Orbit vs Isotopolis
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Orbit
This app is a meditative physics puzzler where you launch planets to create stable orbits around black holes. Explore a variety of levels, create your own challenges in a sandbox mode, and enjoy a visually artistic and relaxing experience.
- Gravity simulation puzzles
- Create stable orbits
- Sandbox mode for level creation
- Community-created levels
- Visual orbital mechanics
- Minimalist graphics and relaxing music
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ORBIT is a gravity simulator at the heart of a puzzle game. Launch planets with a flick of your finger, and try to get them into stable orbits around black holes. Can you make enough orbits to progress to the next level? New: ORBIT now features a Sandbox (paid) where you can create your own levels! Control time, disable collisions, and paint with gravity. Publish your creations to the world for everyone to play. • 45 free levels, with new mechanics are introduced over time — like repulsive black holes and planets with their own gravity that attract each other • Play community-created levels — virtually limitless content made by other players, all completely free • Launch as many planets as you like, and watch the mesmerizing orbital mechanics unfold • Planets leave colored traces, so that at the end of a level you will have created a beautiful piece of art • See the future trajectory of a planet before you launch it • Play in an environment of smooth, minimalist graphics while listening to relaxing classical piano Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/highkeygames Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/highkeygames
Isotopolis
Explore particle physics by accelerating, steering, and colliding particles to create new isotopes. Learn about the fragmentation process and the table of nuclides through engaging gameplay. This educational game is developed by scientists and students.
- Particle acceleration and steering
- Isotope creation and discovery
- Learn about fragmentation process
- Explore the table of nuclides
- Educational gameplay
- Developed by scientists and students
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Accelerate, steer, and collide particles to make new and rare isotopes in this game from the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and the Games for Entertainment & Learning Lab at Michigan State University. Players will guide particles through the process of creating new isotopes as they learn about the fragmentation process and the table of nuclides. Developed by scientists and students at Michigan State University; Isotopolis seeks to teach players about the world of particle physics through play. The game is 100% free-to-play (with no in-app purchases). Supported By: * The American Physical Society * MSU Vice President for Research * MSU Graduate Studies * MSU University Outreach and Engagement * MSU College of Communication Arts * MSU Chief Information Officer * MSU Department of Physics of Astronomy * Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics * National Science Foundation
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Orbit at 4.8 against Isotopolis's 4.2. Orbit also leads on review sentiment (94% vs 63%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 37 months). Isotopolis's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ads (none vs shown). 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
Both are free to download. Orbit sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Isotopolis asks for nothing beyond the download.
Orbit holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Orbit has 7.6K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Orbit's written reviews are positive against 63% of Isotopolis's.
Orbit ships an update every 2 months, Isotopolis every 37 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Orbit | Isotopolis |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (7.6K ratings) — better | 4.2 (10 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 94.4% of reviews — better | 62.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7.6K — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 37 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 139 MB | 189 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | HIGHKEY Games | Brian Winn |
Customer experience
Orbit
Isotopolis
Bugs and requests
Orbit
Reported bugs
3 issues- In app purchase not received
- Sandbox mode not working
- Game crashing and unable to open
Requested features
6 requests- Dark mode option
- Ability to zoom in and out
- Ability to rotate the game to landscape on iPad
- Ability to edit and move existing objects in sandbox mode
- Ability to name planets and add moons
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- More levels and game modes
Isotopolis
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Orbit
- $1 contribution$0.99
- Remove ads$0.99
- $2 contribution$1.99
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- $3 contribution$2.99
- Orbit Pro$2.99
- $5 contribution$4.99
- $10 contribution$9.99
Isotopolis
No in-app purchases
