Comparison

8bit Doves vs RetroBoy

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

Head to head
About

8bit Doves

Embark on a pixelated VR adventure where you navigate dream-like mazes inspired by flight. Collect doves to unlock your escape from a colorful, retro-styled prison. Experience intuitive controls and challenging obstacles in this unique handheld-inspired game.

Highlights
  • VR Gameboy adventure
  • Pixelated dream mazes
  • Flight-inspired navigation
  • Intuitive two-button gameplay
  • Multiple level packs with distinct themes
  • Stunning 4-color pixel art
Features
Read full description

Trapped in a VR world powered by an ancient handheld device, you are forced to endlessly dream in a pixel world of just 4 colours! Doves have taken roost in your prison and though you don’t know it they are the key to your survival. The Doves subconsciously inspire dreams of flight, so take to the skies through the mazes of your imagination and find the exit. Intuitive two button gameplay is all you need to steer your way through the sky. Fly through each stage and reach the exit. Get doves to follow you for extra bonus bragging rights on Game Center and Social Networking stuff. If walls aren’t enough challenge you may enjoy the variety of traps that get rapidly added including, moving walls, speed boost zones, growing walls and more! By the team that brought you the award winning mobile hit Icebreaker: A Viking Voyage. Features: • Expanded from the hit #Nitromejam game! • 3 level packs each with a different dream theme! (Sweet Dreams, Deep Sleep & Nightmare). • A unique world realised in 4 Colours! (Great for that Game boy nostalgia fix) • Don’t worry parents this game contains no In app purchases! • Stunning Pixel Art from the award winning Nitrome studio! • Simple two button gameplay, perfect for a touch screen! Important Message for Parents This game may include: - Direct links to social networking websites that are intended for an audience over the age of 13. - Direct links to the internet that can take players away from the game with the potential to browse any web page. - Cross promotion of Nitrome products.

About

RetroBoy

A retro action platformer where a single tap shifts the game between modern HD and 8-bit pixel art. This mechanic alters visuals, music, physics, and gameplay, revealing hidden paths and power-ups. Master both realities to uncover the game's secrets.

Highlights
  • World-flipping mechanic (HD/8-bit)
  • 6 handcrafted levels
  • 5 boss battles
  • Hidden rooms and collectibles
  • 3 unlockable weapons
  • 28 player upgrades
  • Multiple difficulty modes
Features
Read full description

Put on the shades. See the truth. RetroBoy is a handcrafted retro action platformer where a single tap flips the entire world between modern HD and raw 8-bit reality — changing the art, music, physics, abilities, and even the paths you can take. Nemo's world is a lie. His shades reveal the 8-bit code hidden underneath — and inside the code, he becomes more powerful. Run faster, jump higher, double-jump, and ride walls. But Nemo can only stay in the 8-bit world while his energy lasts. When the bar empties, reality snaps back to HD. Grab energy pickups to recharge, then switch at exactly the right moment — platforms, doors, enemies, and entire secret rooms can exist in one reality but not the other. Master both worlds to uncover the truth. FEATURES • Two realities, one tap — transform every level between modern HD visuals with full 3D character models and chunky 8-bit pixel art • 6 handcrafted levels — explore server rooms, neon rooftops, a towering corporate HQ, the corrupted Glitch Zone, the Architect's core, and a final trip to the other side • 5 boss battles and a boss-rush finale — with skippable intro cinematics • Secrets everywhere — 12 hidden rooms behind mode-exclusive doors, 27 data fragments, and 12 elusive pigeons • 3 weapons to master — fists, an energy blaster, and a laser sword • 28 upgrades earned through play — spend the chips you collect on new powers, all the way up to the Mech Suit • Built for replayability — 18 stars to earn, Normal / Hard / Brutal difficulty, and New Game+ prestige runs • A synchronized dual soundtrack — every track has an HD and a chiptune version that swap seamlessly with the world MADE FOR MOBILE • 3 touch layouts — reposition and resize every button to suit your style • Full game-controller support — touch controls tuck away automatically • Play the whole game offline — ideal for flights and commutes • Colorblind modes, haptic feedback, adjustable text size and screen shake • No ads, no in-app purchases, no account required The truth is waiting. Put on the shades.

Screenshots

8bit Doves4 screens
RetroBoy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: RetroBoy at Free against 8bit Doves's $2.99. RetroBoy also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.4) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). 8bit Doves's advantage is ratings volume (563 vs 2) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases 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

RetroBoy is free to download; 8bit Doves costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RetroBoy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8bit Doves has 563 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of 8bit Doves's written reviews are positive against 100% of RetroBoy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

8bit Doves ships an update every 5 months, RetroBoy fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
8bit Doves versus RetroBoy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter8bit DovesRetroBoy
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating3.4 (563 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings563 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB750 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperNitromePeter Hodges

Customer experience

8bit Doves

All ratings563 ratings
Positive58.4%
Neutral6.0%
Negative35.5%
Written reviews309 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral8.1%
Negative25.2%

RetroBoy

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

8bit Doves

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes on certain devices
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • Inconsistent control responsiveness

Requested features

4 requests
  • More levels and content
  • Ability to customize the character
  • Inclusion of a story or narrative
  • Better tutorial or control explanation

RetroBoy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

8bit Doves

No in-app purchases

None

RetroBoy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 8bit Doves free?
8bit Doves costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is RetroBoy free?
RetroBoy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 8bit Doves or RetroBoy?
RetroBoy is rated higher. 8bit Doves averages 3.4 out of 5 from 563 ratings, while RetroBoy averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do 8bit Doves or RetroBoy have ads?
Neither 8bit Doves nor RetroBoy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 8bit Doves or RetroBoy?
8bit Doves ships an update every 5 months, and RetroBoy fortnightly. Most recently, 8bit Doves was updated on October 24, 2026 and RetroBoy on October 24, 2026.

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