# Ballistic SE vs Polygon Wars

The clearest difference is price: Polygon Wars at Free against Ballistic SE's $2.99. Polygon Wars also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 weeks). Ballistic SE's advantage is ratings volume (64 vs 9) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Polygon Wars is free to download; Ballistic SE costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Ballistic SE against 4.8 for Polygon Wars. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ballistic SE has 64 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 96% of Ballistic SE's written reviews are positive against 100% of Polygon Wars's.

Ballistic SE ships an update every 6 weeks, Polygon Wars every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ballistic SE | Polygon Wars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ballistic-se/id508574596/reviews) | [4.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polygon-wars/id1541330787/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **64** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 96.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 82 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Radiangames](https://appshunter.io/developer/499624086) | [Wesley Jacobs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1356567530) |

## What reviewers say

### Ballistic SE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ballistic-se/id508574596)

Experience intense arena-style twin-stick shooting with endless waves of enemies. Engage in five challenging game modes. Optimized for modern devices and supports iOS 13 gamepads.

**Highlights:** Arena-style twin-stick shooter, Infinite enemy waves, Five intense challenges, iOS 13 gamepad support, Full-resolution on newer devices

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Highly addictive and engaging gameplay
- 🎨 Stunning visuals and colorful graphics
- 🎯 Responsive and precise controls
- 🏆 Excellent twin-stick shooter mechanics
- ⚡ Fast-paced and intense action

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📦 Limited enemy variety and formations
- 🗺️ Limited arena/level variety
- 🔊 Repetitive music tracks
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer iPhone models
- 🎮 Touch screen control limitations

**Reported bugs**

- Sound effects mute when playing music from iPod app
- Incompatible with newer iPhone models (XR and later)
- Auto-aim/homing can be overpowered when maxed out

**Requested features**

- 64-bit support for newer iOS versions
- Compatibility update for iPhone XR and newer models
- 3D Touch implementation for rapid fire
- Right-half screen aiming controls
- More level/arena variety


### Polygon Wars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/polygon-wars/id1541330787)

Engage in a retro-style arcade twin-stick shooter. Navigate your ship, blast enemies, and upgrade your arsenal. Compete for high scores and unlock achievements.

**Highlights:** Twin-stick shooter gameplay, On-screen controls, External controller support, In-game shop for upgrades, Game Center leaderboards, 16 unlockable achievements

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ballistic SE free?

Ballistic SE costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Polygon Wars free?

Polygon Wars is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ballistic SE or Polygon Wars?

Ballistic SE and Polygon Wars are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 64 and 9 ratings respectively.

### Do Ballistic SE or Polygon Wars have ads?

Neither Ballistic SE nor Polygon Wars shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ballistic SE or Polygon Wars?

Ballistic SE ships an update every 6 weeks, and Polygon Wars every 10 days. Most recently, Ballistic SE was updated on October 4, 2026 and Polygon Wars on October 6, 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.*