# Mars Quest vs Beach Defender

The clearest difference is rating: Beach Defender at 4.4 against Mars Quest's 4.0. Mars Quest's advantage is review sentiment (68% vs 43%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). 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 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## 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-pixel-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 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 98 MB | 128 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-pixel-shooter/id972340402)

Defend your beach from waves of sea creatures with simple one-touch controls. Collect creatures, climb leaderboards, and enjoy retro pixel art and sound. Play anywhere, even offline.

**Highlights:** One-touch controls, Offline play, Creature hunting and ranking, Leaderboard, Retro screen themes, Haptic feedback

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo 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 2 weeks. Most recently, Mars Quest was updated on November 1, 2026 and Beach Defender on November 11, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*