Comparison

Retro vs Last Mantis

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

Head to head
About

Retro

Engage in fast-paced, alien-blasting action across exotic planets. Master unique boss battles and upgrade your arsenal as you fight to be the last survivor. Choose between a classic or a vibrant neon remastered experience.

Highlights
  • Fast-paced 80s arcade shooting
  • Classic and Neon remastered editions
  • Kill-based weapon upgrades
  • Unique enemy and boss encounters
  • Synthwave soundtrack
  • Portrait mode design
Read full description

The world is gone — and you're the only one left to settle the score. Battle through action-packed levels across exotic alien planets, face relentless waves of sci-fi monsters, and go head-to-head with a unique, devastating boss in every single level. Upgrade your weapons, master each enemy's attack pattern, and push your reflexes to the absolute limit. NEON EDITION. REMASTERED. Switch between the remastered Classic edition and Neon Edition from the arcade cabinet. Classic keeps its familiar arcade challenge with reworked visuals and effects. Neon brings its own look, synthwave soundtrack and combat dynamics. WEAPONS THAT GROW WITH YOUR KILLS In Neon Edition, defeat enemies to fill the kill meter and climb the weapon ladder. More kills mean stronger weapons. 20 LEVELS ACROSS TWO EDITIONS Take on 10 Classic levels and 10 Neon levels, each with its own world and final boss. Features: - Fast-paced shooting inspired by classic 80s arcade games - A remastered Classic edition and a distinct Neon theme - Kill-based weapon upgrades in Neon Edition - Unique enemy attacks and a boss at the end of every level - An original soundtrack, with synthwave music for Neon Edition - Designed for portrait play on iPhone Do you have what it takes to be the Last Man Standing? In-App Purchase Information: Optional gear packs can help during levels. Purchases are not required. The game includes advertising.

About

Last Mantis

Features
Read full description

THE GARDEN IS FULL OF BUGS. YOU ARE THE LAST MANTIS. They come from every side: maggots, beetles, wasps, spiders. You run, you strike, you grow. And when the pack closes in, you stop time. STOP TIME, THEN CUT Fill the blue bar with kills. Tap it whenever you want and the world freezes. Now draw your path with your finger: curves, loops, hooks, straight through the thickest part of the swarm. Let go and the mantis races along your line and tears apart everything on it. GROW WITH EVERY LEVEL Collect crystals, pick from three cards after every wave. Orbs that circle you. Chain lightning. A swarm of flies that becomes fireflies, then wasps. A shadow that strikes behind your back. Longer arms, sharper blades, a wider swath. MOLT INTO SOMETHING WORSE At the right moment you shed your skin. Become the ice mantis and freeze what touches you, or the fire mantis and leave a burning trail behind. Your old shell stays behind as bait. TEN LEVELS, THEN ENDLESS Every level has its own ground, its own bugs and its own final wave. Stars you earn make the next mantis stronger from the start. After level ten it never stops. NO ACCOUNT. NO LOGIN. Your progress stays on your device. How long does the last mantis last?

Screenshots

Retro4 screens
Last Mantis4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Last Mantis at none against Retro's 5. Last Mantis also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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. Retro sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Last Mantis asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Retro ships an update weekly, Last Mantis every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Retro versus Last Mantis: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetroLast Mantis
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size308 MB131 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperRockVine GamesFatos Gashi

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Retro

One-time5
  • Time Warp Pack$0.99
  • Photon Shield Pack$0.99
  • Ion Sweep Pack$0.99
Show 2 more
  • Full Set Bundle$1.99
  • Unlock Full Game$2.99
None

Last Mantis

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Retro free?
Retro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Last Mantis free?
Last Mantis is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Retro or Last Mantis have ads?
Retro shows ads; Last Mantis does not.
Which is updated more often, Retro or Last Mantis?
Retro ships an update weekly, and Last Mantis every 4 days. Most recently, Retro was updated on November 9, 2026 and Last Mantis on November 6, 2026.

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