7 Best Game Boy Emulators for iOS

There's nothing quite like reliving the gaming experiences of our youth, even when we're away from our consoles. Fortunately, emulation allows us to replay classic games from systems like Game Boy, SNES, and Nintendo 64 right on our iPhone or iPad.

While emulation used to require technical know-how, nowadays there are many easy-to-use emulator apps and websites that make enjoying retro games a breeze. This guide reviews seven of the best options for playing Game Boy (colour and advanced) games on iOS devices.

1. GBA4iOS

Developed by prolific iOS emulator developer Riley Testut, GBA4iOS is regarded as the gold standard Game Boy Advance emulator for iOS devices. In addition to flawless GBA game playback, it offers real-time Dropbox backups so saves are always synced across devices. Players can customize the entire experience with fully customizable virtual controllers in any layout or design.

 

Games can also be streamed wirelessly to Apple TV or compatible displays via AirPlay for big screen play. While the sideloading installation is more complex than other options, GBA4iOS provides the finest emulated experience available combined with frequent updates from Testut. A $20/month subscription is required to download from BuildStore to circumvent iOS limitations.

Pros

• Seamless GBA gaming experience with full-speed emulation
• Automatic Dropbox backups to keep saves synced
• Fully customizable virtual controllers
• AirPlay support for streaming to Apple TV
• Frequent updates from the developer

Cons

• Sideloading installation is more complex than other options
• Requires $20/month subscription

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2. RetroArch

While lacking some polished features, RetroArch remains an excellent open-source multi-system emulator able to play games from Game Boy, SNES, Nintendo 64 and more. Its modular architecture allows core emulators to be constantly upgraded to improve compatibility. RetroArch's default interface appears dated but is fully customizable.

An expansive library of games is built-in for multiple systems and updated regularly by contributors. Unique features include a remapper for custom controls, robust cheat support, and save states for pausing progress. Online leaderboards and multiplayer let players face off remotely.

Pros

• Open-source multi-system emulator for GBA, SNES, N64 and more
• Large expandable library of games from multiple systems
• Options for save states, cheat codes, and remapper
• Online multiplayer and leaderboards

Cons

• Interface appears dated
• Less polished than other emulators

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3. Happy Chick

Marketed as an all-in-one emulator hub, Happy Chick delivers an expansive gaming experience covering 18+ classic systems. Its curated library numbers in the thousands, offering deep cuts alongside the most beloved titles from series like Pokémon, Mega Man, Street Fighter and Monster Hunter.

Beyond GBA, impressive DS, PSP and retro PlayStation games are also fully supported.  The setup process can be tedious for some people for this. Cloud saves on iCloud seamlessly sync progress on any device. Games can even be streamed from the service to Apple TV.

Pros

• All-in-one hub with emulation of 18+ classic systems
• Deep game library of thousands of titles
• Seamless one-click installation
• Cloud saves and streaming to Apple TV
• Online multiplayer through subscription

Cons

• The setup process can be tedious

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4. Provenance

Provenance takes a clean, aesthetic-focused approach to retro handheld and console emulation on iOS. Games from GBA, SNES, MAME, and more systems run smoothly on iPhones and iPads with accurate emulation at full speed. Easy setup lets players dive into games quickly.

The minimal interface gets out of the way for immersive gameplay. Handy features include save states, controller customization, cheat support, and optional gameplay enhancement like rewind. While lacking multimedia extras, Provenance excels at quality emulation in an elegant package for both casual and dedicated retro fans.

Pros

• Clean, minimal aesthetic-focused interface
• Accurate, full-speed emulation of many systems
• Save states, controller customization, cheats
• Lightweight for casual and dedicated retro fans

Cons

• Lacks social/sharing features of others
• Limited customization options

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5. Delta Emulator

Created by Riley Testut, Delta is the Swiss army knife of iOS emulation, supporting 6 major consoles from NES to N64 to GBA. It nails hardware-accurate emulation with none of the speed or graphical issues common to others. Share cloud save data seamlessly between devices. Import games easily or take advantage of its growing built-in library.

Use physical or custom virtual controllers. Cheats and netplay further enhance the experience. Delta sets the gold standard and keeps improving, well worth paying a subscription fee to bypass App Store limitations. Constant updates keep it on the leading edge for retro gaming on the go.

Pros

• Superb all-in-one emulator for GBA, NES, SNES, and N64 systems
• Accurate hardware emulation at full speeds
• Seamless cloud saves with an expansive library
• Built-in cheat codes and controller support
• Constant feature updates

Cons

• Subscription required to bypass limitations
• Steeper learning curve than others

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6. GBA Online

A simple web-based emulator requiring no downloads, GBA Online lets anyone instantly play over 50 free Game Boy Advance games in their browser, no equipment needed. Simply select a game tile and wait a moment for it to launch before diving in. All games are pre-loaded, though users can also provide their own ROM files.

Saves seamlessly sync via its hosting servers. Basic features like state saving provide gameplay aids. While limited to only GBA titles, it serves as an easy entry point for sampling classic mobile games anywhere through a browser. Ideal for those seeking low-commitment retro fun.

Pros

• Browser-based, no downloads or installation
• Instant access to 50+ free pre-loaded GBA games
• Saves sync via browser storage
• Low-commitment retro gaming

Cons

• Performance depends on the browser
• Only supports Game Boy Advance titles

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7. Eclipse

Marketed as an easy one-stop solution, Eclipse tries to be the all-in-one retro gaming hub accessible through any web browser. It currently emulates Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, NES, Super Nintendo and other classic systems. Users can browse, add, organize and launch games imported from its built-in database, their Google Drive, or by URL.

The interface emphasizes simplicity and snappiness on mobile. While occasional lag may appear, Eclipse works well overall for fast retro access on the go. Additional system emulators are routinely added by developers to expand coverage. Though light on customization, it delivers great retro variety through the web.

Pros

• Web-based access to retro emulators anytime
• Easy game importing from the library or cloud
• Covers multiple retro systems
• Simple lightweight interface

Cons

• Performance can lag at times
• More basic than dedicated emulator apps

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The emulator scene for iOS provides many talented options for reliving the portable gaming experiences of yesteryear. While some excel at specific features like accuracy, customization or multiplayer, each covered here succeeds admirably in their own way at bringing treasured Game Boy titles to modern touchscreens.

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