Comparison

ArcEmu vs Big Red Racing

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

Head to head
About

ArcEmu

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
Read full description

ArcEmu brings retro game emulation to Apple Watch. It also works on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, delivering a seamless gaming experience across your Apple devices. Supported Consoles - Game Boy (.gb) - Game Boy Color (.gbc) - Game Boy Advance (.gba) - Pokémon Mini (.min) - Nintendo Entertainment System (.nes) - Super Nintendo Entertainment System (.sfc and .smc) - Atari 2600 (.a26 and .bin) Main Features - Accurate, high-performance emulation powered by the mGBA and Ares cores - Game Link Cable support with online multiplayer for up to four players* - Cheat-code support with a built-in database of popular codes** - Frame-independent emulation at 30 or 60 FPS - Multi-touch and Digital Crown support on Apple Watch - Support for all screen orientations on iPhone and iPad - Precise, thoughtfully designed on-screen controls - Customizable control position and transparency on iPhone and iPad - Fast-forward at 2×, 4×, or maximum speed - Slow motion at 0.5× speed - Touch-based light gun controls for NES and SNES - Custom color palettes for Game Boy games - Button hold/sustain feature - Accelerometer support - Gyroscope support on iPhone and iPad, with Digital Crown input on Apple Watch - Haptic feedback on iPhone - Game controller support with customizable button mappings - ZIP archive support - Automatic saving - Save-state sharing between devices - iCloud support for ROMs and save states - ROM sharing through iCloud using share codes - Support for Apple Watch devices configured with Family Setup - ROM sorting and search Apple Watch Compatibility - Apple Watch Series 4 or later - Apple Watch SE or later - Apple Watch Ultra or later ArcEmu does not include any games or ROMs. You can import compatible ROM files from your iPhone and store them in iCloud. Your Apple Watch can then download them directly from iCloud. On an Apple Watch configured with Family Setup, ROMs can be downloaded from iCloud using share codes. Games Featured in the Screenshots - Acorn Grove: https://gibbongl.itch.io/acorn-grove - Anguna: https://gauauu.itch.io/anguna - Hauntsfield: https://alliemackie.itch.io/hauntsfield - µCity Advance: https://skylyrac.itch.io/ucity-advance * Requires a Game Center account. ** Cheat codes may cause unexpected behavior or affect game stability and save data. ArcEmu is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo. Nintendo and the names of its game systems are trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

About

Big Red Racing

Experience classic 90s arcade racing with a huge variety of vehicles, from trucks to spaceships. Race across diverse terrains and master intuitive mobile controls for chaotic, high-speed fun. Supports game controllers for an enhanced experience.

Highlights
  • Variety of vehicles (trucks, boats, spaceships)
  • Diverse race tracks and terrains
  • 90s arcade-style gameplay
  • Intuitive mobile controls
  • Backbone Game Controller support
  • Humorous commentary
Read full description

Get ready to jump back into the classic world of Big Red Racing! Originally released in 1995, this high-speed, high-adrenaline racing game is now available on modern devices, bringing all the chaotic fun of the original straight to your screen. With Big Red Racing, you’re not just racing cars. Choose from an outrageous variety of vehicles—everything from trucks, boats, and helicopters to lunar rovers and spaceships! Explore wild tracks across different terrains, from snowy mountains to urban streets, exotic islands, and even outer space. This game captures the essence of 90s arcade-style racing: fast-paced action, humorous commentary, and non-stop laughs. Mastering each track and discovering the unique quirks of every vehicle. With intuitive controls optimized for mobile, you’ll find yourself quickly at home in the familiar yet thrilling chaos of Big Red Racing. Big Red Racing also features support for the Backbone Game Controller for an enhanced and immersive gameplay experience. Backbone is a trademark of Backbone Labs, Inc. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a new racer ready for something fresh and fun, Big Red Racing delivers pure nostalgia and excitement. Relive the magic of this 90s classic today! © 1995 Big Red Software. Published by Lithium under license. https://lithium.is/privacy-policy/ https://lithium.is/terms-of-use/

Screenshots

ArcEmu4 screens
Big Red Racing4 screens

Verdict

The call

ArcEmu and Big Red Racing both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 95% of ArcEmu's written reviews are positive against 50% of Big Red Racing's. ArcEmu also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (1.3K vs 2). On rating, ads, in-app purchases 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

ArcEmu costs $1.99 and Big Red Racing $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ArcEmu against 5.0 for Big Red Racing. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ArcEmu has 1.3K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 95% of ArcEmu's written reviews are positive against 50% of Big Red Racing's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, Big Red Racing every 11 months. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ArcEmu versus Big Red Racing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArcEmuBig Red Racing
Price$1.99 — better$4.99
Rating4.9 (1.3K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews94.5% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1.3K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.5 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size172 MB514 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRaffaele D'AmatoLithium ehf

Customer experience

ArcEmu

All ratings1,304 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral0.8%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews531 reviews
Positive94.5%
Neutral2.8%
Negative2.6%

Big Red Racing

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

ArcEmu

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Occasional crashes
  • Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
  • Save data not transferring properly between devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add cheat/GameShark support
  • Improve volume controls
  • Implement fast forward/slow motion options
  • Allow multiple save slots per game
  • Improve Game Boy Color support
Show 1 more
  • Add joystick/button support for Apple Watch

Big Red Racing

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ArcEmu

No in-app purchases

None

Big Red Racing

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ArcEmu free?
ArcEmu costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Big Red Racing free?
Big Red Racing costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ArcEmu or Big Red Racing?
Big Red Racing is rated higher. ArcEmu averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Big Red Racing averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do ArcEmu or Big Red Racing have ads?
Neither ArcEmu nor Big Red Racing shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ArcEmu or Big Red Racing?
ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, and Big Red Racing every 11 months. Most recently, ArcEmu was updated on October 25, 2026 and Big Red Racing on October 25, 2026.

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