Comparison

Sky Force vs Salvage Protocol

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

Head to head
About

Sky Force

Experience a classic arcade shooter reborn with stunning 3D graphics and intuitive touch controls. Upgrade your ship, battle intense bosses, and compete in weekly tournaments against other players. Rescue fallen pilots for rewards and achieve victory in this action-packed scrolling shooter.

Highlights
  • Stunning 3D graphics
  • Intuitive touchscreen controls
  • Powerful ship upgrade system
  • Weekly player tournaments
  • Rescue fallen pilots for rewards
  • Multiple boss battles
  • In-game achievements
Features
Read full description

Sky Force - The Legendary Shoot'em Up Reborn for a New Generation Sky Force is a modern arcade shoot'em up that brings classic top-down shooter action back to mobile with explosive 3D visuals, satisfying progression, and endless replay value. The skies are burning. Enemy squadrons, towering war machines, and colossal bosses stand between you and victory. Strap into the cockpit, push the throttle, and rediscover one of the most acclaimed airplane games ever made. A Classic SHMUP Experience, Rebuilt for Modern Players Inspired by the golden age of vertical arcade shooters, Sky Force 2014 combines fast-paced aerial combat with smooth touch controls, handcrafted enemy waves, and intense bullet-dodging action. Every mission challenges your reflexes, your timing, and your ability to stay calm when the screen fills with fire. Whether you are a longtime fan of classic shoot'em up games, a bullet hell veteran, or discovering the genre for the first time, Sky Force delivers a polished, accessible, and deeply rewarding arcade experience. Explosive 3D Action on Mobile Sky Force takes the classic top-down shooter formula and upgrades it with detailed 3D environments, cinematic explosions, dynamic effects, and beautifully designed battlefields. Fight across oceans, scorched war zones, and storm-filled skies as you blast through enemy forces and push deeper into the campaign. Every stage is built to feel fast, readable, and satisfying - perfect for quick mobile sessions, but deep enough to keep you coming back for perfect runs. Play online or take the action offline anywhere you go. Epic Boss Battles That Test Your Skill Massive flying fortresses. Mechanized war machines. Screen-filling enemies armed with devastating bullet patterns. Sky Force's boss battles are designed to be both spectacular and demanding. Learn their attacks, dodge incoming fire, strike at the right moment, and prove you have what it takes to become an ace pilot. Upgrade Your Ship and Master Every Mission This is more than a one-run arcade shooter. Sky Force rewards persistence, precision, and smart upgrades. Collect stars, improve your aircraft, and return stronger after every mission. Upgrade your main cannon, side guns, magnets, shields, missiles, and special weapons. Rescue civilians, complete objectives, unlock new difficulty levels, and chase medals as you work toward 100% completion. Every run matters. Every upgrade brings you closer to building the ultimate fighter. Built for Replayability Sky Force is easy to start, but hard to master. Replay missions on higher difficulties, improve your score, perfect your routes, and compete for better results. With multiple objectives, upgrades, medals, tournaments, and leaderboards, every level gives you a reason to return. Why Players Love Sky Force - Classic vertical shoot 'em up gameplay reimagined for modern devices - Intuitive touch controls designed for fast arcade action - Explosive 3D visuals, cinematic effects, and detailed environments - Deep aircraft upgrade system with meaningful progression - Massive bosses and intense bullet hell combat - Multiple difficulty modes for casual players and hardcore arcade fans - Missions, medals, tournaments, and leaderboards for long-term replay value - Retro arcade soul with modern mobile polish - Plays online or offline, anywhere you go Take to the Skies Sky Force is a love letter to classic arcade shooters - fast, explosive, challenging, and endlessly satisfying. It is the airplane game that redefined mobile shoot 'em ups and continues to thrill millions of pilots worldwide. Download Sky Force free, upgrade your aircraft, and fight your way through one of the most iconic plane shooter experiences ever made. The war for the skies has begun. The leaderboard is waiting. Take off now.

About

Salvage Protocol

Features
Read full description

Salvage Protocol is a deterministic turn-based tactics game. There is no dice, no hit chance, and no critical rolls — damage is fixed and every outcome is knowable before you commit. Winning is pure planning, positioning, and reading the enemy. Lose a unit and it's gone for the run. Command a squad of salvaged combat mechs across a 6×8 grid. Pick your chassis, spend each unit's move and action, line up attacks, and use once-per-battle special abilities — dash strikes, shockwave slams, and armor-piercing shots — to break the enemy formation. FEATURES • Deterministic combat — no RNG. Damage previews are exact; if you can read the board, you can win. • Four modes — a 10-level campaign with a mid-boss and a final boss, plus Endless, Daily Challenge, and Puzzle Challenge. • Five distinct mech chassis, each with its own stats and special ability. Build the squad that fits your plan. • Star ratings, achievements, and stat tracking to master every mission. • One-handed portrait play, tuned for quick tactical sessions. • Fully offline. No account, no internet, no servers — your progress stays on your device. • Accessibility options — reduced motion, combat speed, colorblind support, and volume controls. Free to play. An optional rewarded ad lets you revive a fallen squad — it is never required to progress. No dice. No excuses. Just tactics.

Screenshots

Sky Force4 screens
Salvage Protocol4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Salvage Protocol at none against Sky Force's 4. Salvage Protocol also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price 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. Sky Force sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Salvage Protocol asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sky Force ships an update every 2 months, Salvage Protocol every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Sky Force versus Salvage Protocol: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSky ForceSalvage Protocol
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.1K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews89.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.1K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size260 MB26 MB
Age rating9++4
DeveloperInfinite Dreams Inc.Seonggon Sim

Bugs and requests

Sky Force

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Game crashes on launch for some users
  • Saved progress not syncing across devices
  • Ads not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • More levels and content updates
  • Controller support
  • Ability to reset progress
  • Customization options for the ship

Salvage Protocol

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Sky Force

One-time4
  • Precious Cargo$1.99
  • Ads Removal$3.99
  • Plane Generator$3.99
Show 1 more
  • SX2 - Star Doubler$3.99
None

Salvage Protocol

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sky Force free?
Sky Force is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Salvage Protocol free?
Salvage Protocol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sky Force or Salvage Protocol have ads?
Sky Force shows ads; Salvage Protocol does not.
Which is updated more often, Sky Force or Salvage Protocol?
Sky Force ships an update every 2 months, and Salvage Protocol every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sky Force was updated on October 14, 2026 and Salvage Protocol on October 4, 2026.

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