ArcadeMania vs Pixelcade
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ArcadeMania
Relive classic arcade, computer, and electronic games from over three decades. This app utilizes the MAME emulation core to support thousands of titles, offering enhanced graphics and extensive controller support for an authentic retro gaming experience.
- Supports 5,000+ arcade games
- MAME 0.278 emulation core
- Native Metal Graphics Renderer
- Custom Shaders and HDR Support
- Full controller support (Xbox, PS, Switch)
- Save States and Cheats
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ArcadeMania lets you play arcade games from the past 30+ years on your device. It supports over 5,000 arcade games as well as vintage computers and electronic games, and uses the open source MAME (version 0.278) as the emulation core. ROM files are not included and must be provided by you. You may import ROMs using the file import functionality, or via the Files app. Some notable features, built specifically for this iOS version: Graphics - Native Metal Graphics Renderer - Custom Shaders - HDR Support Game Controllers - Full support: Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and Switch controllers supported - Touch Screen Lightgun - Touch Screen Analog - Hardware Keyboard Support Built-in MAME features: - Save States - Cheats
Pixelcade
This companion app allows users to manage their Pixelcade LED and LCD marquees. Browse, update, and change settings for your marquee artwork and access widgets. Connect wirelessly over Wi-Fi for a seamless experience.
- Browse Pixelcade artwork
- Update marquee artwork
- Change marquee settings
- Access Pixelcade widgets (LED only)
- Wi-Fi connectivity
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The Pixelcade Companion App enhances your experience with Pixelcade LED and LCD marquees by allowing you to browse Pixelcade artwork, update artwork, change settings, and access Pixelcade widgets (LED only). Connect seamlessly to your Pixelcade marquee over Wi-Fi, ensuring both devices are on the same network. Please note, Pixelcade LED software version 5.8 or higher is required for Pixelcade LED marquees. Learn more about Pixelcade arcade marquees at http://pixelcade.org.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Pixelcade at free against ArcadeMania's paid. Pixelcade also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs monthly). ArcadeMania's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (122 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ArcadeMania holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcadeMania has 122 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
ArcadeMania ships an update monthly, Pixelcade every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and July 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ArcadeMania | Pixelcade |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (122 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 74.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 122 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 300 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Infinite Evolution Technologies | OPEN GADGETS LLC |
Customer experience
ArcadeMania
Pixelcade
Bugs and requests
ArcadeMania
Reported bugs
2 issues- Crashes on iPad with iOS 16.7.11
- Crashes on iPad with iPadOS 13.5
Requested features
2 requests- Support for 8Bitdo Bluetooth controllers
- Fix for game mode not working
Pixelcade
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ArcadeMania
No in-app purchases
Pixelcade
No in-app purchases
