# Retro Pal - DS, GBA Emulator — No ads. Just play.

> Mobile emulator for Game Boy, GBA, and Nintendo DS ROMs. (iPhone/iPad app by Antoine Ghiassi.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-pal-ds-gba-emulator/id6769407672 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Antoine Ghiassi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896655463)
- Category: Utilities, Entertainment
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 20 MB
- Languages: American English, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, European Portuguese, Romanian and 3 more
- Released: 2026-06-24
- Data updated: 2026-09-01
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-pal-ds-gba-emulator/id6769407672/reviews.md

## What is Retro Pal?

The console of your childhood, now in your pocket.

Retro Pal plays your Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Super Nintendo and NES ROMs on your iPhone. Your old games, on the screen you always have with you.

No ads. Free to use. Pro is optional: pay once for life, or month by month if you prefer.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (FOR FREE)

• Native emulation via mGBA, melonDS and MesenCE
• Six consoles: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Super Nintendo, NES
• 60fps Metal rendering
• Bluetooth controllers: Xbox, PlayStation, MFi
• Local-first iCloud save sync across your devices
• Save import from other emulator apps
• Stereo sound, mixable with background music (Spotify, Apple Music, podcasts)
• Touch controls: D-pad and action buttons
• Console skins: pick a built-in look, or import and share custom ones
• Portrait and landscape modes
• Two save slots + auto-save with image preview
• Rewind up to 5 seconds, on all six consoles
• Capture and share gameplay clips as a video card
• Screenshot sharing with a styled card
• Your Retro Story: a shareable recap of your play stats

LOCALIZED, NOT TRANSLATED

Retro Pal is available in ten European languages: French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Swedish. Each is written, not run through a translator at the last minute.

RETRO PAL PRO (OPTIONAL)

One-time purchase, yours forever. Or a small monthly subscription if you prefer to spread the cost.

• All speeds (0.25× to 4×)
• Five save slots
• 30-second rewind
• Cheat codes (GameShark, CodeBreaker, Action Replay, Action Replay DS)
• Full controls editor: move, resize, fade or hide every button and the screens, with unlimited presets per console
• Create and edit your own custom console skins

The subscription can be cancelled at any time from the App Store. You can switch from the monthly subscription to the lifetime purchase whenever you want.

Terms of Use: https://retropal.fr/en/terms
Privacy Policy: https://retropal.fr/en/privacy

MADE IN EUROPE.

No ads, no ad profiling. To improve the app, Retro Pal sends only anonymous usage statistics, no personal data, no advertising IDs. Your ROMs, your saves and your progress stay on your iPhone.

The app contains no games. You must provide your own ROM files, which you certify you legally own.

Need to reach us? We reply within a day: support@retropal.fr

Website: retropal.fr
Privacy: retropal.fr/en/privacy
Terms: retropal.fr/en/terms

Retro Pal integrates the open-source emulator cores mGBA (MPL-2.0 license), melonDS (GPL-3.0 license) and MesenCE (GPL-3.0 license, used with one small change published as a patch file alongside the source). The app's complete source code is published under GPL-3.0: github.com/Larvouu/RetroPal.

Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Nintendo Entertainment System are trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd. This application is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Nintendo.

## Key features

- Supports GB, GBC, GBA, and DS ROMs
- Bluetooth controller support
- iCloud save sync
- Customizable console skins
- Rewind functionality
- Gameplay clip recording

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retro Pal Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retro Pal Pro Lifetime | $3.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-pal-ds-gba-emulator/id6769407672/reviews.md

### 5/5 — The best emulator on iOS!

*2026-08-29*

Easiest time I’ve ever had setting up an emulator. Great all around experience.

**Developer response:** Glad you mention it, because it's the whole point of Retro Pal. 🙏
Thank you for taking the time to write a comment.

### 4/5 — Decent emulator microphone option needs to get fixed

*2026-07-16*

Love the emulator really nice ui, would just prefer to have the microphone option work, currently it does not work AT ALL.

**Developer response:** Hello, and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're delighted that you generally enjoy Retro Pal. ☺️​

About the microphone: in DS games, holding the on-screen MIC button sends a simulated blow to the game. That covers blow-based actions, but the app does not yet capture real audio from your iPhone's microphone, so anything voice-based will not respond. 

We plan to add a dedicated microphone input, which will be available soon. Could you please email us at support@retropal.fr with a detailed description of your issue and your needs so we can better understand the situation? This would allow us to prioritize this feature and provide a solution in the next update. 

