Comparison

Max Payne Mobile vs ArcEmu

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

Head to head
About

Max Payne Mobile

Experience a dark, story-driven action-shooter where you play as a framed detective fighting for justice. Utilize groundbreaking slow-motion gunplay and uncover a twisted plot to clear your name.

Highlights
  • Bullet Time® slow-motion gunplay
  • HD quality resolution and textures
  • Retina supported resolution
  • Touch screen optimized gameplay
  • Customizable controls
  • Multiple aiming modes
  • Rockstar Games Social Club integration
Features
Read full description

Max Payne, the award-winning title is now available for iOS. A fugitive undercover cop framed for murder, hunted by cops and the mob, Max is a man with his back against the wall, fighting a battle he cannot hope to win. Max Payne is a relentless story-driven game about a man on the edge, fighting to clear his name while struggling to uncover the truth about his slain family amongst a myriad of plot-twists. The groundbreaking original cinematic action-shooter, Max Payne introduced the concept of Bullet Time® in videogames. Through its stylish slow-motion gunplay combined with a dark and twisted story, Max Payne redefined the action-shooter genre. Universal App: Max Payne is supported on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4, iPad 1, iPad 2, the new iPad. Features: • Max Payne's signature slow motion gunplay, Bullet Time® • Stunningly sharp, HD quality resolution and textures • Retina supported resolution for the new iPad • Gameplay tailored for touch screen devices • Highly customizable controls • Multiple aiming modes • Rockstar Games Social Club integration to track stats, unlock cheats and more* *Rockstar Games Social Club supported on the iPhone4, iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and the new iPad only. Cheats are still accessible on older devices.  For those using the "Skip to Level" cheat, we recommend that you have weapons in your inventory; as you will start a new level with your current weapon set. Languages Supported: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian and Japanese. Mobile Version developed by War Drum Studios www.wardrumstudios.com Find out more: www.rockstargames.com See videos: www.youtube.com/rockstargames Follow us: www.faceboook.com/rockstargames www.twitter.com/rockstargames

About

ArcEmu

Experience retro gaming on your Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad. This emulator supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. Enjoy features like multiplayer, cheats, and customizable controls.

Highlights
  • Game Boy, GBC, GBA emulation
  • Multiplayer support
  • Cheat codes
  • Customizable on-screen controls
  • Save State sharing
  • iCloud support
Features
Read full description

ArcEmu brings retro game emulation to Apple Watch. It also works on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, delivering a seamless gaming experience across your Apple devices. Supported Consoles - Game Boy (.gb) - Game Boy Color (.gbc) - Game Boy Advance (.gba) - Pokémon Mini (.min) - Nintendo Entertainment System (.nes) - Super Nintendo Entertainment System (.sfc and .smc) - Atari 2600 (.a26 and .bin) Main Features - Accurate, high-performance emulation powered by the mGBA and Ares cores - Game Link Cable support with online multiplayer for up to four players* - Cheat-code support with a built-in database of popular codes** - Frame-independent emulation at 30 or 60 FPS - Multi-touch and Digital Crown support on Apple Watch - Support for all screen orientations on iPhone and iPad - Precise, thoughtfully designed on-screen controls - Customizable control position and transparency on iPhone and iPad - Fast-forward at 2×, 4×, or maximum speed - Slow motion at 0.5× speed - Touch-based light gun controls for NES and SNES - Custom color palettes for Game Boy games - Button hold/sustain feature - Accelerometer support - Gyroscope support on iPhone and iPad, with Digital Crown input on Apple Watch - Haptic feedback on iPhone - Game controller support with customizable button mappings - ZIP archive support - Automatic saving - Save-state sharing between devices - iCloud support for ROMs and save states - ROM sharing through iCloud using share codes - Support for Apple Watch devices configured with Family Setup - ROM sorting and search Apple Watch Compatibility - Apple Watch Series 4 or later - Apple Watch SE or later - Apple Watch Ultra or later ArcEmu does not include any games or ROMs. You can import compatible ROM files from your iPhone and store them in iCloud. Your Apple Watch can then download them directly from iCloud. On an Apple Watch configured with Family Setup, ROMs can be downloaded from iCloud using share codes. Games Featured in the Screenshots - Acorn Grove: https://gibbongl.itch.io/acorn-grove - Anguna: https://gauauu.itch.io/anguna - Hauntsfield: https://alliemackie.itch.io/hauntsfield - µCity Advance: https://skylyrac.itch.io/ucity-advance * Requires a Game Center account. ** Cheat codes may cause unexpected behavior or affect game stability and save data. ArcEmu is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo. Nintendo and the names of its game systems are trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Screenshots

