# Dolphin Ctrl vs gba emulator

The clearest difference is rating: gba emulator at 4.6 against Dolphin Ctrl's 3.0. gba emulator also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 14 months) and review sentiment (43% vs 14%). Dolphin Ctrl's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. gba emulator sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Dolphin Ctrl asks for nothing beyond the download.

gba emulator holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: gba emulator has 401 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of Dolphin Ctrl's written reviews are positive against 43% of gba emulator's.

Dolphin Ctrl ships an update every 14 months, gba emulator every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dolphin Ctrl | gba emulator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-ctrl/id1584272645/reviews) | **[4.6 (401 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gba-emulator-retro-game/id6517354474/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **401** |
| Positive reviews | 14.3% of reviews | **42.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Cameron Little](https://appshunter.io/developer/964698586) | [滨 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1740769819) |

## What reviewers say

### Dolphin Ctrl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dolphin-ctrl/id1584272645)

This app transforms your phone into a GameCube controller for the Dolphin emulator. Connect wirelessly to your computer to play games with friends. Performance depends on network and emulator speed.

**Highlights:** Simulates GameCube controller, Play games on Dolphin emulator, Use phones as controllers, Supports multiplayer, Wireless connectivity

**In-app purchases:** none


### gba emulator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gba-emulator-retro-game/id6517354474)

Relive classic Game Boy Advance games on your iOS device. This emulator offers an authentic gaming experience with support for .gba and .zip files, virtual controllers, and customizable options.

**Highlights:** Play GBA games on iOS, Supports .gba and .zip formats, Virtual controllers, Customizable options, Quick access to games

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tipping | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove video ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove advertisements | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Runs smooth, no lag
- 👍 Good compatibility
- 👍 Stable application
- 👍 Works on older iPhones

**What reviewers complain about**

-  anúncios Excessive ads
- 🐛 Crashing consistently
- 🐛 Game crashes and save deletion
- 🐛 Can't play without internet
- 🐛 Loading takes too much time

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes before first arena and save deletes
- App deleted after trying cheat code
- Games no longer run after new iOS update
- Lagging issues
- Save file loading issues

**Requested features**

- Add link cable simulation option for trading Pokémon
- Option to open 2 games simultaneously for trading
- More details on development for configuration options
- Ability to import and export saves
- Add Sonic Triple Trouble 16 bit on GBA


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dolphin Ctrl free?

Dolphin Ctrl is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is gba emulator free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dolphin Ctrl or gba emulator?

gba emulator is rated higher. Dolphin Ctrl averages 3.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while gba emulator averages 4.6 from 401 ratings.

### Do Dolphin Ctrl or gba emulator have ads?

gba emulator shows ads; Dolphin Ctrl does not.

### Which is updated more often, Dolphin Ctrl or gba emulator?

Dolphin Ctrl ships an update every 14 months, and gba emulator every 2 weeks. Most recently, Dolphin Ctrl was updated on October 5, 2026 and gba emulator on October 17, 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.*