Yaba Sanshiro 2 vs Vactrex
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
Vactrex
Experience the classic Vectrex vector-graphics console on your mobile device. This emulator meticulously recreates the original hardware's analog display, including phosphor glow and beam tracing. Bring your own legally obtained game cartridges to play a wide library of retro titles.
- Authentic vector display simulation
- Cycle-accurate processor emulation
- Accurate sound and timing
- Bring your own ROMs and cartridges
- Organize games with folders
- Adjustable on-screen controls
- Game controller support
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Vactrex is an emulator for the 1982 vectrex vector-graphics console — the one with a real CRT that drew lines directly with an electron beam instead of pixels. It comes with Star Stomper, an original vector game written for it, so there is something to play the moment you open the app. THE DISPLAY IS THE POINT Most emulators of this machine draw approximations. Vactrex models the analog hardware: the digital-to-analog converter, the sample-and-hold channels, the X and Y integrators, and the beam-blanking signal. Every line you see was traced by a simulated beam, the same way the original did it — including the dots that make up bullets, mines and explosions, which are drawn by parking the beam and lighting it in place. Phosphor persistence and glow are rendered on the GPU, so bright objects bloom and fading trails linger, the way they do on the real tube. ACCURATE UNDERNEATH - Cycle-accurate MC6809 processor - 6522 VIA timers, shift register and port emulation - AY-3-8912 sound with correct tone, noise and envelope generation - Emulated time paced against the real clock, so games run at their true speed, including slowing down exactly where the original did when a scene has more to draw BRING YOUR OWN CARTRIDGES Star Stomper is included and needs nothing. To play the rest of the library you supply your own, legally obtained: an 8 KB system ROM, and any cartridge files you own. Connect your device and open it in Finder, or use the Files app. Drop cartridge files into the Vactrex folder and they appear in your library — no import step, no hidden storage, your own filenames kept. Organise them into subfolders if you like. Delete a file and the game disappears. ZIP archives work too, so files from an existing collection can go straight in without unpacking. Identical files are recognised as one game, however they are named. The app validates what you give it and tells you plainly if a file will not work, rather than failing later. CONTROLS On-screen controls sit over the game, with adjustable size and opacity. Volume and mute are in settings. Game controllers are supported. MFi, Xbox and PlayStation pads pair through iOS Bluetooth settings and are picked up automatically — and because the original console had an analog stick, an analog pad maps straight onto it. PRIVACY No accounts, no analytics, no network access, no data collected. Nothing leaves your device.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Yaba Sanshiro 2 at Free against Vactrex's $2.99. Vactrex's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 62%) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Yaba Sanshiro 2 is free to download; Vactrex costs $2.99 up front. Yaba Sanshiro 2 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. Vactrex asks for nothing beyond the download.
Yaba Sanshiro 2 ships an update every 2 weeks, Vactrex every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Yaba Sanshiro 2 | Vactrex |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.4 (29 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 61.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 29 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 53 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | devMiyax | Javier Sandoval |
Customer experience
Yaba Sanshiro 2
Vactrex
In-app purchases
Yaba Sanshiro 2
- Pro Annual$1.991 Year
- Lifetime Pro$4.99
Vactrex
No in-app purchases









