The handheld consoles, Game Boy and Game Boy Color began it all. With the release of these showed everyone that one could get well-made games that will instantly fit into their pocket. When it comes to handheld game consoles, they have been upgraded a lot since then, however, there are a lot of people who still prefer and enjoy playing the classics more.
Moreover, the Game Boy Advance has been one of the most famous and portable game consoles for a long time, and Android mobile phones consume up a really big portion of the market, and hence, it’s almost inevitable that the owner of the Android smartphones would be more interested in enjoying or playing their old game favourites on their smartphones.
Other than that, in the last few years, Android phones have got hugely increased in sheer power – when the previous Android phones didn’t own the horsepower for emulation which is reliable. However, phones today can also emulate consoles, for example, the GameCube.
The greater part of the Android platform currently implies there are a couple of good Android GBA emulators out there that are worthy of utilization. We’re going to handle every single one of those today on the whole, need to investigate what makes an extraordinary GBA emulator and which stands as the best GBA emulator for android. Here we go:
What makes a Great GBA Emulator to Stand out?
We ought to talk about what isolates them. A phenomenal Android GBA emulator, or very an unbelievable emulator when all is said in done, will sort out emulation accuracy while in such a manner offering a ton of extra features. The most crushing of these features will join full gamepad support and will also save state management – especially when you need to be able to make the choice to get, play and set away a GBA emulator at whatever point.
Why has “insert emulator here” not been included?
We’ve provided you with the best Android GBA emulators we could find, yet a few surprising decisions are missing from this once-over. If you see that your GBA emulator of choice is missing, there’s one of two purposes behind that: it’s either broken as of its latest updates, or it utilizes the development of (un-credited) an open-source.
Top 11 Game Boy Advance (GBA) Emulator for Android
1. John GBA Lite – GBA emulator
Price: Free / $2.99
A reasonably accurate and one of the best Game Boy Advance emulators, John GBA emulator comes with lots of extra features. The no-nonsense John GBA is counted as one of the great options for people who require keeping things easy/simple. It is equipped with in-built cheats along with various other options in order to enhance the rendering.
It also has the Dropbox support in the case of easy backups which lets you sync what you have saved along with the other configuration data or information to the cloud, and then remain playing on any other Android gadget. Moreover, that doesn’t need another app named John DataSync.
It completely works offline and doesn’t consist of any advertising which is also a good point. Other than that, it doesn’t cost you much. John GBA is a go-to Game Boy Advanced emulator having all of the available options in a really easy-to-access menu.
John GBA supports almost every game that is available out there, which also consists of cheat codes, on-screen controls, game search, slows down modes, fast forward and more. Moreover, the automated virtual gamepad layout isn’t that good, but it can be changed at least if you like. Also, it has Bluetooth controller support.
2. RetroArch
Price: Free
RetroArch is an emulator which is multi-system and that uses the Liberto development interface. This multi-system utilizes “cores” that you can introduce and each “core” is basically a video game emulator. For reasons unknown, Game Boy Color, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advanced all come with “cores” that work in RetroArch, making it conceivable to play every one of them with only one application.
It doesn’t have very the same number of highlights as separately coded GBA (Game Boy emulators), yet it has a high similarity rate. It’s additionally thoroughly free, open source, and there is no publicizing by any stretch of the imagination. The main drawback is that you’ll have to figure out how to utilize it. It’s a little on the complex side than different emulators.
RetroArch is best depicted as a solitary, bound together application through which you can communicate with different emulators. Specifically, VBA-M and mGBA are astounding alternatives.
3. My Boy! – GBA Emulator
Price: Free / $4.99
My Boy is one among the most famous as well as prominent GBA emulator that one can find on the Play Store and perhaps the most promising when it comes to the Android GBA emulators. My Boy has earned this reputation with its great and accurate performance along with its other high compatible emulation features. These high compatible features consist of superior link cable support over WiFi or/and Bluetooth, slow down modes, cheat codes, fast forward, high game compatibility, and hardware controller support.
It also consists of other advanced features, for example, OpenGL rendering, rumble emulation, and BIOS emulation (so you don’t need a BIOS file), with the use of vibrating motor of your phone. Moreover, this provides you with an almost amazing as well as impressive experience. One can install My Boy for Free – GBA Emulator with cheats built in APK. Moreover, the premium version of this app takes away the advertisements but this is not that needed strictly for a better experience.
4. GBA.emu
Price: Free / $4.99
GBA.emu is one among the two GBA (Game Boy emulators) here by Robert Broglia and is especially for the Game Boy Advanced. GBA.emu is fantastically strong; include rich GBA emulator for Android. That incorporates BIOS emulation, instant saving, cheat code support, cheat codes, and even hardware controller support.
It is good with most game ROMs that we attempted. It likewise plays easily. There is additionally cross-platform support with the PC version. That implies you can play for all intents and purposes at any place. Moreover, linked above, the free version is practically indistinguishable from its paid variant. So if in case you’d like to help the developer, you can likewise settle on the paid version rather, however, you don’t have to stress over having advertisements tossed in your face in the event that you can’t.
