Comparison

Alien Swarm arcade game vs Defender 1

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

Head to head
About

Alien Swarm arcade game

Engage in a retro arcade space shooter where you defend the galaxy from swarming aliens. Blast your way through dazzling attack patterns in this free, action-packed game.

Highlights
  • Retro arcade gameplay
  • Space shooter genre
  • Defend the galaxy
  • Dazzling attack patterns
  • Free to download
Features
Read full description

Alien Swarm Arcade Game The aliens are invading space again, swarming around in dazzling attack patterns. You task is simple, blow'em all to bits! Its Free, download it now and help defend the galaxy from the Alien Swarm. Another fab shoot'em up from our retro arcade game series.

About

Defender 1

Relive a classic arcade experience by defending astronauts from alien abduction and destroying enemy ships. Be careful not to harm the astronauts, as their safety is crucial to preventing planetary destruction and mutant alien transformations.

Highlights
  • Defend astronauts from aliens
  • Obliterate enemy spaceships
  • Avoid friendly fire
  • Prevent planetary explosion
  • Mutant alien transformations
Features
Read full description

DEFENDER 1 brings the excitement of classic 1980s arcade action to your mobile device! Take control of your spacecraft and defend the planet from relentless waves of alien invaders. Your mission is simple—but surviving it won't be. Protect the astronauts on the planet's surface as alien Landers attempt to abduct them. Destroy the enemy ships, rescue the astronauts, and watch your fire—an astronaut caught in the crossfire is one less person you can save. Fail to protect the astronauts and the consequences are catastrophic: the planet will be destroyed and the surviving aliens will transform into deadly Mutants! Battle a variety of enemies, master fast-paced arcade combat, and push your skills to the limit as the action becomes increasingly intense. Features include: Classic arcade-inspired space combat Fast-paced alien battles Astronaut rescue missions Multiple enemy types with different behaviors Touch controls and game controller support Customizable gamepad controls High-score tracking Retro-inspired graphics and gameplay Defend the astronauts. Destroy the invaders. Save the planet. How long can you survive in DEFENDER 1?

Screenshots

Alien Swarm arcade game4 screens
Defender 14 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Alien Swarm arcade game at Free against Defender 1's $2.99. Alien Swarm arcade game also leads on update cadence (every 14 months vs every 38 months) and review sentiment (44% vs 31%). Defender 1's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On rating, 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

Alien Swarm arcade game is free to download; Defender 1 costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Defender 1 holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Alien Swarm arcade game's written reviews are positive against 31% of Defender 1's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Alien Swarm arcade game ships an update every 14 months, Defender 1 every 38 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Alien Swarm arcade game versus Defender 1: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlien Swarm arcade gameDefender 1
PriceFree — better$2.99
Rating3.3 (6 ratings)3.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.4% of reviews — better31.0% of reviews
Number of ratings6 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 14 months — betterEvery 38 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size59 MB45 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperGalatic DroidsAPD Consulting, Inc.

Customer experience

Alien Swarm arcade game

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative55.6%

Defender 1

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews71 reviews
Positive31.0%
Neutral4.2%
Negative64.8%

Bugs and requests

Alien Swarm arcade game

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Defender 1

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • No sound on iPad
  • No sound on iPhone
  • Intermittent sound
  • App crashes often
  • Enemies don't move
Show 2 more
  • Ship doesn't continue moving after thrusters stop
  • Lasers don't react properly when changing direction

Requested features

10 requests
  • Update to fix sound issues
  • Update to fix crashing
  • Enable game controller support
  • Improve control responsiveness
  • Adjust control spacing
Show 5 more
  • Add vertical-only joystick option
  • Add tilt control for travel motion
  • Add separate button for direction change
  • Add more stages
  • Improve graphics (less pixelated)

In-app purchases

None

Alien Swarm arcade game

No in-app purchases

None

Defender 1

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Alien Swarm arcade game free?
Alien Swarm arcade game is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Defender 1 free?
Defender 1 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Alien Swarm arcade game or Defender 1?
Defender 1 is rated higher. Alien Swarm arcade game averages 3.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Defender 1 averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Alien Swarm arcade game or Defender 1 have ads?
Alien Swarm arcade game shows ads; Defender 1 does not.
Which is updated more often, Alien Swarm arcade game or Defender 1?
Alien Swarm arcade game ships an update every 14 months, and Defender 1 every 38 months. Most recently, Alien Swarm arcade game was updated on November 6, 2026 and Defender 1 on November 2, 2026.

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