# Thinkin' Things 1 vs RetroHandheld

The clearest difference is price: RetroHandheld at Free against Thinkin' Things 1's $8.99. RetroHandheld also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 114 months). Thinkin' Things 1's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On rating, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

RetroHandheld is free to download; Thinkin' Things 1 costs $8.99 up front. RetroHandheld sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Thinkin' Things 1 asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.8 for Thinkin' Things 1 against 3.8 for RetroHandheld. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 4 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Thinkin' Things 1's written reviews are positive against 100% of RetroHandheld's.

Thinkin' Things 1 ships an update every 114 months, RetroHandheld every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thinkin' Things 1 | RetroHandheld |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $8.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[3.8 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkin-things-1/id550116034/reviews)** | [3.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrohandheld/id6759585946/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 114 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 65 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Software MacKiev](https://appshunter.io/developer/285144674) | [David Margot](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877555458) |

## What reviewers say

### Thinkin' Things 1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkin-things-1/id550116034)

This educational game for young learners focuses on developing critical thinking, problem-solving, memory, and creativity. It features five engaging activity areas with colorful characters and adjustable challenges, making learning fun and accessible for non-readers.

**Highlights:** Memory building activities, Critical thinking challenges, Problem-solving exercises, Creativity fostering, Adjustable difficulty, Spoken instructions, Boolean logic lessons

**In-app purchases:** none


### RetroHandheld

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retrohandheld/id6759585946)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a classic gaming console. Play popular retro systems like Game Boy, NES, and PlayStation with controller support and save states. Bring your own legally owned game files for an offline, ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Plays 8 classic consoles, Controller support, Save states and auto-save, Offline play, Cheat code support, iCloud backup

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thinkin' Things 1 free?

Thinkin' Things 1 costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is RetroHandheld free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Thinkin' Things 1 or RetroHandheld?

Thinkin' Things 1 is rated higher. Thinkin' Things 1 averages 3.8 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while RetroHandheld averages 3.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do Thinkin' Things 1 or RetroHandheld have ads?

Thinkin' Things 1 shows ads; RetroHandheld does not.

### Which is updated more often, Thinkin' Things 1 or RetroHandheld?

Thinkin' Things 1 ships an update every 114 months, and RetroHandheld every 2 weeks. Most recently, Thinkin' Things 1 was updated on November 1, 2026 and RetroHandheld on October 31, 2026.

---

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