Comparison

ArcEmu vs Heimdall HQ

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

Turn your Apple Watch into a retro game console. Play Game Boy, NES, SNES, Genesis, and more on your wrist, with multi-touch controls and the Digital Crown. ArcEmu also runs on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. ▸ SUPPORTED CONSOLES Included for free: - Game Boy - Game Boy Color - Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Available through in-app purchases: - Game Boy Advance - Pokémon Mini - Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) - Atari 2600 - Sega Mega Drive / Genesis - Sega Master System - Sega Game Gear - Sega SG-1000 ▸ MULTIPLAYER AND LINK CABLE Play home-console games online and locally with friends, or link Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games over the internet. Game Link Cable supports up to four players in compatible games. Online play requires a Game Center account. ▸ SHARE ROMs WITH A CODE Import your ROMs on iPhone, keep them in iCloud, and download them directly to Apple Watch or Apple TV. Share them through iCloud using a code, including with an Apple Watch configured with Family Setup. ▸ SCREEN AND CONTROLS Move and resize the game screen, choose an LCD or CRT filter, and set up the controls the way you like them. On Apple Watch, use multi-touch controls, customize the control layout, and assign actions to the Digital Crown. On iPhone and iPad, adjust button positions and transparency, and play in any orientation. Connect a controller and customize its button mappings, or use a second controller on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. ArcEmu also supports iPhone Duo. ▸ MORE FEATURES - Accurate, high-performance emulation - Fast-forward at 2×, 4×, or maximum speed - Slow motion at 0.5× speed - Cheat codes with a built-in database of popular codes - Touch-based light gun controls for NES and SNES - Custom Game Boy color palettes - Button hold/sustain - Accelerometer support - Gyroscope support on iPhone and iPad, with Digital Crown input on Apple Watch - Haptic feedback on iPhone ▸ YOUR ROMs AND SAVES Keep your collection organized with per-console folders, sorting, and search. Import ROMs from ZIP and 7-Zip archives, use automatic saving, and share save states between devices. Both ROMs and save states can be stored in iCloud. ▸ 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. ▸ GAMES FEATURED IN THE SCREENSHOTS - Acorn Grove: https://gibbongl.itch.io/acorn-grove - Big2Small: https://mdsteele.itch.io/big2small - Hauntsfield: https://alliemackie.itch.io/hauntsfield - µCity Advance: https://skylyrac.itch.io/ucity-advance Cheat codes may cause unexpected behavior or affect game stability and save data. ArcEmu is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo, Sega, or Atari. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

About

Heimdall HQ

Features
Read full description

Verwandle jedes Gelände in ein strategisches Spielfeld. Mit Heimdall planst, leitest und spielst du taktische Paintball- und Airsoft-Szenarien in der realen Welt. Mit Live-Karte, definierten Zonen und klaren Missionszielen. Live-Karte & Positionsübersicht Alle Spieler werden in Echtzeit auf der Karte angezeigt. Verfolge Teambewegungen, Positionen und Einsatzbereiche auf einen Blick – perfekt für taktische Entscheidungen während des Spiels. Multiplayer in Echtzeit Spieler verbinden sich mit einem laufenden Match und nehmen live am Szenario teil. Ideal für Paintball-Teams, Airsoft-Gruppen, Spielfelder und Event-Organisatoren. Fokus auf Funktion & Fair Play Die App ist auf Übersicht, Koordination und taktisches Gameplay ausgelegt, ohne unnötige Ablenkung. Wir wollen, dass du auf das Spielfeld und nicht auf dein Handy schauen musst. Klare Informationen, schnelle Reaktionen, volle Kontrolle für Spielleiter und Teams. Für wen ist diese App? * Paintball-Teams & Spielleiter * Airsoft-Teams & Event-Organisatoren * Spielfelder, Vereine und Turnierleiter * Spieler, die Wert auf Taktik, Struktur und Teamkoordination legen Hinweis: Diese App koordiniert reale Spiele wie Paintball und Airsoft (sowie ähnliche Outdoor-Spiele). Sie stellt keine Gewalt dar und zeigt keine Blut- oder Kampfdarstellungen. Sicherheit, Fair Play und die Einhaltung lokaler Regeln liegen in der Verantwortung der Spieler und Veranstalter.

Screenshots

ArcEmu4 screens
Heimdall HQ4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Heimdall HQ at none against ArcEmu's 10. Heimdall HQ also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). ArcEmu's advantage is device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ArcEmu sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Heimdall HQ asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, Heimdall HQ every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ArcEmu versus Heimdall HQ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArcEmuHeimdall HQ
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.3K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews94.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.3K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size234 MB112 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperRaffaele D'AmatoPhilip Grefe

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

Heimdall HQ

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

ArcEmu

One-time10
  • Unlock All (Upgrade 4)$0.99
  • Game Boy Advance$0.99
  • SNES$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Pokémon Mini$0.99
  • Atari 2600$0.99
  • Mega Drive / Genesis$0.99
  • Game Gear$0.99
  • Master System$0.99
  • SG-1000$0.99
  • Unlock All (Upgrade 3)$1.99
None

Heimdall HQ

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ArcEmu free?
ArcEmu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Heimdall HQ free?
Heimdall HQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ArcEmu or Heimdall HQ have ads?
Neither ArcEmu nor Heimdall HQ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ArcEmu or Heimdall HQ?
ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, and Heimdall HQ every 5 days. Most recently, ArcEmu was updated on October 30, 2026 and Heimdall HQ on October 28, 2026.

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