Comparison

Alien Barrage vs Aether Vanguard

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

Head to head
About

Alien Barrage

Defend Earth from relentless alien invaders in this fast-paced retro arcade shooter. Dodge plasma, collect powerups, and survive challenging boss battles. Compete on global leaderboards for the highest score and wave survived.

Highlights
  • Touch-and-drag controls with automatic firing
  • Endless escalating waves of alien enemies
  • Bonus Rounds and Boss Battles
  • Collectible powerups and screen-clearing bombs
  • Unlockable ships and difficulty modes
  • Game Center leaderboards and achievements
Features
Read full description

Defend Earth from endless alien waves in this fast-paced retro arcade shooter. Collect powerups, survive boss battles, and climb the global leaderboards. Touch and drag to move your ship while it fires automatically, dodge incoming plasma, and clear wave after wave of invading aliens before they reach the bottom. What starts as a classic arcade battle quickly escalates into a tougher survival challenge, with faster enemies, more pressure, and bigger rewards the longer you last. Alien Barrage mixes traditional formation-based waves with special events that keep every run fresh. Every 4th level is a Bonus Round, where aliens break formation and streak across the screen in unpredictable patterns for extra points. Every 7th level is a Boss Level, featuring a massive enemy that absorbs heavy damage, fires missiles, and gets tougher each time it returns. Powerups can turn the tide in an instant. Collect Rapid Fire to double your fire rate, Spread Shot to blast multiple enemies at once, Shield to absorb a hit, and Extra Life to stay in the fight longer. When things get desperate, unleash a bomb to clear the screen and save your run. Choose how you want to play with Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty modes, each offering a different challenge level and score potential. Fly the default Classic Ship or unlock the Dual Cannon ship for permanent double firepower. Compete on Game Center leaderboards for top score and highest wave survived, challenge your friends, and unlock achievements as you play. Whether you want a quick arcade session or a long high-score grind, Alien Barrage delivers classic shooter action with modern progression and competitive replay value. Features: - Touch-and-drag controls with automatic firing - Endless escalating waves of alien enemies - Bonus Rounds every 4th level - Boss battles every 7th level - UFO encounters, swooping aliens, and missile attacks - Four powerups: Rapid Fire, Spread Shot, Shield, and Extra Life - Screen-clearing bombs for clutch moments - Classic Ship plus unlockable Dual Cannon ship - Game Center leaderboards and achievements - Three difficulty modes for casual play or hardcore score chasing

About

Aether Vanguard

Features
Read full description

The galaxy needs a hero, and you are the last line of defense! Welcome to Aether Vanguard: Space Shooter, a thrilling top-down sci-fi arcade game where quick reflexes and strategic upgrades are your best tools for survival. Journey into a mesmerizing space adventure, navigate through waves of cosmic challenges, and build the ultimate fighter ship to overcome massive dreadnoughts. Explore. Survive. Upgrade! INTUITIVE ONE-FINGER CONTROLS Master the tactical "move-to-dodge, stop-to-shoot" mechanics. Drag your finger anywhere on the screen to pilot your vanguard through the stars. Release to unleash a continuous stream of auto-aimed plasma! DYNAMIC ACTION & DEEP UPGRADES Every run is a unique journey. Overcome alien challengers to collect glowing Aether Shards and level up mid-flight. Choose from a massive pool of temporary power-ups to create powerful and creative combo builds: Homing Missiles & Piercing Lasers: Clear your path from a safe distance. Tactical Mines & Shockwaves: Set clever traps and create breathing room in tight corners. Dash Boosts & Orbital Shields: Master your mobility to gracefully navigate the cosmic swarm. PERMANENT META-PROGRESSION Keep your banked Aether Shards even after your run concludes! Head to the Main Menu and spend your hard-earned loot to permanently upgrade your Base HP, Attack Power, and Movement Speed. Come back stronger and more capable for every single flight. EPIC BOSS ENCOUNTERS The alien swarm is vast, but the real test awaits. Every 5 levels, you will face off against massive, heavily armored Boss Ships. Learn their patterns, dodge their lasers, and outsmart them for massive Shard payouts. CUSTOMIZE YOUR FLEET Save up your Aether Shards to unlock premium cosmetic skins in the Hangar. Fly in style with legendary ships like the Stealth Blackout, the Neon Synthwave Dream, or the shining Golden Vanguard. DAILY REWARDS & LOOT Log in every day to play the Aether Card Flip minigame and claim free shards! Watch rewarded ads to double your run's earnings and unlock that next permanent upgrade even faster. Key Features at a glance: - Fast-paced, top-down space arcade action. - Engaging roguelite progression loop. - Dozens of unique weapon and ability combinations. - Permanent skill tree and stat upgrades. - Exciting boss encounters with unique patterns. - Unlockable spaceship skins and cosmetic engine trails. - Play anywhere: perfect for quick, highly replayable gaming sessions! Do you have what it takes to navigate the cosmic swarm? Download Aether Vanguard: Space Shooter now and start your adventure!

Screenshots

Alien Barrage4 screens
Aether Vanguard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Alien Barrage at none against Aether Vanguard's shown. Aether Vanguard's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. Alien Barrage sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Aether Vanguard sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Alien Barrage versus Aether Vanguard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlien BarrageAether Vanguard
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB84 MB
Age rating12+9+
Developerarnold biffnaGihan Lakshan

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Alien Barrage

One-time6
  • 3 Revives$0.99
  • 10 Revives$1.99
  • 10 Extra Bombs.$1.99
Show 3 more
  • Dual Shooter Ship$2.99
  • 40 revives$4.99
  • 100 Revives$9.99
4 purchases

Aether Vanguard

One-time4
  • Aether Handful$0.49
  • Aether Cache$0.99
  • Vanguards Hord$1.49
Show 1 more
  • The Omega Core$2.49

Questions

Is Alien Barrage free?
Alien Barrage is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Aether Vanguard free?
Aether Vanguard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Alien Barrage or Aether Vanguard have ads?
Aether Vanguard shows ads; Alien Barrage does not.

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