It’s one of few open-source Android GBA emulators and sees ordinary updates on account of that. There is definitely not a free version which you can test. You’ll have to test it out within the refunding time to ensure it works for you. Beside RetroArch, this is certainly our preferred free alternative on this rundown.
5. GBAoid
GBAoid is the GBA emulator that I personally began with. While it isn’t as cutting-edge as different choices on this rundown, it’s still totally free and offers all the key features that you would need out of a GBA emulator especially when it comes to an Android device.
In the event that for reasons unknown you don’t decide on one of the higher-positioned free alternatives on this rundown, GBAoid is definitely great that should, in any case, work well for you today.
6. ClassicBoy (Emulator)
Price: Free / $3.99
ClassicBoy is one of a few, not all that awful “no matter how you look at it” emulators. This one has a ton of consoles, including Sega Genesis, PlayStation, NES, and, clearly, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. It does what you envision that an emulator ought to do. The application reinforces for all intents and purposes most of the games and most of the ones we attempted.
Moreover, you get load states, extra states, fast forward, cheat code support as well as the hardware controller support. The free version of ClassicBoy has two or three features missing that the premium version has in it.
7. EmuBox – Fast Retro Emulator
Price: Free
Well, EmuBox is one latest console emulator which is all-in-one. It operates a lot like ClassicBoy emulator but it comes with a completely varied list of supported consoles. This list consists of PlayStation, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Color, SNES, and Game Boy Advanced. Other than that, EmuBox comes with pretty standard features, which includes fast forward support, cheat support, and saves as well as load states.
EmuBox, however, also has a hardware controller support. And hence, it is quite amazing for how new it is. EmuBox is entirely free of cost and requires no in-app purchases; however, there are various ads, though.
8. GBC.emu
Price: $2.99
GBC.emu, likewise by Robert Broglia, is a standout amongst the best Game Boy Color and Game Boy emulators accessible on Android. When it comes to Game Boy and Game Boy Color systems, there is support for both so are able to play any console. Since it has a higher rate of compatibility, most of the games have to work.
It likewise supports cross-platform support with the PC version, support for hardware controllers and Game Genie and Gameshark cheat codes. Other than that, it’s open source which is great. The main drawback, as GBA.emu, is that you’ll need to pay to play. Make sure to test it out within the refunding time in order to satisfy beyond any doubt you’re with it.
9. John GBC – GBC emulator
Price: Free / $2.99
John GBC is one among slightly more popular side GBC (Game Boy Color) & Game Boy emulators. Also, you might have guessed it correct that it is from the only developer of the John GBA and it consists of most of the same features that John GBA concludes. And hence, this consists of the original GBC (Game Boy Color) engine.
Moreover, apart from this, it also comes with support for fast forward, turbo buttons, cheats codes, slows down modes, game search, and not to forget Dropbox support. John GBC a highly recommended and reliable emulator especially because of its Game Boy Advanced counterpart that works offline without any advertisements.
10. My OldBoy! – GBC Emulator
Price: Free / $3.99
When it comes to My OldBoy, it is effectively a standout amongst the most mainstream Game Boy Color and Game Boy emulators. Much like My Boy (same designer), this one has a huge amount of highlights, including cheat code support, hardware controller support, slow-motion modes, fast forward, etc. and the sky is the limit from there.
It likewise incorporates the OpenGL rendering as well as rumble emulation just the way My Boy has. Moreover, it’s practically My Boy yet for Game Boy and Game Boy Color. There’s a free of cost version to attempt, however, the full version costs about $3.99.
11. Nostalgia.GBC Free/Pro (GBC Emulator)
Price: Free / $1.49
Nostalgia GBC isn’t as famous as many other emulators. However, Nostalgia GBC is still among a few great Game Boy Color & Game Boy emulators. Both the free as well as paid versions of Nostalgia GBC let you enjoy almost same features, which basically include high game compatibility, turbo buttons, and both on-screen controls as well as hardware keyboards. Unlike most other emulators, this Game Boy emulator consists of a feature where you can rewind the game which allows you to return in a few seconds in order to try a section once again.
Moreover, Nostalgia GBC is fun to work with, especially in the case of platformers. The free of cost version is supports advertisements and also needs an online connection. Moreover, these advertisements would not show while the gameplay which is quite helpful.
Final Verdict
In the long run, Android GBA emulators are bottomless, yet only a couple is very worth truly using. If you have to avoid the long setup related with RetroArch (especially in the occasion that you’re simply captivated by GBA titles), by then MyBoy! is apparently your best option. GBA.emu is another unbelievable alternative, especially since it offers most of its features to no end. My past admonishment about staying away from areas not on this summary still applies. In case you have to attempt various things with different Android GBA emulators, cling to these.
