SameBoy vs Lucky 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.
Lucky Emulator
Play your favorite Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games on your iPhone and iPad. This app offers smooth performance, customizable controls, and the ability to save your progress at any time. Easily import your own game ROMs and enjoy a classic gaming experience.
- GBA & NDS game emulation
- Import ROMs from Files/iCloud
- Save states and quick load
- Fast forward gameplay
- Bluetooth controller support
- Customizable on-screen controls
- Dual-screen NDS layouts
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Lucky Emulator is the easiest way to enjoy GBA & NDS retro games on iPhone and iPad. Relive the classics with smooth performance, controller-ready gameplay, save states, and fast-forward. SUPPORTED GAME SYSTEMS - Game Boy Advance (GBA) - Nintendo DS (NDS) ROM IMPORT - Easily import your own game ROMs from Files or iCloud - Quick access shortcuts for your favorite titles SCREEN MODES - Play in portrait or landscape orientation - NDS dual-screen layouts for a more authentic DS experience CONTROLLER SUPPORT - Connect Bluetooth controllers (Xbox, PlayStation, 8BitDo, MFi) - Fully customizable on-screen controls for any emulator setup SAVE STATES - Save and load your progress anytime - Multiple save slots for each game - Quick save & quick load for instant gameplay FAST FORWARD - Speed through slower parts of games with one tap - Perfect for RPG grinding or long cutscenes AUDIO & CUSTOMIZATION - Adjust sound effects for the best retro feel - Choose different controller layouts to fit your style SUBSCRIPTION & TERMS - Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings - Privacy Policy: https://luckyemulator.xyz/#/pages/privacy/index - Terms of Use: https://luckyemulator.xyz/#/pages/term/index - Disclaimer: https://luckyemulator.xyz/#/pages/payment/payment [Legal Notice] - Lucky Emulator is in no way affiliated with Nintendo. - The name "Nintendo" and all associated game console names are registered trademarks of Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SameBoy at 84% against Lucky Emulator's 41%. SameBoy also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Lucky Emulator's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (14K vs 110). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and Lucky Emulator sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Lucky Emulator holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lucky Emulator has 14K ratings behind it against 110, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 84% of SameBoy's written reviews are positive against 41% of Lucky Emulator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
SameBoy ships an update every 4 months, Lucky Emulator every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SameBoy | Lucky Emulator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (110 ratings) | 4.7 (14K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 83.6% of reviews — better | 41.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 110 | 14K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 151 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Lior Halphon | Lucky Emulator Ltd |
Customer experience
SameBoy
Lucky Emulator
User reviews
SameBoy
From 110 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
Lucky Emulator
From 14K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Smooth emulation
- 💡 Access to classic games
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎮 Nostalgic gaming experience
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 💰 Subscription required for full functionality
- 🔍 Inconsistent subscription behavior
- 🚫 Inability to use cheat codes
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
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- 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
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- 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
Lucky Emulator
Reported bugs
3 issues- Subscription issues (loss of access, unable to restore)
- Crashes and data loss
- Ads persisting despite paid subscription
Requested features
3 requests- Add cheat code support
- Improve save/load functionality
- Expand game library beyond GBA
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
Lucky Emulator
- Emulator Base3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Emulator Base$4.997 Days
- Emulator monthly$9.991 Month
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- Emulator pro$24.991 Year
- Emulator yearly$29.991 Year
- 7 Days VIP$0.99








