Grid Swarm vs NOVA STRIKER
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Grid Swarm
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You are outnumbered. Outgunned. Surrounded on all sides. It doesn't matter. You're about to become the most dangerous thing on the grid. Grid Swarm: Survivors is a retro roguelite bullet-hell where you dodge, upgrade, and obliterate wave after wave of relentless swarms. Every run builds differently. Every build feels broken in the best way. [Become Overpowered] Choose from 100+ upgrades each run to craft builds that shred through hordes. Stack damage, chain effects, and watch the screen fill with destruction of your own making. [Survive the Swarm] Waves of enemies swarm from every direction in pure bullet-hell chaos. Boss fights hit hard. Massive hordes push harder. Survive long enough and you'll become untouchable. [No Two Runs Are the Same] Roguelite progression means every session is a fresh challenge. Unlock new power combinations, discover hidden synergies, and chase that perfect run. [Pick Up and Play] Quick sessions designed for mobile. Whether you have 5 minutes or 5 hours, one more run is always one tap away. [Features] - 100+ upgrades with deep combo potential - Bullet-hell swarm combat with boss fights - Retro arcade aesthetic with modern roguelite depth - Autoplay mode to watch your best builds in action - Fast sessions - perfect for mobile If you love Vampire Survivors, Brotato, or 20 Minutes Till Dawn - you'll feel right at home. Download free. Survive everything.
NOVA STRIKER
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A retro '90s-style vertical bullet-hell shooter you can play with one finger โ free, and fully playable offline. Weave through walls of bullets across 3 stages and massive boss battles. Skim past enemy fire to "graze" for score and bomb gauge, and turn the tables with screen-clearing bombs. Clear everything, and a hidden true battle awaits. โ Features - Intuitive controls: drag to move, auto-fire, double-tap to bomb โ one-handed play - Graze system: near-misses are the path to high scores - 3 stages + more: unique midbosses, bosses, and a hidden final boss - Achievements & rankings: 14 achievements and global rankings (with per-language boards) - Difficulty options: EASY / NORMAL / HARD - 17 languages supported, works offline โ How to Play 1. Drag to move (your ship fires automatically) 2. Double-tap to trigger a bomb (clears enemy bullets) 3. Graze enemy bullets for bonus score 4. Watch a short video to revive after game over and push on for the clear Note: This game contains flashing lights. Player discretion is advised for those with photosensitivity. โ Made for players who enjoy - A retro arcade shooter, pixel art, neon lights, and a tense trip through space - A quick game during a break, or a longer high-score and score-attack session at home - Learning to dodge patterns with one hand in portrait mode instead of aiming every shot - Starting on EASY, settling into NORMAL, then taking on the hardcore density of HARD โ A score run with choices NOVA STRIKER is a danmaku-style shmup where reading a pattern matters as much as reflexes. Your ship fires on its own, leaving you free to steer through the gaps. A close dodge earns graze and fills the bomb gauge, so a daring line can be worth more than a safe one. Spend a bomb to clear a crowded screen, or save it for a boss phase: each run is a chance to refine that decision. โ Reasons to return The three stages are built around distinct enemy waves, midbosses, and boss battles, culminating in the hidden final boss. Choose the pace that suits you: EASY introduces the flow, NORMAL rewards consistency, and HARD asks for careful routing through thicker bullet patterns. Chase all 14 achievements, improve your high-score, and compare results on global leaderboards with separate boards by language. โ Play on your terms This is a free single-player action game for portrait smartphones, designed for a few spare minutes or repeated practice. It works offline, so a connection is not required to fly and dodge. A rewarded video is offered only when you choose to revive after game over; there are no forced ads interrupting play. With drag movement, auto-fire, and a double-tap bomb, it stays focused on the arcade rhythm. Price: Free (rewarded ads only โ no forced ads) Supports: Smartphones (portrait)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: NOVA STRIKER at every 2 days against Grid Swarm's every 2 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Grid Swarm ships an update every 2 weeks, NOVA STRIKER every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Grid Swarm | NOVA STRIKER |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 days โ better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod โ better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.0 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 101 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Amir Ardroudi | JOIN CIRCLE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY |
In-app purchases
Grid Swarm
No in-app purchases
NOVA STRIKER
No in-app purchases





