Comparison

Retro Golf vs Tidal Orbit

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

Head to head
About

Retro Golf

Experience classic 8-bit golf with intuitive controls and challenging courses. Master your swing with a two-tap system, navigate hazards, and aim for hole-in-ones. Unlock challenges and earn trophies in this nostalgic arcade-style game.

Highlights
  • 8-bit pixel art graphics
  • Intuitive two-tap swing control
  • Skill-based gameplay
  • Full 9-hole course
  • Challenge modes
  • Trophy achievements
Features
Read full description

Tee off in style with Retro Golf, a charming top-down golf game featuring gorgeous 8-bit pixel art graphics inspired by classic NES games. Master the art of the perfect swing with our intuitive two-tap control system. Time your power, nail your accuracy, and watch your ball soar across beautifully crafted holes. But be careful — water hazards, bunkers, and tricky terrain await! FEATURES • Classic Arcade Feel — Crisp pixel art visuals and satisfying sound effects bring back the golden age of gaming • Skill-Based Gameplay — Master the oscillating power meter and accuracy timing for the perfect shot • Intuitive Putting — Simple drag-back controls make sinking putts feel natural • Full 9-Hole Course — Play through Lakeside Links featuring water hazards, sand traps, and challenging layouts • Challenge Mode — Unlock special challenges after completing a course, featuring collectible mid-air targets • Hole in One Challenge — Test your precision in this addictive mini-game where every shot counts • Trophy Room — Earn achievements for birdies, eagles, hole-in-ones, and more • Quick Sessions — Perfect for gaming on the go — play a quick hole or a full round EASY TO LEARN, HARD TO MASTER Tap to set your target, tap to lock your power, tap for accuracy. Three taps to glory — but timing is everything. Push your power past 100% for extra distance, but watch out for the dreaded CHUNK shot! Download now and experience golf the way it was meant to be played — one pixel at a time

About

Tidal Orbit

A one-button arcade game where players control an orb's momentum by tapping to switch its gravitational pull. Navigate through five distinct worlds, each with unique visuals, and utilize a "start from" feature to resume progress. The game offers simple controls, offline play, and no account requirements.

Highlights
  • One-button controls
  • Momentum-based gameplay
  • Five distinct worlds
  • Progress saving
  • Offline play
  • No account required
Features
Read full description

Tidal Orbit is a one-button arcade game about momentum. Your orb is pulled between two forces — tap to flip which one has you. That's the whole control. But the orb swings like a pendulum, so every tap is a commitment. Climb through five orbitals, each a different world to discover. Reach one and you can Start From it next time — pick up your journey where you left off. • One-button, pick-up-and-play controls • Five distinct worlds • Hand-built space visuals • Earn coins, continue your run • Plays fully offline. No accounts. Simple to learn. Hard to put down.

Screenshots

Retro Golf4 screens
Tidal Orbit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tidal Orbit at 5.0 against Retro Golf's 4.2. Tidal Orbit also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Retro Golf sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Tidal Orbit asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tidal Orbit holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 10 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retro Golf ships an update every 2 weeks, Tidal Orbit every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Retro Golf versus Tidal Orbit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetro GolfTidal Orbit
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (13 ratings)5.0 (10 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings13 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChris LarsonMARCUS ARCILLA SCHAEFER

Customer experience

Retro Golf

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Tidal Orbit

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Retro Golf

One-time2
  • Remove Ads$1.99
  • English2 variants$2.99
None

Tidal Orbit

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Retro Golf free?
Retro Golf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tidal Orbit free?
Tidal Orbit is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Retro Golf or Tidal Orbit?
Tidal Orbit is rated higher. Retro Golf averages 4.2 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Tidal Orbit averages 5.0 from 10 ratings.
Do Retro Golf or Tidal Orbit have ads?
Retro Golf shows ads; Tidal Orbit does not.
Which is updated more often, Retro Golf or Tidal Orbit?
Retro Golf ships an update every 2 weeks, and Tidal Orbit every 4 weeks. Most recently, Retro Golf was updated on November 5, 2026 and Tidal Orbit on October 31, 2026.

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