Comparison

Yaba Sanshiro 2 vs VirtualFriend

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Yaba Sanshiro 2

This app allows you to play SEGA Saturn games on your iOS device by emulating the hardware. You'll need to provide your own game data by dumping it from original CD-ROMs. It offers various settings for graphics, sound, and controls to enhance your retro gaming experience.

Highlights
  • SEGA Saturn hardware emulation
  • Play your own Saturn game files
  • Save and load game states
  • On-screen gamepad and MFI controller support
  • Adjustable rendering resolution
  • Frame skip and aspect ratio settings
Features
Read full description

Take your Saturn game collection anywhere with Yaba Sanshiro 2. Enjoy your favorite Saturn games on iPhone and iPad with high-resolution graphics, fast and lightweight emulation, massive backup storage, and cloud save support. Play with enhanced visuals, keep more save data, protect your progress in the cloud, and transfer your saves to your other devices. KEY FEATURES • High-Resolution Graphics Enjoy sharper 3D graphics rendered at resolutions higher than the original Saturn hardware, powered by Apple's Metal API. • Fast and Lightweight Optimized for smooth and responsive gameplay on iPhone and iPad. • Massive Backup Storage The original Saturn had only 32 KB of internal backup RAM. Yaba Sanshiro 2 lets you keep far more save data without constantly deleting old saves. • Cloud Backup Back up your important game saves to your private cloud storage and protect your progress. • Save Data Transfer Back up, restore, and transfer your save data so you can continue playing on your other devices. • Save States Save your progress at any moment and continue later from exactly where you left off. • Game Controller Support Play with compatible Bluetooth and USB game controllers for a more authentic console experience. FREE TO START — UPGRADE YOUR WAY Download Yaba Sanshiro 2 for free and get started with your own Saturn games. For full access to Pro features, choose the option that works best for you: • Annual Pro Unlock Pro features with an auto-renewable yearly subscription. • Lifetime Pro Unlock Pro features permanently with a one-time purchase. Pay once and keep Pro forever. Users who purchased Yaba Sanshiro 2 before it became a free app will continue to receive Pro access without an additional subscription or purchase. GETTING STARTED Yaba Sanshiro 2 does not include Saturn BIOS files or game data. You must use game files created from game discs that you legally own. 1. Create a supported game image from your Saturn game disc. 2. Copy the game file to your iPhone or iPad. 3. Start Yaba Sanshiro 2. 4. Tap the “Add” button and select your game file. 5. Tap the game icon to start playing. For detailed setup instructions, visit: https://www.yabasanshiro.com/howto#ios COMPATIBILITY The Saturn is a complex system, and some games may not yet work perfectly. Check the current game compatibility list here: https://www.yabasanshiro.com/games You can also send compatibility information and issue reports directly to the developer by selecting “Report” from the in-game menu. OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE Yaba Sanshiro 2 is based on the Yabause open-source project and is provided under the GPL license. Source code is available here: https://www.yabasanshiro.com/download LEGAL NOTICE Yaba Sanshiro 2 is not affiliated with or endorsed by SEGA Corporation. “Sega Saturn” is a registered trademark of SEGA Corporation. Terms of Use: https://www.yabasanshiro.com/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://www.yabasanshiro.com/privacy

About

VirtualFriend

Experience classic Nintendo Virtual Boy games in true 3D on Apple Vision Pro and iOS. This open-source emulator allows you to explore the entire official library and homebrew titles with customizable color palettes and flexible control options.

Highlights
  • 3D Virtual Boy experience
  • Explore official and homebrew libraries
  • Customizable color palettes
  • Flexible control options (touchscreen, controller, keyboard)
  • 3D title screen previews
Features
Read full description

VirtualFriend: A new, open source Nintendo Virtual Boy emulator Relive the unique red-and-black world of Nintendo's most ambitious '90s console. Whether you're experiencing these classics for the first time or revisiting fond memories, VirtualFriend delivers the definitive Virtual Boy experience on Apple Vision Pro and iOS devices. Experience the Virtual Boy in high fidelity 3D on the Apple Vision Pro, or play on the go on iOS. - Explore the entire official library of Virtual Boy titles and the most popular homebrew with provided metadata and 3D title screen previews - Tired of red and black? Adjust the display's color palette between a series of presets, or choose your own colors - Play using flexible controls; either touchscreen, controller, or keyboard VirtualFriend is open source and available under the MIT license. Join the community, contribute back, or simply ask questions at https://github.com/agg23/virtualfriend Disclaimer: VirtualFriend is an independently developed, free, open source emulator. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Nintendo Co., Ltd. in any way. "Nintendo" and "Virtual Boy" are trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd. All rights reserved to their respective owners.

Screenshots

Yaba Sanshiro 24 screens
VirtualFriend4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: VirtualFriend at 95% against Yaba Sanshiro 2's 62%. VirtualFriend also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4). Yaba Sanshiro 2's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 24 months) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Yaba Sanshiro 2 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year and VirtualFriend sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VirtualFriend holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Yaba Sanshiro 2's written reviews are positive against 95% of VirtualFriend's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Yaba Sanshiro 2 ships an update every 2 weeks, VirtualFriend every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Yaba Sanshiro 2 versus VirtualFriend: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterYaba Sanshiro 2VirtualFriend
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (29 ratings)4.9 (21 ratings) — better
Positive reviews61.8% of reviews95.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings29 — better21
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 24 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperdevMiyaxAdam Gastineau

Customer experience

Yaba Sanshiro 2

All ratings28 ratings
Positive89.3%
Neutral3.6%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive61.8%
Neutral35.3%
Negative2.9%

VirtualFriend

All ratings20 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive95.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Yaba Sanshiro 2

Subscriptions1
  • Pro Annual$1.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$4.99
4 purchases

VirtualFriend

One-time4
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large Tip$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Extra Large Tip$9.99

Questions

Is Yaba Sanshiro 2 free?
Yaba Sanshiro 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VirtualFriend free?
VirtualFriend is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Yaba Sanshiro 2 or VirtualFriend?
VirtualFriend is rated higher. Yaba Sanshiro 2 averages 4.4 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while VirtualFriend averages 4.9 from 21 ratings.
Do Yaba Sanshiro 2 or VirtualFriend have ads?
Neither Yaba Sanshiro 2 nor VirtualFriend shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Yaba Sanshiro 2 or VirtualFriend?
Yaba Sanshiro 2 ships an update every 2 weeks, and VirtualFriend every 24 months. Most recently, Yaba Sanshiro 2 was updated on November 3, 2026 and VirtualFriend on October 30, 2026.

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