ArcEmu vs PIG, Points in Grid
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Game Boy, GBC, GBA emulation
- Multiplayer support
- Cheat codes
- Customizable on-screen controls
- Save State sharing
- iCloud support
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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.
PIG, Points in Grid
This classic dots-and-boxes game offers simple yet strategic gameplay. Play against the computer, a friend on the same device, or remotely. Customize your experience with premium themes and cross-device sync.
- Classic dots-and-boxes gameplay
- Single and multiplayer modes
- Remote play option
- Premium board themes and customization
- Cross-device sync with iCloud
- 7-day free trial
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Points In Grid, or PIG, is a quick classic dots-and-boxes match game where players take turns drawing a line from one dot to another. When you create a box, you get a point. Select a 0 Player Game to see how the game is played. Select a 1 Player game to Challenge the computer, or play a 2 Player game on a single device. PIG is simple to learn & surprisingly strategic and addictive. PIG is free to download and play with the core game experience included. Unlock the Full Version to open up a bunch of ways to customize and play, including the ability to play against someone remotely, unlock premium board themes and add limitless expanded background customizations & appearance options, and cross-device sync features. With iCloud sync enabled, supported settings and game appearance options sync across all of your devices signed in with the same Apple ID. PIG is available across Apple platforms, so you can play on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Compatible iPad app availability on Apple Vision Pro may also be available where supported by Apple. The Unlocked version also unlocks the ability to use the Apple TV to view a game against a friend while you play on your own device. Try the 7 Day Free Trial! Play for Free with with the Basic Black & White display options: • 0 Player mode to watch the game play itself • 1 Player mode against the computer • 2 Player On Device games • Customize player names • Instant Replay Subscribe to Unlock the following Features: • Play against players remotely, including the ability to host a game or join a game • Gameplay mirrors to your Apple TV so everyone can watch the game being played • A wide expanding variety of custom Board Themes, Colors Options, Photo Backgrounds, and Visual Styles that sync across to all of your devices • Includes a Board Theme Randomizer that changes the Board Theme on each new game • Custom photo slots to use your own personal photos as game backgrounds • Custom App icons for iPhone, iPad, and Mac • Support for the iPhone Duo in Laptop Mode • Game Center support • Apple Handoff support • SharePlay and Remote Play options where available • Extensive analytics, score tracking, and game history • Share your Stats and Analytics • Multiple difficulty options • Game Sounds & Apple Music support to play songs In-Game during a match with a built in Music Player • Sync most Settings for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro with iCloud so you can start a game on one device and then move to another device without losing your place. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: ArcEmu at free against PIG, Points in Grid's freemium. ArcEmu also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. ArcEmu sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and PIG, Points in Grid sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for ArcEmu against 5.0 for PIG, Points in Grid. 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.
ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, PIG, Points in Grid weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ArcEmu | PIG, Points in Grid |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (1.3K ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 94.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.3K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 234 MB | 784 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Raffaele D'Amato | Jeffry Zander |
Customer experience
ArcEmu
PIG, Points in Grid
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
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- Add joystick/button support for Apple Watch
PIG, Points in Grid
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ArcEmu
- Unlock All (Upgrade 4)$0.99
- Game Boy Advance$0.99
- SNES$0.99
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- 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
PIG, Points in Grid
- PIG Premium7 Days trial$1.991 Month
- PIG Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Small Tip$0.99
- Medium Tip$4.99
- Large Tip$9.99
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- PIG Lifetime Unlock$19.99
Questions
Is ArcEmu free?
Is PIG, Points in Grid free?
Which has better reviews, ArcEmu or PIG, Points in Grid?
Do ArcEmu or PIG, Points in Grid have ads?
Which is updated more often, ArcEmu or PIG, Points in Grid?
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