Comparison

GameX Emulator vs Plume!

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

Head to head
About

GameX Emulator

Play your own PlayStation 2 game files on iOS devices. This emulator is best suited for simpler, 2D, and less graphically demanding titles. It's designed for nostalgia and casual gaming experiences.

Highlights
  • Import and play PS2 game files
  • Supports iPhone and iPad
  • Optimized for 2D and low-complexity games
  • Nostalgic gaming experience
  • Lightweight gameplay
Features
Read full description

Bring your PlayStation 2 games to iPhone and iPad. GameX is a PS2 emulator with a native engine built for Apple silicon. Import the PS2 game files (ISO) you own, play with touch controls or a Bluetooth/MFi gamepad, and pick up where you left off with save states. • Native PS2 engine with Metal graphics; many 3D PlayStation 2 games run at full speed on recent devices • Per-game performance settings: CPU speed, resolution, 30 fps lock, thermal control • Save states, screenshots, restart, disc swap, portrait and landscape • Library with generated cover art Play one game free. Premium unlocks the whole library, every save slot, fast-forward up to 5×, quick save and resume, and extra controller themes (weekly, monthly, yearly or lifetime). GameX includes no games and no BIOS files; you add your own. Compatibility and speed vary by game and device. GameX is not affiliated with or endorsed by any other software or companies. Privacy Policy: https://elevarelab.site/gamex-privacy-policy.html Term of Use (EULA) : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Plume!

This app allows you to play classic Dreamcast games on your iPhone. It offers a polished library, customizable graphics, and flexible control options for both handheld and TV play. Easily import your game titles and enhance their visuals for a modern gaming experience.

Highlights
  • Dreamcast emulation on iPhone
  • Customizable on-screen controls
  • Bluetooth gamepad support
  • Console mode for TV play
  • Advanced graphics tuning
  • Save states and VMU support
  • RetroAchievements integration
Features
Read full description

Plume is a Dreamcast emulator for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. A polished library, deep graphics options, and controls for handheld play and couch co-op. Add games through the Files app, AirDrop, or the Share sheet. Supported formats include GDI, CDI, CHD, CUE, ISO, M3U, ELF, ZIP, and 7Z. Retail BIOS files are optional. Turn on Fast Boot to skip the splash, or add dc_boot.bin and dc_flash.bin from hardware you own for the full boot sequence. LIBRARY Your collection lives in one place with cover art, metadata, favorites, and play time. Every menu can show as Tiles or a List. After you run a game, Plume grades how it performs on your device (Excellent, Good, Playable, and more) so you know what to expect before you boot. Add any game to your Home Screen. CONTROLS Use fully customizable on-screen controls, or pair a Bluetooth gamepad in iOS Settings and remap every button in Plume. Dreamcast has four controller ports, and each port can hold a standard controller, arcade stick, twin stick, racing controller, fishing controller, light gun, maracas, train, rhythm or dance controller, keyboard, or mouse, each with its own touch layout. Touch controls fill port 1 when nothing else is connected. Rumble and haptics are built in. CONSOLE MODE Mirror your screen to a TV over AirPlay or HDMI. In Console mode the game renders on the big screen while your iPhone stays the controller. GRAPHICS AND PERFORMANCE Tune internal resolution, aspect ratio, CRT shaders, texture filtering, HDR, and upscaling. MetalFX upscaling and FSR 3 frame generation are available on supported devices. HD texture packs, neural upscale models, and Upscale Studio help older games look sharper. A live HUD shows FPS, frame time, CPU, RAM, and more. SAVE STATES AND VMU Save and load states from the in-game menu. Slots appear on library covers for quick resume. Per-game VMU files keep memory cards where they belong. CHEATS Add cheat codes by hand or import them for each game. RETROACHIEVEMENTS Sign in to RetroAchievements and earn badges while you play. Hardcore mode disables save states for a classic challenge. EXTRACT Hold a game in the library to extract its music, videos, and pictures from your own disc. CAPTURE AND SHARE Take screenshots and record gameplay in-game. Save them to Documents or Photos, or attach a capture to a save-state slot as a visual bookmark. SOUND AND STYLE Menu music from downloadable tracks, your own imports, or songs from your Apple Music library. Themes give you control over colors, fonts, corners, and accessibility, including Bold Text and Button Shapes when iOS has them on. REQUIREMENTS Plume runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS 17 or later, and on Mac computers with Apple silicon running macOS 14 or later. Your device may warm up during play, and heavy 3D games may not reach full speed on older devices. LEGAL Plume does not include commercial games or a retail BIOS. You are responsible for content you import. Only use game files and firmware you legally own. Dreamcast is a trademark of SEGA. Plume is not affiliated with or endorsed by SEGA.

Screenshots

GameX Emulator4 screens
Plume!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Plume! at 83% against GameX Emulator's 35%. Plume! also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.4) and chart position (#38 vs unranked). GameX Emulator's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On ads, in-app purchases, 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

GameX Emulator is free to download; Plume! costs $0.99 up front. GameX Emulator sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Plume! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Plume! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GameX Emulator has 108 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of GameX Emulator's written reviews are positive against 83% of Plume!'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GameX Emulator ships an update every 2 weeks, Plume! every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
GameX Emulator versus Plume!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGameX EmulatorPlume!
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating3.4 (108 ratings)4.7 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews35.1% of reviews83.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings108 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#38 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB135 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnupkumar Naginbhai PatelDylan Mathurin

Customer experience

GameX Emulator

All ratings99 ratings
Positive56.6%
Neutral6.1%
Negative37.4%
Written reviews37 reviews
Positive35.1%
Neutral5.4%
Negative59.5%

Plume!

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

GameX Emulator

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Premium$4.997 Days
  • Monthly Premium$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$49.99
1 purchases

Plume!

One-time1
  • Tip $1$0.99

Questions

Is GameX Emulator free?
GameX Emulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Plume! free?
Plume! costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GameX Emulator or Plume!?
Plume! is rated higher. GameX Emulator averages 3.4 out of 5 from 108 ratings, while Plume! averages 4.7 from 6 ratings.
Do GameX Emulator or Plume! have ads?
Neither GameX Emulator nor Plume! shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GameX Emulator or Plume!?
GameX Emulator ships an update every 2 weeks, and Plume! every 2 months. Most recently, GameX Emulator was updated on October 24, 2026 and Plume! on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons