Comparison

Nativeblocks connect vs Emulator for Pico

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Nativeblocks connect

Features
Read full description

Build, preview, and manage your Nativeblocks projects using just your iOS device. Nativeblocks Connect is a mobile companion for developers and teams building UI with Nativeblocks. It lets you preview dynamic layouts in real time, test interactions on real devices, and switch between development and production environments instantly. No rebuilds. No waiting. Just connect to your project and see exactly how it looks and feels on mobile.

About

Emulator for Pico

Experience the charm of Pico-8 games on your iOS device. This emulator allows you to play thousands of community-made cartridges natively, offering touch controls, save states, and multiplayer support.

Highlights
  • Native Pico-8 emulation
  • Import cartridges from Files/Safari
  • On-screen touch controls
  • Local multiplayer support
  • Save states with autosave option
  • Game library organization
  • Controller and keyboard support
Features
Read full description

The First Pico-8 Emulator on the App Store! PicPic brings the charming world of Pico-8 games to your iPhone, letting you play thousands of tiny, handcrafted games natively on iOS. What is Pico-8? Pico-8 is a fantasy console, a creative platform with deliberate constraints that inspire developers to build small, expressive games in 128x128 pixels with a 16-color palette. The result is a massive library of free, community-made games spanning every genre. Features: • Native Emulation – Play .p8 and .p8.png cartridges at full speed with audio. • Import Cartridges – Load games from Files, Safari, or import entire folders at once. • Touch Controls – On-screen D-pad or 360° analog joystick, designed for mobile play. • Multicart Games - Play larger adventures that span multiple cartridges. • Local Multiplayer - Share the fun with multi-controller support on cartridges built for more than one player. • Mouse & Touch Games – Play cartridges that use Pico-8's mouse/pointer input natively. • Save States – Save anytime and optionally enable autosave. • Game Library – Organize, add to favorites, search, and manage your cartridge collection. • Customizable Layout – Reposition and resize controls with the interactive editor. • Retro Aesthetic – Authentic 128×128 pixel display with the classic Pico-8 palette and optional filter. • Controller Support – Play with your favorite gamepad. • Keyboard Support – Full keyboard input on Mac and iPad. • Mac Support – Also runs natively on Mac M-Series. • Landscape Mode – Play in landscape or portrait at any time. • Haptic Feedback – Tactile response on every button press. • Personalization – Custom app icons and console themes, including OLED Black and Retro. • Starter Games – A few great games included so you can play right away. • Optimized for iPad – Adaptive layouts for all screen sizes. • No Ads – Clean, uninterrupted play. How It Works: Import Pico-8 cartridge files into your library. PicPic runs games natively: no web views, no streaming, no internet required. Terms & Conditions: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/ Privacy Policy: https://sa-moo-rai.com/about Note: this software is NOT related to Pico-8, or otherwise related to or supported by Lexaloffle Software

Screenshots

Nativeblocks connect3 screens
Emulator for Pico4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nativeblocks connect at none against Emulator for Pico's 1. Emulator for Pico's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and chart position (#190 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Emulator for Pico sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Nativeblocks connect asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nativeblocks connect ships an update every 2 months, Emulator for Pico every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Nativeblocks connect versus Emulator for Pico: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNativeblocks connectEmulator for Pico
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.6 (56 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—56 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free
Best chart rank—#190 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.1
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB23 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperNativeblocksValentin Dreyfus

In-app purchases

None

Nativeblocks connect

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Emulator for Pico

One-time1
  • One Time Donation$7.99

Questions

Is Nativeblocks connect free?
Nativeblocks connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Emulator for Pico free?
Emulator for Pico is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Nativeblocks connect or Emulator for Pico have ads?
Neither Nativeblocks connect nor Emulator for Pico shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Nativeblocks connect or Emulator for Pico?
Nativeblocks connect ships an update every 2 months, and Emulator for Pico every 10 days. Most recently, Nativeblocks connect was updated on October 28, 2026 and Emulator for Pico on November 9, 2026.

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