Comparison

iO vs Mars

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

Head to head
About

iO

A physics-based platformer where you manipulate size, speed, and momentum to solve over 225 challenging mazes. Features unique gameplay mechanics like portals and inverted gravity, with global leaderboards for competitive play.

Highlights
  • Size, weight, and mass manipulation
  • Over 225 challenging mazes
  • Portals and inverted gravity
  • Global leaderboards
  • Unlockable achievements
  • Intuitive touch controls
Features
Read full description

** Global Game Jam 2012 Winner ** ** IndieCade Festival 2014 Finalist ** ** GDC Best In Play 2015 - Honorable Mention ** TouchArcade: 4 out of 5 - "For those who enjoy playing with balls, iO has plenty to show you." AppleNApps: 4 out of 5 - "iO is a finely crafted platformer that keeps things fresh making it well worth picking up." Gamezebo: 4 out of 5 - "It's packed with unique style and mechanics that give it an edge over similar titles." iO - A Physics Platformer A physics platformer about size, speed and momentum unlike anything you’ve ever seen before! Grow, shrink, roll, leap and climb in this unique puzzler featuring over 225 challenging mazes one-of-a-kind gameplay that includes portals, inverted gravity, vehicles and more! Share your times with friends on the global leaderboards and become a time/space legend! FEATURES - Play with size, weight and mass to reach the exit as fast as possible! - Over 225 puzzles to solve and more coming in future updates. - Intuitive touch controls. - Make new friends and compete against old ones on the Global Leaderboards. - Unlock new achievements. - Unique and wide variety of gameplay mechanics including gravity manipulation, portals, vehicles and more! - Retro-futuristic visuals.

About

Mars

Embark on a thrilling space adventure as a volunteer on a mission to Mars. Pilot a jetpack to explore the Martian surface, capture unique selfies, and navigate the challenges of interplanetary travel. Prove the doubters wrong and make history on this groundbreaking expedition.

Highlights
  • Explore Mars on a jetpack
  • Take selfies on Mars
  • Avoid Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies
  • Discover Martian sights
  • Volunteer for a space mission
Features
Read full description

MarsCorp is ready to take the first group of volunteers on an exciting mission to Mars! Fly around Mars in one of our brand new jetpacks and discover what’s out there. As part of the “Put A Human On Mars No Matter What” program, we are proud to announce that MarsCorp is the first company cutting enough corners to make human flights to Mars finally viable. So-called “professional” astronauts will tell you things like “No sane person would travel across space on that thing” or “The fuel on that jetpack lasts about 30 seconds”, but you can prove them wrong! Here’s your chance to make history! - Explore Mars on a jetpack. - Take selfies on Mars's greatest sightings. - Avoid Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies. - Have fun!

Screenshots

iO4 screens
Mars4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Mars at 4.8 against iO's 3.7. Mars also leads on ratings volume (22K vs 19) and review sentiment (91% vs 71%). iO's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. iO sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Mars sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mars holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mars has 22K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of iO's written reviews are positive against 91% of Mars's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iO ships an update every 6 weeks, Mars monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
iO versus Mars: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriOMars
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (19 ratings)4.8 (22K ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.1% of reviews90.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1922K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size466 MB256 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperGamious B.V.Pomelo Games

Customer experience

iO

All ratings19 ratings
Positive63.2%
Neutral5.3%
Negative31.6%
Written reviews76 reviews
Positive71.1%
Neutral3.9%
Negative25.0%

Mars

All ratings21,739 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.8%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews1,811 reviews
Positive90.7%
Neutral3.3%
Negative6.0%

User reviews

iO

From 19 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 💡 Challenging puzzles
  • 🧠 Good for brain exercise
  • ✨ Great design and idea
  • 💯 Addictive and engaging

Room to improve

  • ❌ Unplayable due to ads
  • 💸 Paid for ad-free, still shows ads
  • 🐛 Game crashes frequently
  • 🐞 Buttons cut off on mobile
  • 🔇 No audio or sound effects

Mars

From 22K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Simple and addictive gameplay
  • 👍 Relaxing and calming experience
  • 👍 Variety of unique characters with different themes
  • 👍 Optional ads that provide rewards
  • 👍 Offline playability

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔁 Repetitive and can get boring over time
  • 🔁 Lack of difficulty progression
  • 🔁 Duplicate character unlocks can be frustrating

Bugs and requests

iO

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Ads not unlocking levels
  • Paid ad-free, but ads persist
  • Game crashes on startup or during gameplay
  • Buttons cut off at screen edges
  • Player phasing through walls
Show 3 more
  • Game Center notifications are spammy
  • Laggy performance
  • App shuts down after logos

Requested features

8 requests
  • Fix ad-blocking payment issue
  • Improve mobile formatting
  • Add audio and sound effects
  • Fix ad-related progression blockers
  • Address crashing issues
Show 3 more
  • Improve performance and reduce lag
  • Fix phasing through walls bug
  • Reduce spammy notifications

Mars

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when taking selfies
  • Streak resets when returning to a previous level
  • Inconsistent controls and fuel usage

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add new planets and environments to explore
  • Introduce different gameplay modes (e.g., time trials, challenges)
  • Allow players to customize platforms and backgrounds
  • Implement a way to revisit previous levels

In-app purchases

1 purchases

iO

One-time1
  • Remove all advertisements$0.99
10 purchases

Mars

One-time10
  • Arnold$0.99
  • Little Martha$0.99
  • Marselot$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Nigiri$0.99
  • Ufo$0.99
  • Discman$0.99
  • Kestrel 5$0.99
  • Eagle$0.99
  • Stephen$3.99
  • El Dorado$3.99

Questions

Is iO free?
iO is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mars free?
Mars is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iO or Mars?
Mars is rated higher. iO averages 3.7 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Mars averages 4.8 from 22K ratings.
Do iO or Mars have ads?
Mars shows ads; iO does not.
Which is updated more often, iO or Mars?
iO ships an update every 6 weeks, and Mars monthly. Most recently, iO was updated on November 1, 2026 and Mars on November 10, 2026.

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