Comparison

G.A.T.E.S. vs Orbital Tap

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

Head to head
About

G.A.T.E.S.

Experience the mobile game ads promised with this retro arcade shooter. Choose paths through gates to boost stats, build an army of ships, and blast through enemy waves and bosses. Unlock upgrades and skins to become stronger with every run.

Highlights
  • Gate path choices for stat boosts
  • Build and upgrade a fleet of ships
  • Retro arcade shooter gameplay
  • Multiple game modes (Arcade, Gambler, Boss Rush, Story)
  • Unlockable skins and permanent upgrades
  • Pixel art visuals and chiptune soundtrack
Features
Read full description

G.A.T.E.S. — Game Ads Teased, Experience Served You know those mobile game ads? The ones showing incredible gate-runner gameplay where you choose paths, multiply your army, and blast through enemies? Then you download the game and it's nothing like the ad? We built the game those ads promised. G.A.T.E.S. is a retro arcade shooter where you drag to move, auto-fire at enemy formations, and pass through gates that boost your stats. Choose your path wisely — every gate decision shapes your run. Fight through waves of enemies with unique behaviors, collect powerups, and face epic boss battles every 5 waves. CHOOSE YOUR PATH Pass through gates to boost damage, fire rate, spread, shields, projectiles, and more. Risk gates offer high reward for the daring. Mystery gates keep you guessing. BUILD YOUR ARMY Collect ships that fight alongside you. Watch your fleet grow from a lone fighter into a full squadron of upgraded warships. 4 GAME MODES - Arcade: Classic wave survival. How far can you go? - Gambler: Risk gates everywhere. High stakes, high rewards. - Boss Rush: Skip straight to the boss fights. - Story: Roguelite progression with credits, upgrades, and unlockable skins. UNLOCK & UPGRADE Earn credits to permanently upgrade your ship. Unlock 11 unique skins. Every run makes you stronger. RETRO VIBES Pixel art visuals inspired by Galaga and Space Invaders. Original chiptune soundtrack. CRT shader for authentic retro feel. FREE TO PLAY, FAIR TO PLAY No paywalls. No pay-to-win. All content is achievable through skill and mastery. Optional ads give you a boost, or remove them with a single purchase. Game Center leaderboards and achievements included.

About

Orbital Tap

Tap to change direction and dodge obstacles in this neon arcade game. Enjoy endless procedurally generated levels, collect gems, and unlock new skins. Designed for one-handed play and quick sessions.

Highlights
  • One-tap controls
  • Endless procedural levels
  • Collect glowing gems
  • Unlockable neon skins
  • Daily challenges
  • Global leaderboards
  • One-handed play
Features
Read full description

ORBITAL TAP — One Tap. Infinite Orbits. Tap to reverse your spin. Dodge the chaos. Survive the orbit. A pure neon arcade game built for one-handed play and "just one more run" energy. No tutorials. No clutter. Just rhythm, reflexes, and a glowing star at the center of it all. HOW IT WORKS You orbit a neon star. Spinning blades, drifting hazards, and pulsing rings sweep across your path. One tap flips your direction. Time it right and you survive. Get greedy and you don't. Every run is procedurally generated — no two orbits are ever the same. FEATURES One-tap controls — pick up in seconds, master over weeks Endless procedural levels — every run is brand new Glowing gems to collect on every orbit Dozens of unlockable neon skins for your orbiter and trail Daily challenges with bonus rewards Global leaderboards — climb to the top of the galaxy Buttery 60fps performance, optimized for iPhone and iPad Plays beautifully one-handed, perfect for commutes and quick breaks Haptic feedback that makes every near-miss feel electric ORBITAL TAP PRO — $0.99 Upgrade once, unlock forever: Zero ads, ever Exclusive premium skins and trail effects 2x gem bonus on every run Early access to new content drops A single tap. A one-time price. Yours for life. WHY PLAYERS LOVE IT "The kind of game I open without thinking." "Hypnotic. Fast. Fair." "Neon perfection in your pocket." BUILT FOR FLOW Orbital Tap is designed around one feeling: the moment your brain syncs with the rhythm of the orbit. No timers pressuring you. No energy systems blocking you. Just you, the star, and the next tap. How far can you spin?

Screenshots

G.A.T.E.S.4 screens
Orbital Tap4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: G.A.T.E.S. at none against Orbital Tap's 4. G.A.T.E.S. also leads on ratings volume (5 vs 1). Orbital Tap's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, rating, monetization model 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. Orbital Tap sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. G.A.T.E.S. asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for G.A.T.E.S. against 5.0 for Orbital Tap. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: G.A.T.E.S. has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

G.A.T.E.S. ships an update every 5 months, Orbital Tap every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
G.A.T.E.S. versus Orbital Tap: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterG.A.T.E.S.Orbital Tap
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB146 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKevin AlemanYuval Parker

In-app purchases

None

G.A.T.E.S.

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Orbital Tap

One-time4
  • Orbit Pro$0.99
  • 500 Gems$0.99
  • 3,000 Gems$4.99
Show 1 more
  • 10,000 Gems$9.99

Questions

Is G.A.T.E.S. free?
G.A.T.E.S. is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Orbital Tap free?
Orbital Tap is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, G.A.T.E.S. or Orbital Tap?
G.A.T.E.S. and Orbital Tap are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do G.A.T.E.S. or Orbital Tap have ads?
G.A.T.E.S. shows ads; Orbital Tap does not.
Which is updated more often, G.A.T.E.S. or Orbital Tap?
G.A.T.E.S. ships an update every 5 months, and Orbital Tap every 2 weeks. Most recently, G.A.T.E.S. was updated on October 23, 2026 and Orbital Tap on October 22, 2026.

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