Thanks for your help Kennikek. 🙏​

## Frequently asked questions about Retro Pal

### Does Retro Pal have ads?

No, Retro Pal is ad-free. The developers state there are no ads and no ad profiling, ensuring a clean user experience.

### What consoles does Retro Pal emulate?

Retro Pal supports four classic Nintendo consoles: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS.

### Can I use a controller with Retro Pal?

Yes, Retro Pal supports Bluetooth controllers including Xbox, PlayStation, and MFi controllers for a more console-like experience.

### How does save syncing work in Retro Pal?

Retro Pal offers local-first iCloud save sync across your devices, allowing you to seamlessly continue your game progress on different iPhones.

### What are the benefits of Retro Pal Pro?

Retro Pal Pro unlocks features like all speeds (0.25x to 4x), five save slots, 30-second rewind, cheat code support, and advanced control customization.

### How much does Retro Pal Pro cost?

Retro Pal Pro is available as a one-time lifetime purchase or a monthly subscription at $0.99/month. You can cancel the subscription anytime.

### Is Retro Pal safe for all ages?

Retro Pal is rated for ages 4 and up, making it suitable for a wide range of users. The app also emphasizes privacy with no personal data or advertising IDs being sent.

### How often is Retro Pal updated?

The app was last updated on July 8, 2026, indicating regular maintenance and potential feature additions. Users can expect timely support with replies typically within a day.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.2.5 — 2026-08-21

Two more consoles
• Super Nintendo and NES games play in Retro Pal now, and both consoles are free for everyone.
• Saves, speed, rewind, cheat codes and achievements all work on them from the first day.

They look like the real thing
• Each new console wears its own shell around the game, in portrait and in landscape.
• Build your own skin and give every face button its own color, then share a card of it (Pro).

Rewind on every console
• Rewind reaches Nintendo DS, which needed a much smaller way to keep its much larger snapshots.
• Five seconds for everyone, thirty with Pro, on all six consoles.

Cheat codes, fixed
• A code printed on several lines goes in as one entry, and the app says so before you get it wrong.
• A game whose own release has no codes can borrow them from another region of the same cartridge.

RetroAchievements
• A game with several achievement sets now shows each set with its own count and badge.
• Finishing a set, or a whole game, gets its own moment on screen.

With a controller attached
• Move and resize the game screen when a clip-on controller covers part of the display (Pro).
• Each console remembers its own arrangement, in portrait and in landscape.

### 1.2.4 — 2026-08-06

Play on your TV • Send the game to a television with AirPlay or a cable, while your iPhone keeps the controls (Pro). • On DS, both screens appear on the TV and the touch screen stays on your iPhone.

The look of the original hardware • Six video filters, from CRT to LCD grid, applied live and baked into your screenshots and clips (Pro). • Twenty-four Game Boy palettes, chosen per game, free for everyone.

Cheat codes without typing them • Browse the community database for the game you are playing and tap a code to add it (Pro). • Codes tidy themselves as you type, and a rejected code now tells you what is wrong with it.

Controllers and keyboards • Remap every button, per console, and bind fast forward, screenshot or clip to a spare one (Pro). • Hardware keyboards now work, free. Stick direction and the DS face buttons are fixed.

Your games on the Home Screen • Widgets show your games as their box art. One tap opens a game where you left off. • Pick the game and the save each widget opens, or let it follow whatever you played last.

Saves and Nintendo DS • Export a game's save to share or keep it, and in-game saves now follow you through iCloud. • Put a Game Boy Advance game in the DS second slot, like the original console did.

### 1.2.3 — 2026-07-21

• Import several games at once from the Files picker
• A ZIP containing several games now lets you choose which ones to add
• Locked achievements now show your live progress as you play
• Emulator notices no longer appear as achievement unlocks
• Game covers now show without flashing, even offline
• Small fixes and polish

### 1.2.2 — 2026-07-13

• Your game library now shows each game's original box art
• Set a custom cover for any game: pick a photo, then zoom and crop it to fit
• Closing an achievement card opened from the unlock banner now resumes your game right away
• Game import error messages are now in your language and explain what to do
• Small fixes and polish

### 1.2.1 — 2026-07-08

RetroAchievements is here.

Connect your RetroAchievements account and earn achievements as you play, on all four consoles. Unlock banners with a little chiptune fanfare, a dashboard for every game, a badge wall, your profile in the library, and shareable cards for your proudest unlocks. Optional and free: without an account, everything plays as always.

Also in this update:
• 5 new languages: Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin American Spanish
• The welcome screen now presents the four supported consoles
• Polish and fixes throughout

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*