Comparison

Emu64 XL vs Linking Boy

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

Head to head
About

Emu64 XL

Experience classic computing with this fast and user-friendly emulator for the Commodore 64. It perfectly replicates graphics, sound, and peripherals, offering a virtual keyboard and joystick support. Load your favorite CBM64 files and relive the golden age of 8-bit gaming and software development.

Highlights
  • Commodore 64 emulation
  • Perfect graphics and sound
  • Virtual keyboard and joystick
  • Load .T64 and .D64 files
  • Hardware peripheral support
  • Includes CBM64 basic programs
Features
Read full description

A VICE based Commodore 64 emulator fast and very easy to use. The emulator comes with various programs and sources written in the famous CBM64 basic language. The app emulates graphics, sounds and peripherals to perfection and also has a keyboard with the same layout as the original one. You can load .T64 files and .D64 files as old floppy disks and can use virtual joystick in both port 1 and port 2. App also supports hardware peripherals such as gamepads, joysticks, keyboards and more. Develop software and also have fun with games with this 8-bit old glory and good poke! (C=)

About

Linking Boy

Experience fast and feature-rich emulation for Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy games. Enjoy multiplayer Link cable emulation, unlock achievements with RetroAchievements, and customize your gameplay with speed control, cheats, and enhanced visual options.

Highlights
  • Fast GBA/GBC/GB emulation
  • Link cable multiplayer
  • RetroAchievements support
  • Speed control (fast-forward/slow-down)
  • Cheat support
  • Customizable virtual controls
  • Save states
Features
Read full description

Linkboy is the successor to the popular My Boy! emulator, offering fastest GBA/GBC/GB emulation with unique features like Link and RetroAchievements. KEY FEATURES • Optimized performance — smooth, efficient emulation with minimal battery use • High compatibility — runs nearly all games flawlessly • Link cable emulation — play up to 4 players via local network or on the same device • RetroAchievements support — unlock achievements while you play • Speed control — fast-forward up to 100× or slow down for detailed play. • Cheat support — codes for multiple systems • Cartridge features emulation — gyroscope, light sensor, rumble • Controller & keyboard support — flexible many-to-many button mappings • Customizable virtual controls — move, resize, and configure buttons freely • Save states — multiple slots, save and load anytime • Visual enhancements — combine multiple GPU shaders for a new look • Manage game folders — easily add, remove, or organize your game collection • Modern UI — clean design with Material You styling DISCLAIMER This app is not affiliated with, authorized, endorsed, or licensed in any way by Nintendo, its affiliates, or subsidiaries. No games are included. Screenshots feature either public domain titles or copyrighted works owned by their respective rights holders. IGRS Rating: 3+ — by the Indonesia Game Rating System (IGRS).

Screenshots

Emu64 XL4 screens
Linking Boy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Linking Boy at 78% against Emu64 XL's 23%. Linking Boy also leads on rating (4.2 vs 2.2) and ads (none vs shown). Emu64 XL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). On price, ratings volume and device support 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. Linking Boy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Emu64 XL asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Linking Boy holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29 and 43 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Emu64 XL's written reviews are positive against 78% of Linking Boy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Emu64 XL ships an update every 2 days, Linking Boy monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Emu64 XL versus Linking Boy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmu64 XLLinking Boy
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.2 (29 ratings)4.2 (43 ratings) — better
Positive reviews23.1% of reviews78.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2943 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRaffaele AmusoPixel Respawn LLC

Customer experience

Emu64 XL

All ratings28 ratings
Positive28.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative67.9%
Written reviews52 reviews
Positive23.1%
Neutral15.4%
Negative61.5%

Linking Boy

All ratings42 ratings
Positive81.0%
Neutral7.1%
Negative11.9%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive78.3%
Neutral10.9%
Negative10.9%

In-app purchases

None

Emu64 XL

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Linking Boy

One-time1
  • Premium Features$5.99

Questions

Is Emu64 XL free?
Emu64 XL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Linking Boy free?
Linking Boy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Emu64 XL or Linking Boy?
Linking Boy is rated higher. Emu64 XL averages 2.2 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while Linking Boy averages 4.2 from 43 ratings.
Do Emu64 XL or Linking Boy have ads?
Emu64 XL shows ads; Linking Boy does not.
Which is updated more often, Emu64 XL or Linking Boy?
Emu64 XL ships an update every 2 days, and Linking Boy monthly. Most recently, Emu64 XL was updated on October 30, 2026 and Linking Boy on October 27, 2026.

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