Comparison

CrashPlayer vs Starshard

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

Head to head
About

CrashPlayer

This app allows you to play games created with Crash BASIC, a retro-inspired programming language. Organize your game library, save your progress with optional iCloud sync, and enjoy controller support. It's a privacy-focused player with no ads or analytics.

Highlights
  • Play .crashcart game files
  • Organize game library with icons
  • Search and sort games
  • Per-game save files
  • Optional iCloud sync for saves
  • MFi and Bluetooth controller support
  • Privacy-focused, no ads or tracking
Features
Read full description

CrashPlayer is the official player for Crash BASIC — a modern, retro-inspired programming language for creating games. PLAY CRASH BASIC GAMES Open and play .crashcart game files on your iPhone or iPad. These files are created by developers and hobbyists using the Crash BASIC programming environment. YOUR GAME LIBRARY • Organize your games in a clean grid view with automatic icon extraction • Search and sort by name, author, or recently played • View game details including author, version, and description • Track your recently played games SAVE YOUR PROGRESS • Per-game save files stored on your device • Optional iCloud sync keeps saves across your devices • Manage save files from the game detail screen CONTROLLER SUPPORT • Full support for MFi and Bluetooth game controllers • Touch controls for supported games HOW IT WORKS Create a game using Crash BASIC at crashbasic.com Export it as a CrashCart bundle Import the .crashcart file using Files, AirDrop, or the share sheet Play GETTING STARTED CrashPlayer works with .crashcart files. You can: • Create your own games using Crash BASIC (free for non-commercial use) • Open CrashCart files shared with you • Import files via the Files app, email attachments, or AirDrop PRIVACY FOCUSED CrashPlayer does not collect personal data. No analytics, no tracking, no ads. Your games and save data stay on your device or in your private iCloud account if enabled. CrashPlayer does not include a storefront or purchasing functionality. Crash BASIC is designed to be easy to learn while still powerful enough to create complete games. Visit www.crashbasic.com to learn more.

About

Starshard

Engage in a fair vertical space shooter with no pay-to-win mechanics. Dodge bullet storms, collect power-ups, and draft unique builds with upgrade choices after each boss. Explore campaign and endless modes, and unlock permanent gear for your chosen ship.

Highlights
  • Vertical space shooter gameplay
  • No pay-to-win or energy timers
  • Procedural build drafting with upgrades
  • Epic boss battles with multiple phases
  • Permanent gear and ship unlocks
  • Campaign and endless game modes
Features
Read full description

Three fleets came out of the dark and took the lanes one by one. Command has one hull left to send — yours. Starshard is a vertical space shooter built on one promise: FAIR PLAY. No pay-to-win. No energy timers. Just you, your ship, and endless waves of alien fleets — now fully playable in English and Turkish. DODGE. BLAST. SURVIVE. Weave through bullet storms with one finger. Collect power-ups, charge your weapons, and carve through six enemy types — from swarming scouts to armor-plated frigates — plus elite gold variants that hit harder and fly faster. DRAFT YOUR BUILD, EVERY RUN Defeat a boss and choose 1 of 3 upgrades: side cannons, homing missiles, piercing lasers, combat drones, tail guns, flak rounds and more. Every run builds differently. Every choice matters. EPIC BOSS BATTLES Three alien dreadnought factions guard the void, each with its own attack patterns — bullet curtains, radial bursts, summoned reinforcements. Push them past half health and face their enraged second phase. BUILD YOUR HANGAR Earn shards and unlock permanent gear: escort wingmen, drone bays, shield generators, afterburners. Choose your ship — the balanced Interceptor, the nimble Falcon, or the heavy Titan — and equip a loadout that fits your style. CAMPAIGN + ENDLESS Clear campaign missions with hand-crafted enemy compositions, or chase your record in endless mode across deep space, planetary sectors, and asteroid fields. Climb the pilot ranks from Cadet to legend. FAIR MONETIZATION • No pay-to-win, no energy timers, no subscriptions • Optional rewarded ads for a revive or bonus crystals; a short ad between runs, never mid-fight • One purchase removes all ads, forever • Everything is earnable by playing The void is waiting, pilot. How far will you fly?

Screenshots

CrashPlayer3 screens
Starshard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CrashPlayer at 5.0 against Starshard's 4.0. CrashPlayer also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). Starshard's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ratings volume 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. Starshard sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. CrashPlayer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CrashPlayer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CrashPlayer ships an update every 4 days, Starshard every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 3 level
CrashPlayer versus Starshard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCrashPlayerStarshard
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB85 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperCrash Continuum LLCBurak Emre Nevruzoglu

In-app purchases

None

CrashPlayer

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Starshard

One-time2
  • Shard Doubler$1.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99

Questions

Is CrashPlayer free?
CrashPlayer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Starshard free?
Starshard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, CrashPlayer or Starshard?
CrashPlayer is rated higher. CrashPlayer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Starshard averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do CrashPlayer or Starshard have ads?
Starshard shows ads; CrashPlayer does not.
Which is updated more often, CrashPlayer or Starshard?
CrashPlayer ships an update every 4 days, and Starshard every 3 weeks. Most recently, CrashPlayer was updated on November 5, 2026 and Starshard on October 31, 2026.

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