R.TYPE vs Sky Force
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
R.TYPE
Experience a classic arcade shooter reborn for modern devices. Battle the evil Bydo Empire across eight challenging levels, utilizing a variety of weapons and power-ups. This faithful adaptation offers both original difficulty and enhanced touch controls for an authentic retro gaming experience.
- Classic arcade shoot 'em up gameplay
- Eight challenging levels
- Multiple weapon upgrades and power-ups
- Two difficulty settings
- Touch and virtual D-pad controls
- Unlockable achievements and leaderboards
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R-TYPE, THE CLASSIC ARCADE SHOOTER, RETURNS AS A UNIVERSAL APP! Revisit the 80's (mesh half-shirts and Keds optional) with this classic, old-school shoot 'em up! One of the decade’s most popular arcade games will awaken fond memories of jangling quarters, Jolt Cola and week-old popcorn. Fire up your iPhone or iPad and get ready to go back... to R-Type! FEEL THE BLAST! Blast off and attack the evil Bydo Empire. Use everything in your arsenal to take them down – don’t be shy! It's retro, it's fun and it's a “10” on the difficulty scale. Finish this masterpiece and carve your name amongst the greats! INCLUDES THE ORIGINAL FEATURES… Remember how damnably difficult R-Type was? Well it still is, because we stayed true to the original, just the way you remember it! Choose between two difficulty settings, utilize two different control options and soar through eight jam-packed levels, each with its own unique boss. Upgrade to new weapons, power-ups, and attachments as you battle wave after wave of enemies. ... AND SOME NEW FEATURES TOO! - Universal version - Enhanced Touch mode - Eight levels and two different control options: touch and virtual D-pad - Two difficulty settings - Available in 10 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Portuguese - Full Retina Display support - Game Center: unlockable achievements + online leaderboards
Sky Force
Experience a classic arcade shooter reborn with stunning 3D graphics and intuitive touch controls. Upgrade your ship, battle intense bosses, and compete in weekly tournaments against other players. Rescue fallen pilots for rewards and achieve victory in this action-packed scrolling shooter.
- Stunning 3D graphics
- Intuitive touchscreen controls
- Powerful ship upgrade system
- Weekly player tournaments
- Rescue fallen pilots for rewards
- Multiple boss battles
- In-game achievements
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Sky Force - The Legendary Shoot'em Up Reborn for a New Generation Sky Force is a modern arcade shoot'em up that brings classic top-down shooter action back to mobile with explosive 3D visuals, satisfying progression, and endless replay value. The skies are burning. Enemy squadrons, towering war machines, and colossal bosses stand between you and victory. Strap into the cockpit, push the throttle, and rediscover one of the most acclaimed airplane games ever made. A Classic SHMUP Experience, Rebuilt for Modern Players Inspired by the golden age of vertical arcade shooters, Sky Force 2014 combines fast-paced aerial combat with smooth touch controls, handcrafted enemy waves, and intense bullet-dodging action. Every mission challenges your reflexes, your timing, and your ability to stay calm when the screen fills with fire. Whether you are a longtime fan of classic shoot'em up games, a bullet hell veteran, or discovering the genre for the first time, Sky Force delivers a polished, accessible, and deeply rewarding arcade experience. Explosive 3D Action on Mobile Sky Force takes the classic top-down shooter formula and upgrades it with detailed 3D environments, cinematic explosions, dynamic effects, and beautifully designed battlefields. Fight across oceans, scorched war zones, and storm-filled skies as you blast through enemy forces and push deeper into the campaign. Every stage is built to feel fast, readable, and satisfying - perfect for quick mobile sessions, but deep enough to keep you coming back for perfect runs. Play online or take the action offline anywhere you go. Epic Boss Battles That Test Your Skill Massive flying fortresses. Mechanized war machines. Screen-filling enemies armed with devastating bullet patterns. Sky Force's boss battles are designed to be both spectacular and demanding. Learn their attacks, dodge incoming fire, strike at the right moment, and prove you have what it takes to become an ace pilot. Upgrade Your Ship and Master Every Mission This is more than a one-run arcade shooter. Sky Force rewards