SameBoy vs Game Emulator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SameBoy
Experience classic handheld gaming with a highly accurate emulator for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Super Game Boy. Enjoy advanced features like save states, rumble support, and controller compatibility. Play on your Apple Watch and customize your experience with various filters and themes.
- Accurate Game Boy emulation
- Save states with gesture support
- Rumble support
- Apple Watch playability
- Scaling filters
- Game Boy Camera emulation
- Controller support
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SameBoy is a user friendly, powerful and open source Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Super Game Boy emulator. Features: - World's most accurate Game Boy emulation core - Save states, with gesture support for quick saving and loading - Rumble support, even for games without a Rumble Pak - Play on your Apple Watch - A wide range of scaling filters - Game Boy Camera emulation - Motion controls emulation - Fast forward, rewind, and slow motion - Game Boy Printer emulation - Use cheat codes - Support for MFi, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox controllers - Interface themes - No ads, no tracking - A lot more! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://sameboy.github.io/privacy/ SameBoy is in no way affiliated with Nintendo. Game Boy is a trademark of Nintendo.
Game Emulator
Relive classic gaming memories with this emulator app. It supports multiple retro game formats and offers optimized performance for a smooth experience. Enjoy intuitive controls, orientation flexibility, and fast-forward options to rediscover childhood joys.
- Supports multiple game formats (*.gba, *.gb, *.gbc, *.nds, *.nes, *.smc)
- Optimized emulator engine for ultimate gaming pleasure
- Portrait and Landscape Orientation support
- Recreated classic game console button functionality
- Acceleration functionality for game progress control
- Simple and user-friendly interface
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Do you long for the nostalgia of classic games? Do you yearn to return to those joyful gaming moments? Let this app immerse you in the world of retro gaming, allowing you to rediscover the fun of childhood! Supports multiple formats: now supports *.gba, *.gb, *.gbc, *.nds, *.nes, *.smc game formats. With the help of a meticulously optimized emulator engine, it brings you ultimate gaming pleasure. Support for Portrait and Landscape Orientation: You can effortlessly control game characters and enjoy a smoother gaming experience in both portrait and landscape orientations. Perfect Button Functionality and Controls: We faithfully recreate the operation methods of classic game consoles, making it easy for you to get started. We also support acceleration functionality, allowing you to independently control game progress, skip game dialogues, and save time. Game Compatibility: Compatible with games from various generations, allowing you to enjoy classic works from different eras. Expand your gaming options with diverse selections. Simple and friendly interface: Our interface design is simple and user-friendly, with intuitive controls that allow you to easily browse game lists and quickly launch the game of your choice. Whether you want to relive childhood memories or explore classic works of the past, this app is the perfect choice for you. Start your nostalgic journey now! Important Notice: This application provides game emulation services and is not affiliated with Nintendo. The services we offer are for emulating supported game environments and are not official products or services of Nintendo. References to the names of Nintendo's trademarked game consoles in the application are solely for the purpose of illustrating supported game environments and do not imply any affiliation with Nintendo.
Screenshots
Verdict
SameBoy and Game Emulator both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of SameBoy's written reviews are positive against 42% of Game Emulator's. SameBoy also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Game Emulator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (630 vs 105). On price, rating, update cadence and monetization model 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. SameBoy sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Game Emulator asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for SameBoy against 4.5 for Game Emulator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Game Emulator has 630 ratings behind it against 105, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of SameBoy's written reviews are positive against 42% of Game Emulator's.
SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, Game Emulator every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SameBoy | Game Emulator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (105 ratings) | 4.5 (630 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 83.6% of reviews — better | 41.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 105 | 630 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 42 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lior Halphon | 友财 徐 |
Customer experience
SameBoy
Game Emulator
User reviews
SameBoy
From 105 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 No ads or intrusive monetization
- 🎮 Highly accurate Game Boy/GBC emulation
- 💡 Innovative gesture controls (swipe to save/load/fast-forward)
- 🎨 Beautiful, authentic design with multiple themes
- ⚙️ Extensive customization and emulation options
Room to improve
- 💰 Apple Watch support requires paid subscription
- 🐛 iPad portrait mode menu bug
- ❌ No Game Boy Advance emulation despite claims
- 🎮 Small button sizes for large hands
- ⚠️ Cheats feature limited or non-functional
Game Emulator
From 630 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast emulator
- 👍 Great for playing old-school games
- 🎮 Supports many systems (GBA, GBC, NES, SNES, DS)
Room to improve
- 🐛 Saves files getting deleted or corrupted
- 🔍 Compatibility issues with certain games
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 📺 Small screen size for some systems
- 🔊 Audio issues like glitches and cuts
Bugs and requests
SameBoy
Reported bugs
12 issues- iPad portrait mode triggers menu on A button/Up arrow press
- Game Boy Camera crashes on iPhone 17 Pro Max when switching cameras
- Rewind function causes game data loss in some titles
- 200% and 400% speed boost settings don't work
- Cheats don't function properly for certain games
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- ROM import fails with .zip files
- GBA ROM files show 'not in ROM archive' error
- Auto-save/auto-load switches between emulator cores unexpectedly
- Turbo feature doesn't work without screen swiping
- Tips popup appears too frequently during gameplay
- PS4 controller recognized but non-functional in games
- ROM sharing from Files app doesn't always work
Requested features
18 requests- Game Boy Advance emulation support
- Cheat code functionality
- Multiplayer/wireless linking for Pokémon games
- Online multiplayer support
- Adjustable screen and button sizes
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Separate save/load toggle options
- Slow-motion feature (free version)
- Game Boy Printer output to photo gallery
- iCloud synchronization
- Retro achievements system
- One-time theme purchase option instead of subscription
- Apple Watch complication support
- Turbo button hold functionality
- ZIP and 7z file format support
- Fullscreen mode with scaling options
- Language selection for interface
- Super Game Boy border display
- PS4/Backbone controller improvements
Game Emulator
Reported bugs
3 issues- Games not loading or freezing during gameplay
- Inability to import certain game files
- Incorrect button mapping for NES games
Requested features
5 requests- Add option to mute games or app
- Improve controls (add diagonals, support for multiple buttons)
- Increase screen size options
- Add support for more systems (Dreamcast, PSP, etc.)
- Implement better game save/load functionality
In-app purchases
SameBoy
- Supporter$0.991 Month
- Supporter Plus$2.991 Month
- Supporter Premium$7.991 Month
- Lifetime Theme Access$4.99
- SameBoy for Apple Watch$4.99
Game Emulator
No in-app purchases
