# ArcEmu vs Headscapades

The clearest difference is monetization model: ArcEmu at free against Headscapades's free with in-app purchases. ArcEmu also leads on ratings volume (1.3K vs 2) and device support (4 vs 2). Headscapades's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ArcEmu sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Headscapades sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 Headscapades. 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, Headscapades every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ArcEmu | Headscapades |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/headscapades/id6802969863/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 94.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 234 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Raffaele D'Amato](https://appshunter.io/developer/529947655) | [Michael Rosenberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1632690709) |

## What reviewers say

### ArcEmu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arcemu/id6496282733)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All (Upgrade 4) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Game Boy Advance | $0.99 | one-time |
| SNES | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pokémon Mini | $0.99 | one-time |
| Atari 2600 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mega Drive / Genesis | $0.99 | one-time |
| Game Gear | $0.99 | one-time |
| Master System | $0.99 | one-time |
| SG-1000 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock All (Upgrade 3) | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fully functional
- 🚀 Impressive emulation on Apple Watch
- 👍 Great emulator for both phone and watch
- 👍 Seamless save state transfer between devices
- 👍 Customizable controls and layout

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with some games
- 🐛 Audio quality problems on certain games
- 👎 Limited functionality on Apple Watch
- 👎 Difficult controls for action-heavy games on watch

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes
- Graphical glitches with certain ROMs
- Save data not transferring properly between devices

**Requested features**

- Add cheat/GameShark support
- Improve volume controls
- Implement fast forward/slow motion options
- Allow multiple save slots per game
- Improve Game Boy Color support


### Headscapades

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/headscapades/id6802969863)

Play a fun guessing game by holding your phone to your forehead. Friends give clues based on the word on the screen, and you guess it before time runs out. Create custom decks for inside jokes or specific groups.

**Highlights:** Phone-on-forehead guessing gameplay, Multiple pre-made card decks, Create and share custom decks, Offline play capability, Device-to-device sharing, Scoreboard and high score tracking, iCloud sync for progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deck Builder | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ArcEmu free?

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

### Is Headscapades free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ArcEmu or Headscapades?

Headscapades is rated higher. ArcEmu averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Headscapades averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ArcEmu or Headscapades have ads?

Neither ArcEmu nor Headscapades shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ArcEmu or Headscapades?

ArcEmu ships an update every 2 weeks, and Headscapades every 5 days. Most recently, ArcEmu was updated on November 8, 2026 and Headscapades on October 31, 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.*