persistence, precision, and smart upgrades. Collect stars, improve your aircraft, and return stronger after every mission. Upgrade your main cannon, side guns, magnets, shields, missiles, and special weapons. Rescue civilians, complete objectives, unlock new difficulty levels, and chase medals as you work toward 100% completion. Every run matters. Every upgrade brings you closer to building the ultimate fighter. Built for Replayability Sky Force is easy to start, but hard to master. Replay missions on higher difficulties, improve your score, perfect your routes, and compete for better results. With multiple objectives, upgrades, medals, tournaments, and leaderboards, every level gives you a reason to return. Why Players Love Sky Force - Classic vertical shoot 'em up gameplay reimagined for modern devices - Intuitive touch controls designed for fast arcade action - Explosive 3D visuals, cinematic effects, and detailed environments - Deep aircraft upgrade system with meaningful progression - Massive bosses and intense bullet hell combat - Multiple difficulty modes for casual players and hardcore arcade fans - Missions, medals, tournaments, and leaderboards for long-term replay value - Retro arcade soul with modern mobile polish - Plays online or offline, anywhere you go Take to the Skies Sky Force is a love letter to classic arcade shooters - fast, explosive, challenging, and endlessly satisfying. It is the airplane game that redefined mobile shoot 'em ups and continues to thrill millions of pilots worldwide. Download Sky Force free, upgrade your aircraft, and fight your way through one of the most iconic plane shooter experiences ever made. The war for the skies has begun. The leaderboard is waiting. Take off now.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Sky Force at Free against R.TYPE's $1.99. Sky Force also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.4) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 25 months). R.TYPE's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On 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
Sky Force is free to download; R.TYPE costs $1.99 up front. Sky Force sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. R.TYPE asks for nothing beyond the download.
Sky Force holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sky Force has 2.1K ratings behind it against 62, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of R.TYPE's written reviews are positive against 89% of Sky Force's.
R.TYPE ships an update every 25 months, Sky Force every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | R.TYPE | Sky Force |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.4 (62 ratings) | 4.7 (2.1K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 61.9% of reviews | 89.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 62 | 2.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 25 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 260 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | DotEmu | Infinite Dreams |
Customer experience
R.TYPE
Sky Force
User reviews
R.TYPE
From 62 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Arcade-perfect port
- 👍 Faithful to the original
- 👍 Great retro experience
- 👍 Customizable controls
- 👍 Works well on iPad
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy on newer devices
- 🐛 Unresponsive controls
- 🐛 Covers too much of the screen
- 🐛 Laggy performance
Sky Force
From 2.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Great graphics and sound
- 💎 Challenging but rewarding
- 🎮 Classic arcade-style shooter
- 🔋 Offline playable
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- ⏱️ Slow progression and long upgrade times
- 💰 Grindy to progress without in-app purchases
- 👎 Controls can be frustrating on mobile
Bugs and requests
R.TYPE
Reported bugs
4 issues- Ship randomly jumps to the right side
- Buttons overlap and obscure gameplay
- Crashes and freezes on iOS 13+
- Compatibility issues on iPhone 12 and newer
Requested features
4 requests- Support for Bluetooth controllers
- Option to resize/reposition controls
- Difficulty settings/modes
- Improved sound quality
Sky Force
Reported bugs
3 issues- Game crashes on launch for some users
- Saved progress not syncing across devices
- Ads not working as expected
Requested features
4 requests- More levels and content updates
- Controller support
- Ability to reset progress
- Customization options for the ship
In-app purchases
R.TYPE
No in-app purchases
Sky Force
- Precious Cargo$1.99
- Ads Removal$3.99
- Plane Generator$3.99
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