Max Payne Mobile4 screens
ArcEmu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ArcEmu at 4.9 against Max Payne Mobile's 4.4. ArcEmu also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and review sentiment (95% vs 74%). Max Payne Mobile's advantage is chart position (#9 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.5). On ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Max Payne Mobile costs $2.99 and ArcEmu $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ArcEmu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 1.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Max Payne Mobile's written reviews are positive against 95% of ArcEmu's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Max Payne Mobile ships an update every 5 months, ArcEmu every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Max Payne Mobile versus ArcEmu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMax Payne MobileArcEmu
Price$2.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.4 (1.1K ratings)4.9 (1.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.6% of reviews94.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.1K1.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#9 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size1.7 GB172 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperRockstar GamesRaffaele D'Amato

Customer experience

Max Payne Mobile

All ratings1,083 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral3.8%
Negative10.2%
Written reviews356 reviews
Positive73.6%
Neutral6.2%
Negative20.2%

ArcEmu

All ratings1,304 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews528 reviews
Positive94.5%
Neutral2.8%
Negative2.7%

User reviews

Max Payne Mobile

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Smooth gameplay
  • 🎮 Great controls
  • 💯 Faithful to the original
  • 🎨 Good graphics
  • 🕹️ Satisfying bullet time

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
  • 🎮 Sensitive/awkward controls
  • 🔇 Audio problems
  • 🔍 Difficulty navigating levels
  • 💰 Overpriced for an old game

ArcEmu

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fully functional
  • 🚀 Impressive emulation on Apple Watch
  • 👍 Great emulator for both phone and watch
  • 👍 Seamless save state transfer between devices
  • 👍 Customizable controls and layout

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with some games
  • 🐛 Audio quality problems on certain games
  • 👎 Limited functionality on Apple Watch
  • 👎 Difficult controls for action-heavy games on watch

Bugs and requests

Max Payne Mobile

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when shooting
  • Saves not working properly
  • Compatibility issues with iOS 11

Requested features

4 requests
  • Port Max Payne 2 and 3 to mobile
  • Add controller support
  • Improve customization options
  • Optimize for newer devices

ArcEmu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Occasional crashes
  • Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
  • Save data not transferring properly between devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add cheat/GameShark support
  • Improve volume controls
  • Implement fast forward/slow motion options
  • Allow multiple save slots per game
  • Improve Game Boy Color support
Show 1 more
  • Add joystick/button support for Apple Watch

In-app purchases

None

Max Payne Mobile

No in-app purchases

None

ArcEmu

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Max Payne Mobile free?
Max Payne Mobile costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ArcEmu free?
ArcEmu costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Max Payne Mobile or ArcEmu?
ArcEmu is rated higher. Max Payne Mobile averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while ArcEmu averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.
Do Max Payne Mobile or ArcEmu have ads?
Neither Max Payne Mobile nor ArcEmu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Max Payne Mobile or ArcEmu?
Max Payne Mobile ships an update every 5 months, and ArcEmu every 2 weeks. Most recently, Max Payne Mobile was updated on October 19, 2026 and ArcEmu on October 19, 2026.

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