Comparison

Phosphor Emulator vs Retroly

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

Head to head
About

Phosphor Emulator

This app provides a premium emulation experience for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games on modern iOS devices. It features advanced controls, instant save states, and unique functionalities like rewinding gameplay and AI play.

Highlights
  • Rewind and fast-forward gameplay
  • Instant save and load states
  • Customizable touch controls
  • MFi controller support
  • Game Boy Camera and Printer integration
  • AI Play feature
Features
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Phosphor is a free retro game emulator for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games, plus Nintendo DS games on iPhone and iPad, with save states, fast-forward, rewind, iCloud save sync, controller support, and community mods. No ads. No subscriptions. No accounts. No tracking. Import your own compatible ROM files through Files, iCloud Drive, or AirDrop. Organize your library, pick your controls, and take your favorite handheld games anywhere. WHY PHOSPHOR? Phosphor is designed to feel like a handheld console. Deep black screen wells, glowing CRT effects, responsive controls, and color themes bring classic games to modern Apple hardware. Play in portrait or landscape, adjust your speed with a scrolling dial, and return quickly to your last session. NINTENDO DS ON IPHONE AND IPAD Import compatible .nds files and choose single-screen or dual-screen play. Start with a focused single-screen layout, switch to both screens from the menu, and swap screens when you need to. Touch-screen input, microphone controls, and portrait and landscape layouts keep DS play flexible. MODS POWERED BY GEN1RECOMP Supported games can use the integrated gen1recomp engine to run compatible community mods inside Phosphor. Keep your library, controls, and display framing while exploring new ways to play. The updated engine brings gameplay and compatibility fixes. Features vary by game, engine, and mod. Rewind and cheat codes are available with Phosphor’s standard emulator core, not during gen1recomp play. FEATURES Classic handheld games Play compatible .gb, .gbc, and .gba ROMs, with .nds support on iPhone and iPad. Import individual games or supported ZIP archives and search your library. Link Cable trading Connect supported games over the same Wi-Fi network. Gen 3 Pokémon Link Cable support covers Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen. Compatible games, in-game progress, and normal trading restrictions apply. Fast-forward up to 15× Choose 1×, 2×, 3×, 5×, 10×, or 15× where supported to move through battles, travel, and repeated sections. Available speeds depend on the game, core, and device. Live rewind Hold rewind to return to an earlier moment and try again with the standard emulator core. Save states and quick resume Create quick saves and save-state slots, then return to your session with quick resume where supported. iCloud saves Sync compatible in-game saves, quick saves, and save-state slots across devices using the same Apple ID. Check for saved progress in Settings and choose which copy to keep when saves conflict. Game files are not backed up; after reinstalling, reimport them with their original filenames to reconnect your saves. CRT display and themes Customize your screen with scanlines, phosphor glow, dot-grid texture, vignette, contrast, and color themes. External controllers Play with compatible controllers or use responsive touch controls, haptics, and layouts designed for portrait and landscape. Cheat codes Use supported cheat formats with compatible games on Phosphor’s standard emulator core. Apple Watch play Take supported games to your wrist. Platform and feature availability vary by device; Nintendo DS play is available on iPhone and iPad. Live Activities See your current game, play time, and quick-resume status from the Lock Screen. BRING YOUR OWN GAMES Phosphor does not include games or ROMs. Provide your own legally obtained, compatible game files. Community mods have their own authors, licenses, and compatibility requirements. Save states and other features may vary between emulator cores, engine versions, and devices. A classic handheld feel. Modern Apple features. Your games, your library, your way to play.

About

Retroly

Enjoy your classic game backups on iPhone with this retro gaming hub. It offers authentic emulation, a visual game library, and customizable on-screen controls. Supports external controllers and various display filters for an enhanced experience.

Highlights
  • Authentic emulation for Game Boy, GBC, GBA
  • Visual game showcase and library
  • Customizable on-screen gamepad
  • Save states with screenshot previews
  • Display filters and screen correction
  • Bluetooth & MFi controller support
Features
Read full description

Retroly is a polished retro gaming hub designed for players who want a clean, modern way to enjoy their own classic game backups on iPhone. Import compatible ROM files from local storage, organize your personal collection, and jump back into gameplay instantly with a fast, distraction-free interface built specifically for retro sessions. Features: • Authentic emulation for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance • Visual game showcase and library with instant resume • Responsive on-screen gamepad with customizable skins and haptic feedback • 8 visual save state slots with live screenshot previews and timestamps • Display filters (Sharp Pixel, LCD, LCD Subpixel, Bilinear, Smooth xBRZ) • Screen stretching and color correction tailored for handheld classics • Full support for external Bluetooth & MFi game controllers Important Notice: Retroly does not include, host, sell, or distribute copyrighted games or ROMs. Users must supply their own legally obtained game backups that they are authorized to play. Premium Upgrade: Retroly Premium is available as a one-time in-app purchase that permanently removes all banner, rewarded, and interstitial ads, unlocking the ultimate ad-free retro experience forever. No subscriptions or recurring charges. Terms of Use: https://retroly.app/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://retroly.app/privacy/ Support & Contact: https://retroly.app

Screenshots

Phosphor Emulator4 screens
Retroly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Phosphor Emulator at none against Retroly's 1. Phosphor Emulator also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). Retroly's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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. Retroly sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Phosphor Emulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Retroly holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phosphor Emulator has 39 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phosphor Emulator ships an update every 3 days, Retroly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Phosphor Emulator versus Retroly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhosphor EmulatorRetroly
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (39 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings39 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB83 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSquatchCraft LLCEray Kiyak

Customer experience

Phosphor Emulator

All ratings35 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral5.7%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral13.3%
Negative6.7%

Retroly

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

In-app purchases

None

Phosphor Emulator

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Retroly

One-time1
  • Retroly Premium$3.99

Questions

Is Phosphor Emulator free?
Phosphor Emulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Retroly free?
Retroly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Phosphor Emulator or Retroly?
Retroly is rated higher. Phosphor Emulator averages 4.6 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Retroly averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Phosphor Emulator or Retroly have ads?
Retroly shows ads; Phosphor Emulator does not.
Which is updated more often, Phosphor Emulator or Retroly?
Phosphor Emulator ships an update every 3 days, and Retroly fortnightly. Most recently, Phosphor Emulator was updated on November 9, 2026 and Retroly on November 5, 2026.

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