Mars Quest ships an update fortnightly, Beach Defender every 10 days. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mars Quest | Beach Defender |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (91 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-quest-8-bit/id491304485/reviews) | **[4.4 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beach-defender-8-bit-shooter/id972340402/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **91** | 34 |
| Positive reviews | **68.5% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 98 MB | 126 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [First Class Media B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1394094946) | [Florian Brochard](https://appshunter.io/developer/967677061) |

## What reviewers say

### Mars Quest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mars-quest-8-bit/id491304485)

Embark on a challenging retro adventure guiding an astronaut through alien-infested Martian levels. Experience nostalgic 8-bit graphics and music while avoiding obstacles and increasing speed. Compete with friends via Game Center.

**Highlights:** 8-bit retro music, Guide astronaut through levels, Avoid aliens and obstacles, Smart level progression, Increasing speed challenges, Game Center scores and achievements

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove advertising | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1 extra life | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5 extra lives | $1.99 | one-time |
| 10 extra lives | $2.99 | one-time |
| 25 extra lives | $4.99 | one-time |


### Beach Defender

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beach-defender-8-bit-shooter/id972340402)

Experience a retro 8-bit arcade shooter inspired by classic fantasy games. Defend the beach in an adventure where the whole world counts on you. Compete with friends on leaderboards and enjoy haptic feedback.

**Highlights:** Retro 8-bit pixel art, Simple one-touch gameplay, GameCenter leaderboards, Infinite arcade mode, Haptic feedback

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mars Quest free?

Mars Quest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Beach Defender free?

Beach Defender is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mars Quest or Beach Defender?

Beach Defender is rated higher. Mars Quest averages 4.0 out of 5 from 91 ratings, while Beach Defender averages 4.4 from 34 ratings.

### Do Mars Quest or Beach Defender have ads?

Both Mars Quest and Beach Defender show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mars Quest or Beach Defender?

Mars Quest ships an update fortnightly, and Beach Defender every 10 days. Most recently, Mars Quest was updated on November 1, 2026 and Beach Defender on November 1, 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.*