# Astro Wars vs Blue Box Simulator

The clearest difference is price: Blue Box Simulator at Free against Astro Wars's $1.99. Blue Box Simulator also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 12 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). Astro Wars's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Blue Box Simulator is free to download; Astro Wars costs $1.99 up front. Blue Box Simulator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Astro Wars asks for nothing beyond the download.

Blue Box Simulator holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blue Box Simulator has 108 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Astro Wars's written reviews are positive against 79% of Blue Box Simulator's.

Astro Wars ships an update every 12 months, Blue Box Simulator every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astro Wars | Blue Box Simulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-wars/id665882635/reviews) | **[4.5 (108 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-box-simulator/id1557069711/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **108** |
| Positive reviews | 69.4% of reviews | **79.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 28 MB | 2.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rob Wilmot](https://appshunter.io/developer/520672432) | [Jesus Garces Villarrubia](https://appshunter.io/developer/1518826992) |

## What reviewers say

### Astro Wars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-wars/id665882635)

Relive the 80s with an accurate emulation of a classic tabletop arcade game. Experience authentic retro sounds, graphics, and gameplay with multiple attack waves and a challenging ship docking sequence.

**Highlights:** Accurate simulation of classic handheld machine, Full retro sound effects, Four waves of attack, Simple and addictive gameplay, Nostalgic 80s experience, Ship docking challenge

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Nostalgia trip
- 💯 Accurate recreation
- 🎶 Authentic sounds
- 🕹️ Classic gameplay
- 👍 Simple fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Poor controls
- 🐌 Laggy controls
- 🤷 Unresponsive controls
- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🚫 Doesn't work

**Reported bugs**

- Lag on left right controls
- Constant crashing
- Controls don't work
- Black screen
- Joystick works poorly

**Requested features**

- Improve slider control responsiveness
- Fix docking sequence timing
- Make controls more positive
- Expand responsive area for controls
- Fix lander level movement


### Blue Box Simulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blue-box-simulator/id1557069711)

Embark on interstellar journeys with a virtual time and space machine. Explore planets, engage in manual flight with warp capabilities, or utilize autopilot for guided expeditions. Experience time travel through a vortex for ultimate exploration.

**Highlights:** Time and space travel simulation, Manual flight with warp capabilities, Autopilot for guided navigation, Time vortex travel, Planet exploration, Superluminal speed travel

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Access to the 3D Earth | $0.99 | per month |
| Cup of tea | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All The Extra Content | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic game
- 👍 Great graphics and gameplay
- 🎨 Awesome TARDIS interiors
- 🎮 Immersive Doctor Who experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and glitches
- 🤖 Lack of alien species/enemies
- 🗺️ Limited planets and locations
- 🔌 Performance issues on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing when trying to land on planets
- Chameleon circuit issues causing problems
- Google Maps API unavailability
- Controls and navigation not always intuitive

**Requested features**

- Add 13th, 14th, and 15th Doctor's TARDIS interiors
- Implement more rooms and areas to explore within the TARDIS
- Introduce quests, companions, and other Doctor Who elements
- Optimize performance and stability across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astro Wars free?

Astro Wars costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Blue Box Simulator free?

Blue Box Simulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Astro Wars or Blue Box Simulator?

Blue Box Simulator is rated higher. Astro Wars averages 4.2 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Blue Box Simulator averages 4.5 from 108 ratings.

### Do Astro Wars or Blue Box Simulator have ads?

Blue Box Simulator shows ads; Astro Wars does not.

### Which is updated more often, Astro Wars or Blue Box Simulator?

Astro Wars ships an update every 12 months, and Blue Box Simulator every 2 weeks. Most recently, Astro Wars was updated on October 13, 2026 and Blue Box Simulator on October 15, 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.*