Comparison

Linking Boy vs Dolphin Emulator

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

Head to head
About

Linking Boy

Experience fast and feature-rich emulation for Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy games. Enjoy multiplayer Link cable emulation, unlock achievements with RetroAchievements, and customize your gameplay with speed control, cheats, and enhanced visual options.

Highlights
  • Fast GBA/GBC/GB emulation
  • Link cable multiplayer
  • RetroAchievements support
  • Speed control (fast-forward/slow-down)
  • Cheat support
  • Customizable virtual controls
  • Save states
Features
Read full description

Linkboy is the successor to the popular My Boy! emulator, offering fastest GBA/GBC/GB emulation with unique features like Link and RetroAchievements. KEY FEATURES • Optimized performance — smooth, efficient emulation with minimal battery use • High compatibility — runs nearly all games flawlessly • Link cable emulation — play up to 4 players via local network or on the same device • RetroAchievements support — unlock achievements while you play • Speed control — fast-forward up to 100× or slow down for detailed play. • Cheat support — codes for multiple systems • Cartridge features emulation — gyroscope, light sensor, rumble • Controller & keyboard support — flexible many-to-many button mappings • Customizable virtual controls — move, resize, and configure buttons freely • Save states — multiple slots, save and load anytime • Visual enhancements — combine multiple GPU shaders for a new look • Manage game folders — easily add, remove, or organize your game collection • Modern UI — clean design with Material You styling DISCLAIMER This app is not affiliated with, authorized, endorsed, or licensed in any way by Nintendo, its affiliates, or subsidiaries. No games are included. Screenshots feature either public domain titles or copyrighted works owned by their respective rights holders. IGRS Rating: 3+ — by the Indonesia Game Rating System (IGRS).

About

Dolphin Emulator

Relive classic gaming with this emulator. Easily import ROMs, play in portrait or landscape, and save progress. Customize your sound and enjoy a seamless retro gaming experience.

Highlights
  • Import game ROMs
  • Portrait and landscape modes
  • Save and restore progress
  • Adjust sound effects
  • Ad-free premium option
Features
Read full description

Dolphin Emulator - Basic is your gateway to reliving the golden era of gaming. Whether you're diving back into childhood favorites or exploring retro classics for the first time, this game emulator makes it easy to enjoy the games you love. How to use: • Import game ROM files easily and start playing instantly • Run games in both portrait and landscape modes for flexible gameplay • Save and restore game progress anytime for a seamless experience • Adjust sound effects to customize your gaming atmosphere Currently supported game types: (NES) Other information: It's important to note that Dolphin Emulator - Basic should only be used with legally acquired game files. We do not endorse or support any form of piracy. Rest assured, Dolphin Emulator - Basic operates independently and has no affiliation with console manufacturers. The mention of related game console names in this statement is only used to describe the environment supported by the retro game emulator application. With Dolphin Emulator - Basic Premium you can unlock the ultimate experience: • Remove Ads: Enjoy an uninterrupted, ad-free journey to inspiration. • Unlock All Features: Get full access to every feature Unlock your gaming emulating potential—elevate your retro gaming experience with Dolphin Emulator - Basic Premium! Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/dolphin-game-emulator/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/dolphin-game-emulator/terms-of-use

Screenshots

Linking Boy4 screens
Dolphin Emulator3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Linking Boy at 78% against Dolphin Emulator's 19%. Linking Boy also leads on rating (4.2 vs 2.3). Dolphin Emulator's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Linking Boy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Dolphin Emulator sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Linking Boy holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43 and 87 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Linking Boy's written reviews are positive against 19% of Dolphin Emulator's.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Linking Boy versus Dolphin Emulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLinking BoyDolphin Emulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (43 ratings) — better2.3 (87 ratings)
Positive reviews77.8% of reviews — better18.9% of reviews
Number of ratings4387 — better
Update frequencyMonthly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPixel Respawn LLCIrene Klein

Customer experience

Linking Boy

All ratings43 ratings
Positive81.4%
Neutral7.0%
Negative11.6%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%

Dolphin Emulator

All ratings87 ratings
Positive29.9%
Neutral6.9%
Negative63.2%
Written reviews111 reviews
Positive18.9%
Neutral7.2%
Negative73.9%

Bugs and requests

Linking Boy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Dolphin Emulator

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • NES games not loading properly
  • Redirecting to premium version when trying to open NES files

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add support for GameCube and Wii games
  • Add support for Sega Genesis
  • Add support for PlayStation games

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Linking Boy

One-time1
  • Premium Features$5.99
1 purchases

Dolphin Emulator

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly Premium Subscription$2.991 Month

Questions

Is Linking Boy free?
Linking Boy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dolphin Emulator free?
Dolphin Emulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Linking Boy or Dolphin Emulator?
Linking Boy is rated higher. Linking Boy averages 4.2 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while Dolphin Emulator averages 2.3 from 87 ratings.
Do Linking Boy or Dolphin Emulator have ads?
Neither Linking Boy nor Dolphin Emulator shows ads.

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