iMSX2 vs GenZD Zero
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- idTech 1 game engine support
- Modern 3D rendering
- Widescreen graphics
- Dynamic lighting
- Customizable touch controls
- Game controller support
- Local multiplayer
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
iMSX2 ships an update every 3 weeks, GenZD Zero every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.
| Parameter | iMSX2 | GenZD Zero |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.4 (10 ratings) | 4.4 (42 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 59.3% of reviews | 67.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 42 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 70 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Enrique Enguix | Infinite Evolution Technologies |
Customer experience
iMSX2
GenZD Zero
In-app purchases
iMSX2
No in-app purchases
GenZD Zero
- Full Version Upgrade$2.99








