GameMory vs Nova Retro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GameMory
This app lets you play your retro game files on your device. It supports nine classic systems and offers features like save states, custom skins, and adjustable emulation speed. Pro features include cheats and local multiplayer.
- Supports nine classic systems
- Save states for any game moment
- Customizable console skins
- Cheat code management (Pro)
- Local Wi-Fi multiplayer (Pro)
- Controller and keyboard support
- Adjustable emulation speed
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NostaRelay is an all-in-one retro game emulator for the game files you already own — nine classic systems, one app, everything running locally on your device. SUPPORTED SYSTEMS NES · SNES · GB · GBC · GBA · Genesis · N64 · NDS · PS1 FEATURES • Fast, accurate emulation tuned for iPhone, iPad, and Mac • Save states — jump back into any moment, on any of your games • Custom console skins — pick a look, or design your own screen layout and background • Cheat codes — import, edit, and toggle them per game (Pro) • Local multiplayer — head-to-head on the same Wi-Fi network, no internet required (Pro) • Controller and keyboard support, plus on-screen touch controls • Adjustable emulation speed from 0.2× to 5× YOUR FILES, YOUR DEVICE NostaRelay doesn't include or provide any games, BIOS files, or firmware. You import files you already own, and everything — your library, saves, and cheats — stays on your device. There's no account, no server, and no game downloads inside the app. NOSTARELAY PRO A subscription unlocks unlimited active games, more save slots per game, cheat management, every skin and custom layout, and local Wi-Fi multiplayer. Free accounts can keep 2 games active with 1 save slot each. Subscriptions renew automatically through your Apple ID unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Prices are shown in your local currency at purchase; any free trial or introductory offer is shown on the purchase screen. Privacy Policy: http://www.aivoxx.com/emu/privacy.html Terms of Service: http://www.aivoxx.com/emu/support.html
Nova Retro
Emulate classic gaming consoles on your iPhone and iPad. Bring your own legally owned games and customize touch controls. Enjoy local multiplayer with friends on the same network.
- Emulates NES, SNES, Game Boy, GBA, Genesis
- Import your own legally owned games
- Customizable on-screen touch controls
- Local network multiplayer
- Save and load game states
- Supports multiple languages
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Nova Retro brings six classic systems to iPhone and iPad: NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and Genesis / Mega Drive. Bring your own games No games are included and no ROM downloads are provided. Import files you legally own and have the right to use through Files. Play on the same local network Create a room for friends to join or watch from devices on the same local network that can reach one another. The host runs the game; clients receive video and audio and send input for their assigned player slot, without importing the same ROM. Player limits depend on the system and game. Internet-based remote multiplayer is not available. Handheld systems currently support spectating only. Edit touch controls right in the game Freely add, remove and move buttons, with individual size and opacity settings. Duplicates are welcome. The default 8-way D-pad supports diagonals; a 4-way D-pad and an 8-way joystick are also available. Create normal, turbo or combo buttons. Choose a sequential combo, a simultaneous combo, or a hold-and-sequence combo. Sequential combos allow repeated steps. Normal and turbo buttons support automatic or slide-to-lock activation. Sequential and hold-and-sequence combos run once per tap. A simultaneous combo presses its buttons together while held and releases its own inputs when let go. Turbo is NES-only. AA and BB mean turbo A and turbo B, not A+A or B+B. Completing a hold-and-sequence combo releases only that combo's held and turbo inputs, not other independent button presses or locks. Save for a system or a game Choose the current system or game when you finish editing. Portrait, landscape and external-display controller layouts are stored separately for the active mode. Default Save and Load buttons use slot 1; custom buttons can target a specific slot. Move, proportionally resize or reset the game view. Local layout editing does not move the picture on an external display. The system means the emulated console, not the iPhone or iPad model. Game-specific layouts take priority; changing the system default does not overwrite them. Everyday tools Save states, load states, fast-forward, cheats, keyboards and game controllers. Choose Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, French or German. Games, saves and layouts stay on your device. Local multiplayer transmits video, audio and control data, not ROM or save files to clients.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: GameMory at every 4 days against Nova Retro's every 4 weeks. Nova Retro's advantage is monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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
Both are free to download. GameMory sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Nova Retro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for GameMory against 5.0 for Nova Retro. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.
GameMory ships an update every 4 days, Nova Retro every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GameMory | Nova Retro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 4 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 130 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 晶 黄 | 振东 史 |
Customer experience
GameMory
Nova Retro
In-app purchases
GameMory
- Weekly Pro$2.997 Days
- Monthly Pro$5.991 Month
- Annual Pro3 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Lifetime Pro$19.99
Nova Retro
- A Small Tip$0.99
- Buy Me a Coffee$1.99
- Big Support$12.99








