Comparison

Eclipse vs Gaia Project

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

Head to head
About

Eclipse

Lead an interstellar civilization to galactic domination in this strategic board game adaptation. Explore, research, build ships, and outmaneuver rivals through deep 4X gameplay. Choose your species and forge your path to victory.

Highlights
  • 4X gameplay (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate)
  • 7 unique species with distinct traits
  • Customizable star systems, tech tree, and ship designs
  • Up to 6 players (human or AI)
  • Asynchronous multiplayer with notifications
  • In-game tutorial and manual
Features
Read full description

Alliances are shattering, and hasty diplomatic treaties are made in secrecy. A confrontation of the superpowers seems inevitable – only the outcome of the galactic conflict remains to be seen. Which faction will emerge victorious and rule the galaxy? A game of Eclipse places you in control of a vast interstellar civilization, competing for success with its rivals. You will explore new star systems, research technologies, and build mighty spaceships. There are many potential paths to victory, so you need to plan your strategy considering the strengths and weaknesses of your species, while paying attention to the other civilizations' endeavors. Eclipse other civilizations and lead your people to victory! This is the classic version, which corresponds to the original board game. We're working on an implementation of the new version "Second dawn for the galaxy." FEATURES * Official iOS version of the 'Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy' boardgame * Deep and challenging 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) gameplay * 7 species with different strengths and weaknesses * Customizable star systems, technology tree and ship designs * Up to 6 players (human or AI) * Asynchronous multiplayer with push notifications * 3 AI difficulty levels * In-game tutorial & manual Eclipse received multiple awards: * 2011 Charles S. Roberts Best Science-Fiction or Fantasy Board Wargame Nominee * 2011 Jogo do Ano Nominee * 2012 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year Winner * 2012 Golden Geek Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game Winner * 2012 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Nominee * 2012 JoTa Best Gamer Game Audience Award * 2012 JUG Game of the Year Winner * 2012 Ludoteca Ideale Winner * 2012 Lys Passioné Winner * 2012 Tric Trac Nominee

About

Gaia Project

Embark on a strategic journey to colonize the galaxy by mastering terraforming. Each of the 14 unique factions has distinct environmental needs, driving the need to adapt planets for survival. This is the official digital adaptation of the acclaimed board game.

Highlights
  • 14 unique factions
  • Peaceful galactic colonization
  • Terraforming mechanics
  • Adaptable environmental needs
  • Official digital board game adaptation
Features
Read full description

In Gaia Project, each player controls one of 14 factions striving to peacefully colonize the Terra Mystica galaxy. Each faction has different environmental needs to survive on a planet. These needs have led the factions to master terraforming, enabling them to make different planet types habitable for themselves. This is the official digital version of the board game Gaia Project by Feuerland Verlag. Minimum RAM: 3 GB Recommended RAM: 4 GB Gaia Project is a graphics-heavy board game with advanced AI opponents. Your gameplay speed and AI strength may be limited with older devices.

Screenshots

Gaia Project4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Gaia Project at 4.0 against Eclipse's 2.4. Gaia Project also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 11 months) and device support (3 vs 1). Eclipse's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On review sentiment, 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

Eclipse costs $3.99 and Gaia Project $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Gaia Project holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 39 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of Eclipse's written reviews are positive against 59% of Gaia Project's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Eclipse ships an update every 11 months, Gaia Project monthly. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Eclipse versus Gaia Project: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEclipseGaia Project
Price$3.99 — better$9.99
Rating2.4 (48 ratings)4.0 (39 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.9% of reviews — better59.1% of reviews
Number of ratings48 — better39
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size126 MB371 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperBrettspielwelt GmbHDIGIDICED

Customer experience

Eclipse

All ratings48 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral2.1%
Negative64.6%
Written reviews228 reviews
Positive64.9%
Neutral11.8%
Negative23.2%

Gaia Project

All ratings39 ratings
Positive71.8%
Neutral10.3%
Negative17.9%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive59.1%
Neutral15.9%
Negative25.0%

Bugs and requests

Eclipse

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Game crashes during combat
  • Saved games unable to be resumed
  • AI gets stuck during turns
  • Influence/resource management issues
  • Graphical glitches and UI bugs

Requested features

5 requests
  • Randomize player and AI options
  • Ability to see opponents' moves
  • Option to adjust game length
  • Inclusion of expansions
  • Improved online multiplayer experience

Gaia Project

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Eclipse

No in-app purchases

None

Gaia Project

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Eclipse free?
Eclipse costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Gaia Project free?
Gaia Project costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Eclipse or Gaia Project?
Gaia Project is rated higher. Eclipse averages 2.4 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while Gaia Project averages 4.0 from 39 ratings.
Do Eclipse or Gaia Project have ads?
Neither Eclipse nor Gaia Project shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Eclipse or Gaia Project?
Eclipse ships an update every 11 months, and Gaia Project monthly. Most recently, Eclipse was updated on June 10, 2026 and Gaia Project on September 23, 2026.

Other comparisons