Comparison

Linking Boy vs XP Pocket

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

XP Pocket

Play games made with RPG Maker XP, VX, and VX Ace on your iPhone. Import your own game files and customize touch controls for a personalized experience. An optional Pro version offers an ad-free experience with cloud saves.

Highlights
  • Play RPG Maker games
  • Import custom game files
  • Customizable touch controls
  • mkxp-z engine optimization
  • No account required
  • Optional Pro version
Features
Read full description

XP Pocket allows you to play titles created with RPG Maker XP, VX, and VX Ace on your iPhone. You can import your own game folders or files (in ZIP or similar formats). The app does not include any games; you must provide the files for which you hold the usage rights. Features: • Local game library on your device • Customizable touch controls and game-specific settings • mkxp-z (RGSS) engine optimized for iOS • No account creation required • Option to sign in with Apple to access XP Pocket Pro (ad-free, cloud saves, and additional features) Privacy: https://xppocket.app/privacy Terms: https://xppocket.app/terms Support: support@xppocket.app

Screenshots

Linking Boy4 screens
XP Pocket4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Linking Boy at 4.2 against XP Pocket's 2.3. Linking Boy also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (43 vs 3). XP Pocket's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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 XP Pocket 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. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Linking Boy has 43 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Linking Boy ships an update every 3 weeks, XP Pocket every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Linking Boy versus XP Pocket: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLinking BoyXP Pocket
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (43 ratings) — better2.3 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews78.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings43 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB179 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPixel Respawn LLCAlejandro Martinez Navarro

Customer experience

Linking Boy

All ratings43 ratings
Positive81.4%
Neutral7.0%
Negative11.6%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive78.3%
Neutral10.9%
Negative10.9%

XP Pocket

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Linking Boy

One-time1
  • Premium Features$5.99
1 purchases

XP Pocket

Subscriptions1
  • XP Pocket Pro$2.991 Month

Questions

Is Linking Boy free?
Linking Boy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is XP Pocket free?
XP Pocket is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Linking Boy or XP Pocket?
Linking Boy is rated higher. Linking Boy averages 4.2 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while XP Pocket averages 2.3 from 3 ratings.
Do Linking Boy or XP Pocket have ads?
XP Pocket shows ads; Linking Boy does not.
Which is updated more often, Linking Boy or XP Pocket?
Linking Boy ships an update every 3 weeks, and XP Pocket every 9 days. Most recently, Linking Boy was updated on November 8, 2026 and XP Pocket on November 10, 2026.

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