# BUST vs ArcEmu

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ArcEmu at 95% against BUST's 41%. ArcEmu also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (4.9 vs 3.3). BUST's advantage is chart position (#184 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 16.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

ArcEmu is free to download; BUST costs $4.99 up front. BUST sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and ArcEmu sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ArcEmu holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcEmu has 1.3K ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of BUST's written reviews are positive against 95% of ArcEmu's.

BUST ships an update every 3 weeks, ArcEmu every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BUST | ArcEmu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.3 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bust-a-move-journey/id1259109799/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 46 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 41.2% of reviews | **94.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#184** | — |
| Size | 127 MB | 234 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TAITO Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/305608085) | [Raffaele D'Amato](https://appshunter.io/developer/529947655) |

## What reviewers say

### BUST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bust-a-move-journey/id1259109799)

**Currently charting:** #184 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

Embark on a bubble-popping adventure where you shoot and match three or more bubbles of the same color to clear stages. Complete diverse missions, utilize helpful items, and unlock new levels. Enjoy over 270 puzzle stages with unique challenges and optional map purchases for extended gameplay.

**Highlights:** Shoot and match 3+ same-colored bubbles, Complete diverse stage missions, Unlock new stages by clearing levels, Utilize helpful items and characters, Over 270 puzzle stages with gimmicks, Optional map purchases for additional stages

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Map4 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map5 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map6 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map7 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map8 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map9 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map10 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map11 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Map12 | $0.99 | one-time |


### ArcEmu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733)

Experience retro gaming on your Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad. This emulator supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. Enjoy features like multiplayer, cheats, and customizable controls.

**Highlights:** Game Boy, GBC, GBA emulation, Multiplayer support, Cheat codes, Customizable on-screen controls, Save State sharing, iCloud support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All (Upgrade 4) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Game Boy Advance | $0.99 | one-time |
| SNES | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pokémon Mini | $0.99 | one-time |
| Atari 2600 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mega Drive / Genesis | $0.99 | one-time |
| Game Gear | $0.99 | one-time |
| Master System | $0.99 | one-time |
| SG-1000 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All (Upgrade 3) | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fully functional
- 🚀 Impressive emulation on Apple Watch
- 👍 Great emulator for both phone and watch
- 👍 Seamless save state transfer between devices
- 👍 Customizable controls and layout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with some games
- 🐛 Audio quality problems on certain games
- 👎 Limited functionality on Apple Watch
- 👎 Difficult controls for action-heavy games on watch

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes
- Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
- Save data not transferring properly between devices

**Requested features**

- Add cheat/GameShark support
- Improve volume controls
- Implement fast forward/slow motion options
- Allow multiple save slots per game
- Improve Game Boy Color support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BUST free?

BUST costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is ArcEmu free?

ArcEmu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BUST or ArcEmu?

ArcEmu is rated higher. BUST averages 3.3 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while ArcEmu averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do BUST or ArcEmu have ads?

Neither BUST nor ArcEmu shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BUST or ArcEmu?

BUST ships an update every 3 weeks, and ArcEmu every 2 weeks. Most recently, BUST was updated on October 26, 2026 and ArcEmu on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*