Comparison

iMSX2 vs GenZD Zero

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iMSX2

Play classic MSX and MSX2 games on your iPhone or iPad. Load games from ROM, MX1, MX2, DSK, or ZIP files. Features include save states, Bluetooth controller support, customizable buttons, and screen filters for an authentic retro experience.

Highlights
  • Play classic MSX/MSX2 games
  • Load games from ROM, MX1, MX2, DSK, ZIP
  • Save and load game states
  • Bluetooth keyboard and controller support
  • Customizable button layouts
  • CRT and scanline screen filters
  • Load BASIC programs
Features
Read full description

Experience Classic MSX and MSX2 Games on your iPhone/iPad with iMSX2! Turn your iPhone/iPad into a portable MSX2 emulator with iMSX2! Emulate classic MSX and MSX2 games in ROM, MX1, MX2, DSK or ZIP format Key Features: · Play Classic Games: Relive the nostalgia of playing your favorite MSX and MSX2 games right on your iPhone/iPad. · Run Your Cartridges: Reproduce MSX and MSX2 cartridges from ROM, MX1, MX2, DSK and ZIP files and enjoy them on your device anytime, anywhere. · Save States: Save and load game states and the configuration type easily (iCloud) · Bluetooth Compatibility: Support for Bluetooth keyboards and game controllers. · Customizable button layouts: Edit the button positions for each orientation and enjoy full compatibility with shells like GAMEBABY and PlayCase. · Choose Your ROM Type: If your rom is not loaded correctly, try to select from various ROM configurations including "Normal", "Type K", "Type K SCC", "Type ASC16", "Type ASC16 SRAM", "Type ASC8", "Type ASC8 SRAM" and "Type ASCII16-X". · Screen filters: Enjoy a more authentic and customizable retro experience with CRT and scanline filters. · Fast forward: Speed through gameplay with the new fast forward mode. · Load Your Own BASIC Programs: Run your own programs in BASIC format directly on your iPhone/iPad. · Powered by C-bios: iMSX2 is built using C-bios for the utmost accuracy and compatibility. · Custom BIOS support: Import your own BIOS files to enhance compatibility and personalize your emulation experience. · Improved Disk Support: Play more MSX disk games with improved DSK compatibility, multi-disk support, on-the-fly disk swapping, and user disks for saving data in supported games. · Auto-fire: Added switches to enable auto-fire for the A and B buttons. · Designed to be very basic: With a beautiful and user-friendly interface for both portrait and landscape orientations. · The app does not require an internet connection, contains no ads, and does not store user data. It also takes up little space. What's Next: Stay tuned for even more enhancements! Constantly working on improving iMSX2 and adding new features to provide you with the best MSX experience on iOS. LZ4 Library Copyright (c) 2011-2020, Yann Collet C-BIOS Copyright (c) 2002-2005 BouKiCHi. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2003 Reikan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2004-2006,2008-2010 Maarten ter Huurne. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2004-2006,2008-2011 Albert Beevendorp. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2004-2005 Patrick van Arkel. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2004,2010-2011 Manuel Bilderbeek. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2004-2006 Joost Yervante Damad. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2004-2006 Jussi Pitkänen. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2004-2007 Eric Boon. All rights reserved. emu2413 Copyright (c) 2001-2019 Mitsutaka Okazaki Z80 Emulator micro MSX2+ Copyright (c) 2023 Yoji Suzuki.

About

GenZD Zero

Run classic idTech 1 games and community mods on your iOS device with modern rendering capabilities. Enjoy enhanced graphics, custom controls, and controller support. You must provide your own game files.

Highlights
  • idTech 1 game engine support
  • Modern 3D rendering
  • Widescreen graphics
  • Dynamic lighting
  • Customizable touch controls
  • Game controller support
  • Local multiplayer
Features
Read full description

GenZD Zero supports running games using the open-source idTech 1 game engine for iOS, and supports running its "WAD" game files as well as community-developed "MOD" files, all rendered natively using modern technology. It supports several capabilities beyond the original engine, such as modern 3D rendering, widescreen graphics, dynamic lighting, a fully scriptable environment, and much much more. Please note that GenZD Zero does not include content and they must be provided by you. Please use the Files app to move or copy files to the GenZD folder under "On my iPhone" or "On my iPad". Configurations called "Launch Configurations" can be created using a base game file as well as additional MOD files (.pk3 and .zip files). A plethora of content developed by the community is available on the web, and almost all "mods" that use the UDMF or WAD formats are supported. GenZD Zero supports any "WAD"s and "mods", but is limited to 3 launch configurations and supports one touch configuration layout. Upgrading to the full version will unlock unlimited launch configurations and custom touch control layouts. Additional features: - Game controller support: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, mFi - On-screen touch virtual gamepad and virtual keyboard - Customizable touch controls: Rearrange buttons, change color and size. Support for saving multiple layouts. - Gyroscope aiming - Widescreen Metal graphics rendering using MoltenVK - Add your own game and mod files via the Files app - Accessibility: Supports VoiceOver and mods that support accessibility - Local Multiplayer: Host a co-op or deathmatch game, discover hosts running GenZD automatically on the same network and join a game

Screenshots

iMSX24 screens
GenZD Zero3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: GenZD Zero at Free against iMSX2's $1.99. GenZD Zero also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.4) and review sentiment (68% vs 59%). iMSX2's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads, device support 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

GenZD Zero is free to download; iMSX2 costs $1.99 up front. GenZD Zero sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. iMSX2 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GenZD Zero holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 42 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of iMSX2's written reviews are positive against 68% of GenZD Zero's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iMSX2 ships an update every 3 weeks, GenZD Zero every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
iMSX2 versus GenZD Zero: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriMSX2GenZD Zero
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating3.4 (10 ratings)4.4 (42 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.3% of reviews67.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1042 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB70 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperEnrique EnguixInfinite Evolution Technologies

Customer experience

iMSX2

All ratings10 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive59.3%
Neutral22.2%
Negative18.5%

GenZD Zero

All ratings42 ratings
Positive81.0%
Neutral9.5%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive67.7%
Neutral16.1%
Negative16.1%

In-app purchases

None

iMSX2

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

GenZD Zero

One-time1
  • Full Version Upgrade$2.99

Questions

Is iMSX2 free?
iMSX2 costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is GenZD Zero free?
GenZD Zero is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iMSX2 or GenZD Zero?
GenZD Zero is rated higher. iMSX2 averages 3.4 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while GenZD Zero averages 4.4 from 42 ratings.
Do iMSX2 or GenZD Zero have ads?
Neither iMSX2 nor GenZD Zero shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iMSX2 or GenZD Zero?
iMSX2 ships an update every 3 weeks, and GenZD Zero every 2 weeks. Most recently, iMSX2 was updated on October 14, 2026 and GenZD Zero on October 14, 2026.

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