# Lightning Fighter 2 vs R

The clearest difference is price: Lightning Fighter 2 at Free against R's $1.99. Lightning Fighter 2 also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (537 vs 28). R's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Lightning Fighter 2 is free to download; R costs $1.99 up front. Lightning Fighter 2 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. R asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lightning Fighter 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lightning Fighter 2 has 537 ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Lightning Fighter 2's written reviews are positive against 68% of R's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Lightning Fighter 2 ships an update every 2 months, R monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightning Fighter 2 | R |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[4.4 (537 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-fighter-2-space-war/id634845785/reviews)** | [3.8 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/r-type-ii/id787148904/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **537** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | 64.5% of reviews | **67.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 197 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yu Le Lin](https://appshunter.io/developer/401510323) | [DotEmu](https://appshunter.io/developer/329185054) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightning Fighter 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-fighter-2-space-war/id634845785)

Engage in intense arcade-style space combat as a hero defending the galaxy from alien invaders. Pilot a super fighter jet through challenging stages, facing waves of enemies and epic boss battles. Upgrade your aircraft and utilize powerful weapons in this fast-paced shoot 'em up experience.

**Highlights:** 11 Super Fighter Aircraft with unique weapons, Classic shoot 'em up gameplay, 13 Unique Stages with exclusive soundtracks, Epic multi-phase boss battles, Robust equipment system for upgrades, 3 Difficulty Levels, Fully Upgraded HD Graphics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 70 Gem Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| 15,000 Coin Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Novice Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| 420 Gem Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 80,000 Coin Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| 910 Gem Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| 170,000 Coin Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1,900 Gem Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| 400,000 Gold | $19.99 | one-time |
| Cosmos Pack | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent graphics and visuals
- 🚀 Engaging and challenging gameplay
- 👍 Variety of ships and weapons
- 👍 Smooth controls and responsiveness

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent data loss and progress resets
- 🐛 Connectivity issues and login problems
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for progression
- 🔋 Requires constant internet connection

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes on launch
- Unlocked ships and upgrades disappearing
- Ads not closing properly
- Connectivity issues causing data loss

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for playing without internet
- More stages, levels, and difficulty options
- Ability to restore purchased items and progress
- Better communication about game updates


### R

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/r-type-ii/id787148904)

Relive a classic horizontal scrolling shooter arcade experience. Pilot an advanced ship against the returning Bydo Empire, utilizing new weapons and power-ups across six challenging levels. Enjoy customizable graphics and controls for a nostalgic or enhanced gameplay session.

**Highlights:** Six unique levels with bosses, New Search Laser and Shotgun Laser weapons, Power-ups and attachments, Adjustable difficulty settings, Customizable touch and D-pad controls, Original and improved graphics options, Game Center achievements and leaderboards

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Nostalgic gameplay
- 👍 Faithful port of the original
- 🎮 Good controls with controller support
- 💎 Classic arcade shooter experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy controls and performance issues
- 📱 Difficult to play on small screens
- 🕹️ Suboptimal touch controls
- 🕰️ Outdated graphics and sound

**Reported bugs**

- Unresponsive controls
- Graphical glitches and performance problems
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Difficulty settings and accessibility options
- More levels and content
- Improved compatibility with modern devices
- Sensitivity and control customization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightning Fighter 2 free?

Lightning Fighter 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is R free?

R costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Lightning Fighter 2 or R?

Lightning Fighter 2 is rated higher. Lightning Fighter 2 averages 4.4 out of 5 from 537 ratings, while R averages 3.8 from 28 ratings.

### Do Lightning Fighter 2 or R have ads?

Neither Lightning Fighter 2 nor R shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightning Fighter 2 or R?

Lightning Fighter 2 ships an update every 2 months, and R monthly. Most recently, Lightning Fighter 2 was updated on November 1, 2026 and R on November 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.*