Comparison

RetroPocket vs Nova Retro

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

Head to head
About

RetroPocket

Transform your iPhone into a high-performance classic gaming console. Enjoy your legally owned handheld games anytime, anywhere with a 100% offline, smooth, and battery-efficient experience. Easily import game files and start playing instantly.

Highlights
  • Offline gameplay
  • Smooth emulation
  • Seamless file import
  • Battery efficient
  • Custom hardware themes
  • Integrated cheat engine
Features
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RetroPocket – Your Classic Console, Anywhere Turn your iPhone into a powerful, high-performance classic gaming machine. With RetroPocket, you can enjoy your favorite legally owned handheld games anytime, anywhere, with a 100% offline experience. No internet required. No waiting. Just pure, optimized performance. WHY RETROPOCKET - Fully Offline Gameplay Play wherever you are. No Wi-Fi, no data, no interruptions. - Smooth & Responsive Advanced emulation core optimized for iOS to ensure fast performance and zero lag. - Seamless File Import Easily add your legally owned game files through the iOS Files app and start playing in seconds. - Battery Efficient Smart emulation designed to be gentle on your battery for extended gaming sessions. GO PRO – UNLOCK THE FULL EXPERIENCE Upgrade to RetroPocket Pro with a single one-time purchase to access exclusive features: - Custom Hardware Themes Personalize your experience with multiple shell colors and styles inspired by the history of handheld gaming. - Integrated Cheat Engine Enhance your gameplay by enabling custom codes via the built-in advanced cheat manager. - Lifetime Access One-time purchase, yours forever. No subscriptions, no hidden fees, no recurring costs. SIMPLE & FAST SETUP 1) Import your legally obtained game files via the Files app. 2) Select your game within RetroPocket. 3) Start playing instantly. No complicated configurations. Designed for ease of use. MADE FOR CLASSIC GAMING ENTHUSIASTS Whether you are revisiting childhood memories or discovering classic titles for the first time, RetroPocket provides the ultimate platform for mobile emulation. IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION RetroPocket does not include any games or ROM files. Users must provide their own game files. Please only use games that you have legally purchased and for which you own a physical copy. RetroPocket is an independent emulator software and is not affiliated with, nor authorized, endorsed, or licensed in any way by any console manufacturer or video game company. All trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.

About

Nova Retro

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Nova Retro is a multi-system console emulator covering six classic systems in one app: • FC / NES • SFC / SNES • Game Boy • Game Boy Color • Game Boy Advance • Genesis / Mega Drive 【Bring Your Own Games】 Nova Retro includes no games and offers no downloads. Import game files that you legally own from Files or Finder. 【Made to Play】 • Save states: four manual slots plus an automatic slot • Cheats: saved per game and easy to toggle • Fast-forward for long dialogue and repeated sections • Touch controls adapted to each system, with adjustable position, opacity, and haptics • Keyboard and controller support with per-system mappings for up to four players • FPS display, output-resolution options, and adaptive or pixel-aligned scaling • NES turbo A/B input on touch controls, keyboards, and controllers 【Nine Languages】 Use Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, French, or German. Switching takes effect immediately across open windows without interrupting a running game. 【Native Apple Experiences】 • iPhone / iPad: separate portrait and landscape layouts, configurable library swipe actions, and long-press rename or delete • Mac: menus, shortcuts, multiple game windows, Finder drag-and-drop, and library context-menu actions 【Nothing Collected】 There are no accounts, sign-in, analytics, ads, or tracking. Games, saves, and settings stay on your device and never leave it. Optional one-time support is available inside the app. It is entirely voluntary and unlocks no features; payment is handled by the App Store, and Nova Retro never sees or stores any payment information.

Screenshots

RetroPocket3 screens
Nova Retro4 screens

Verdict

The call

RetroPocket and Nova Retro are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. RetroPocket sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Nova Retro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
RetroPocket versus Nova Retro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRetroPocketNova Retro
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMirko Zeppieri振东 史

In-app purchases

1 purchases

RetroPocket

One-time1
  • Retro Pocket Pro$3.99
3 purchases

Nova Retro

One-time3
  • A Small Tip$0.99
  • Buy Me a Coffee$1.99
  • Big Support$12.99

Questions

Is RetroPocket free?
RetroPocket is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nova Retro free?
Nova Retro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do RetroPocket or Nova Retro have ads?
Neither RetroPocket nor Nova Retro shows ads.

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