# Ugh! vs Phoenix 2

The clearest difference is ads: Ugh! at none against Phoenix 2's shown. Ugh! also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 73%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). Phoenix 2's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 21 months) and ratings volume (26K vs 67). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ugh! sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Phoenix 2 sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Ugh! against 4.7 for Phoenix 2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phoenix 2 has 26K ratings behind it against 67, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Ugh!'s written reviews are positive against 73% of Phoenix 2's.

Ugh! ships an update every 21 months, Phoenix 2 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ugh! | Phoenix 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ugh/id672699715/reviews) | [4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 67 | **26K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.1% of reviews** | 73.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 46 MB | 295 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Skyworks Interactive Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1636975812) | [Firi Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/361212278) |

## What reviewers say

### Ugh!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ugh/id672699715)

A brave caveman battles invading aliens with advanced weaponry. Run through alien worlds, using vaporizers and defenses to fight off intergalactic enemies. Experience fast-paced action with fantastic graphics and stereo audio.

**Highlights:** Battle intergalactic enemies, Unleash alien vaporizers, Use weapons and defenses, Warp to new worlds, Fast-paced action, Fantastic graphics

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pile of Eggs | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bunch of Eggs | $4.99 | one-time |
| Fistful of Hearts | $4.99 | one-time |
| Double Eggs | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cave of Eggs | $9.99 | one-time |
| Field of Eggs | $19.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Hearts | $19.99 | one-time |
| Mountain of Eggs | $49.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Hearts | $49.99 | one-time |
| Island of Eggs | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

-  addictive Highly addictive gameplay
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable
- 🎮 Great challenge
- 🚀 Fast gameplay
- 💡 Upgradable weapons and powers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😥 Dies too easily
- 💰 In-app purchase issues
- ❓ Unclear objectives
- 🔄 Progress loss on upgrade
- 💸 Perceived as a scam

**Reported bugs**

- In-app purchases not received
- Purchased items not unlocking
- Loss of purchased items on upgrade
- Mission objectives impossible to achieve
- Upgrade not making bullets more powerful

**Requested features**

- Update other games
- Save game progress
- Clarify egg colors
- Fix mission bugs
- Make main screen buttons work on iPad


### Phoenix 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689)

Blast through waves of alien invaders in this classic arcade space shooter. Collect and upgrade over 100 unique ships, complete exciting missions, and compete on global leaderboards. Enjoy short game sessions or an action-packed campaign with stunning graphics.

**Highlights:** Over 100 unique ships, Ship collection and upgrades, Action-packed campaign, Special abilities, Daily missions, Global leaderboards, Cross-platform play

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 800 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| VIP | $4.99 | one-time |
| 12000 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| 25000 Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $19.99 | one-time |
| 65000 Credits | $49.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $49.99 | one-time |
| 140K Credits | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic mobile game
- 🚀 Incredibly fun and addictive
- 🚀 Best bullet hell game on the phone
- 🚀 Easily the best bullet hell I've played
- 🚀 Amazing game for on the go fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Great Gameplay Ruined by Frustrating Ad Experience
- 💰 Supers aren't well implemented
- 💰 Micro-transactions too much
- 💰 Progression limited, hard to earn credits
- 🐛 Terrible, uninspiring compared to original Phoenix HD

**Reported bugs**

- Warp gate charge time bug
- Occasional crashes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add haptic feedback
- Implement an endless mode
- Allow players to customize ships
- Add a level creator
- Provide an offline mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ugh! free?

Ugh! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Phoenix 2 free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ugh! or Phoenix 2?

Ugh! and Phoenix 2 are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 67 and 26K ratings respectively.

### Do Ugh! or Phoenix 2 have ads?

Phoenix 2 shows ads; Ugh! does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ugh! or Phoenix 2?

Ugh! ships an update every 21 months, and Phoenix 2 every 3 weeks. Most recently, Ugh! was updated on September 30, 2026 and Phoenix 2 on October 3, 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.*