# Dolphin Emulator vs Cosmic Ascent

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cosmic Ascent at 100% against Dolphin Emulator's 19%. Cosmic Ascent also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.0). Dolphin Emulator's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (196 vs 5). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dolphin Emulator sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month and Cosmic Ascent sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cosmic Ascent holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dolphin Emulator has 196 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of Dolphin Emulator's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cosmic Ascent's.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dolphin Emulator | Cosmic Ascent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (196 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-emulator-basic/id6742373017/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-ascent/id6793204326/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **196** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 18.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | — | Every 3 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 10 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Irene Klein](https://appshunter.io/developer/1792015970) | [Erick Murillo](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785071784) |

## What reviewers say

### Dolphin Emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-emulator-basic/id6742373017)

Relive classic gaming with this emulator. Easily import ROMs, play in portrait or landscape, and save progress. Customize your sound and enjoy a seamless retro gaming experience.

**Highlights:** Import game ROMs, Portrait and landscape modes, Save and restore progress, Adjust sound effects, Ad-free premium option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $2.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 💡 Potential for Wii and GameCube support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with NES files
- 🐛 Confusing app name and description
- 🐛 Lack of Wii and GameCube support

**Reported bugs**

- NES games not loading properly
- Redirecting to premium version when trying to open NES files

**Requested features**

- Add support for GameCube and Wii games
- Add support for Sega Genesis
- Add support for PlayStation games


### Cosmic Ascent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-ascent/id6793204326)

Defend Earth from incoming threats by strategically placing orbiting satellites. Progress through a 30-level campaign, expanding your defenses from a single planet to entire star systems as your civilization climbs the Kardashev scale. Explore diverse enemy doctrines and colonize new worlds to fuel your galactic ascent.

**Highlights:** Orbital satellite defense, 30-level campaign, Gravity-bending mechanics, Planet colonization, Diverse enemy types, Generative soundtrack, Procedural art

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dolphin Emulator free?

Dolphin Emulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Cosmic Ascent free?

Cosmic Ascent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Dolphin Emulator or Cosmic Ascent?

Cosmic Ascent is rated higher. Dolphin Emulator averages 2.0 out of 5 from 196 ratings, while Cosmic Ascent averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Dolphin Emulator or Cosmic Ascent have ads?

Cosmic Ascent shows ads; Dolphin Emulator does not.

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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.*