Game Boy (Color) emulators: Difference between revisions

==Emulators==

===Standalone emulators===

|+Before editing, review the [[Getting involved]] and [[Recommended emulators|Recommended]] pages. See [[Computer_specifications#Recommended_Specifications|system requirements]] page for performance demand of the emulators.<br>See tables for <span style="font-weight: bold; color: #CC0000; border: 1px solid #CC0000; padding: 2px;">[[#Enhancements|enhancements]], [[#Hardware_features_and_peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]].</span><br>For more details such as [[licensing]], [[Source_code#Language_levels|programming language]], [[High_and_low-level_emulation|emulation method]], visit each emulator’s dedicated page.<br>Because of how relatively easy popular 8-bit consoles are to emulate, tons of Game Boy emulators exist. For a list of open-source projects, see [https://github.com/search?o=desc&q=gameboy+emulator&s=updated&type=Repositories&utf8=%E2%9C%93 this GitHub query]. For a list of accuracy tests, see [https://daid.github.io/GBEmulatorShootout/ daid.github.io/GBEmulatorShootout].

!Name

|[[Gambatte]]<br><small>[https://docs.libretro.com/library/gambatte/ Gambatte_libretro]</small>

| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|WoA|Linux|macOS|Web}}

| ||{{Ya}}  

| ?||{{~}}

|[[mGBA]]

| align="left" |{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}

| ||{{Ya}}  

|[https://github.com/mgba-emu/mgba/blob/master/README.md#game-boy-mappers Unlicensed] ||{{~}}

|-

|[[TGB Dual]]

|[https://github.com/libertyernie/tgbdual_L/releases 1.2]||{{Na}} ||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})  

| ||{{Na}}  

|[https://github.com/philj56/gbcc-android/releases/tag/v0.41 beta41] (source)||{{Na|link=https://github.com/philj56/gbcc-android}} ||{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})  

| ||{{Na}}  

|-

|[https://pixelrespawn.com/ Linkboy]

|[https://files.extremscorner.org/gamecube/apps/gbi/latest main]<br>[https://files.extremscorner.org/gamecube/apps/gbi/latest-extra extra]||{{Ya}} ||{{Red}} {{license|Proprietary}}  

| ||{{Na}}  

|-

|[https://docs.libretro.com/library/gambatte/ Gambatte_libretro]

|N/A||{{Na}} ||{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}  

| ||{{Na}}  

|-

|[[VisualBoy_Advance#VBA-M|VBA GX]]

| ||{{Na}} ||{{Red}} {{license|Proprietary}}  

| ||{{Na}}  

|-

|RealBoy Vita

| ?||{{Ya}}

|}

===[[Multi-system emulators]]===

!Emulator(s)

!Platform(s)

|[[MAME]]

|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|Linux|macOS|FreeBSD}}

| ||{{Ya}}

|[http://adb.arcadeitalia.net/lista_mess.php?machine_name=gameboy Unlicensed] ||{{~}}

|[http://byuu.org/emulation/higan {{higanVer}}]<br>[https://github.com/libretro/higan libretro core]||{{Ya}} ||{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})  

| ||{{Ya}}

|-

|[[jgenesis]]

| ?||{{Dunno}}

|}

==Comparison==

==Enhancements==

|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.

! BGB

!Emulicious

|[[Input_lag|Input lag-mitigating technique]]

|{{Dunno}}

|-

|[https://docs.retroachievements.org/general/tutorials/turbo-button.html Turbo button]

|Built-in [[Cheats_and_patches|cheat manager]]

|{{Dunno}}

|-

|{{Enhancements/Quality of life/Built-in custom resolution}}

|Built-in Game Boy sound player

|{{Dunno}}

|-

|Built-in [[Mods,_hacks_and_fan-translations#Built-in mod editor and manager for emulators|mod editor and manager]]

|[[Netplay#Game_Boy|Netplay]]<br><small>Should not be confused with Game Boy (Color) online features or link cable emulation. See [[#Hardware features and peripherals|hardware features and peripherals]].</small>

|{{Dunno}}

|-

|[[RetroAchievements]]

|{{Dunno}}

|-

|Rich Presence (RPC)<br><small>Allows the emulator to share real-time game session details (e.g., current game title, level, boss, playtime, or custom status) with external applications. This enables features such as displaying what you're playing on your profile, inviting friends to spectate, or triggering join-in-progress functionality where supported.</small>

| colspan="3" |You can use [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ RetroArch's AI Service] or the standalone offline [https://github.com/bquenin/interpreter bquenin's Interpreter].

|}

==Hardware features and peripherals==

|+Please only include recommended emulators in this table. Do not bump or spam GitHub threads, issues, or feature request pages.<br>''[https://shonumi.github.io/articles/art34.html Shonumi: The State of Emulation - 2024]''

! BGB

!Emulicious

|{{Na}}

|{{Dunno}}

|{{Ya}}

|-

|{{Ya}}

|{{Na}}

|{{Ya}}

|-

|-

| colspan="2" |[[#Accessories|WorkBoy]]||{{Dunno}}

|{{Ya}}

|-

| colspan="4" | <small>There is no emulator currently includes built-in cartridge tilting simulation. As a workaround, you can try the external [https://github.com/redscientistlabs/RTCV Real-Time Corruptor (RTCV)] tool. It is a real-time memory/data corruption tool for inducing glitches during emulation, which might mimic some effects of cartridge tilting (e.g., visual/audio artifacts or crashes). However, it is not a true "cartridge tilting" simulator, as it works on live memory rather than simulating cartridge read errors.</small>

|}

===Infrared===