3,2,1 Launch! vs Ellipse
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
3,2,1 Launch!
Experience the journey of a spacecraft from selection to launch. This game features 8 mini-games that educate players on the engineering and processes involved in sending a spacecraft into orbit.
- Rocket and spacecraft matching
- Engineering analysis
- Spacecraft cleaning
- Rocket assembly
- Fueling process
- Orbit targeting
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In 1998, NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) was established to support NASA’s science and robotic missions by procuring commercial launch vehicles. The program was established at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to centralize technical and management support to spacecraft customers. LSP brings together people, procurement, engineering best practices, strategic planning, studies, and cutting-edge techniques—all instrumental components for the United States to have a dependable and secure Earth-to-Space bridge that is dedicated to launching all types of spacecraft. This game goes through the process of a spacecraft matching to a rocket, the integration of the spacecraft to the rocket and the engineering behind it, and its eventual launch into space and the correct orbit. The game consists of 8 mini games to educate the player on the process Features: • Buying a rocket • How to get where you want to go in space • Analyzing the rocket and spacecraft • How to clean a spacecraft • Putting together a rocket • Time to fuel up • Frequency • Staying on target The characters that the player can choose from are represented by animals that are found in the Cape Canaveral Wildlife Refuge which encompasses Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Base. • Tortoise • Manatee • Wild hog • Bobcat • Alligator • T- Rex (not found in the Cape Canaveral Wildlife Refuge)
Ellipse
Design, build, and launch rockets with realistic orbital mechanics. Explore celestial bodies and experience dynamic physics for a true-to-life space simulation. Ideal for aspiring engineers and space enthusiasts.
- Rocket design and customization
- Realistic orbital mechanics
- Explore celestial bodies
- Dynamic physics engine
- Space exploration simulation
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Build your own vehicles and conduct your own space missions to explore space. Launch capsules, satellites, land on the Moon, land on Mars. - Real orbital mechanics and physics, nothing is faked - Planets based on real solar system data - Thrilling visual effects - No ads, no account required, free to download
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 3,2,1 Launch! at none against Ellipse's 3. 3,2,1 Launch! also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 79%). Ellipse's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (2K vs 4). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Ellipse sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. 3,2,1 Launch! asks for nothing beyond the download.
3,2,1 Launch! holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ellipse has 2K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of 3,2,1 Launch!'s written reviews are positive against 79% of Ellipse's.
3,2,1 Launch! ships an update every 13 months, Ellipse monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 3,2,1 Launch! | Ellipse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | 4.7 (2K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 78.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1008 MB | 245 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NASA | Starwelds |
Customer experience
3,2,1 Launch!
Ellipse
Bugs and requests
3,2,1 Launch!
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Ellipse
Reported bugs
12 issues- Connected parts don't work
- Staging issues (last stage goes first)
- Fairings don't attach
- Cannot delete after spawning samples
- Detached parts don't detach
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- Game freezes during missions
- Parachute gets cut before launch
- Expansion pack causes build issues
- Glitches on iPad
- Rocket parts don't separate
- Capsule doesn't separate from rocket near the moon
- Build area barrier
Requested features
49 requests- Add more planets
- Add astronauts
- Add a delete button
- Add more parts (solar panel, battery, antenna, wing, landing leg, chassis, monopropellant tank, docking port)
- Add electricity consumption
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- Add plane flight mechanics
- Add planet navigation (like SFS)
- Improve RCS control
- Improve plane aerodynamics
- Improve RCS in docking mode
- Add launch instructions
- Add symmetry feature
- Add staging mechanic
- Add modding or community made packs
- Add individual save slots
- Add more free stuff
- Add engine mounts
- Add SRB customizations
- Make fuel tanks adjustable
- Add emergency escape towers
- Add Jupiter and its moons
- Add Deimos (Mars' second moon)
- Add gas giants and their moons
- Add controllers support
- Add better damage and break apart models
- Add rovers
- Add Saturn V rocket parts
- Add free space shuttle
- Adjust planet speed
- Add more buildings around Earth
- Make planets more detailed
- Add more expansion parts
- Make build area better
- Remove build area barrier
- Add Saturn V rocket
- Add gas giants
- Add gas giant moons
- Add Deimos
- Add Jupiter and its 4 biggest moons
- Add more free parts
- Add tutorial on how to build
- Improve realism
- Add space stations
- Add more capsules
- Add bigger fuel tanks
- Add bigger rocket booster fuel
- Add more detailed graphics
- Add more parts to build planes
- Add a tutorial for maneuvers
In-app purchases
3,2,1 Launch!
No in-app purchases
Ellipse
- Large Parts$2.99
- Heavy Lift Program$4.99
- Expansion$4.99
Questions
Is 3,2,1 Launch! free?
Is Ellipse free?
Which has better reviews, 3,2,1 Launch! or Ellipse?
Do 3,2,1 Launch! or Ellipse have ads?
Which is updated more often, 3,2,1 Launch! or Ellipse?
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