Comparison

NBOX vs RetroPocket

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

Head to head
About

NBOX

This app lets you play classic retro games from various consoles on your modern devices. It supports multiple platforms, offers save states, and features customizable virtual or physical controllers for an immersive experience.

Highlights
  • Supports NES, GBA, SNES, Sega, Neo Geo, N64, NDS
  • Manual and auto-save states
  • Customizable virtual gamepad
  • Bluetooth controller support
  • Two-player local multiplayer
  • Organized game library with search
  • Multiple UI themes
Features
Read full description

NBOX — Bring the cartridge console from your memory into modern devices With NBOX, insert the cartridge, power on, and press START to bring that console from your childhood back into your hands. 【More than the Famicom — relive the whole golden age of consoles】 NBOX is a lightweight emulator focused on classic consoles, covering platforms from 8-bit to 64-bit: · NES / FC (Famicom) · GB / GBC / GBA (Game Boy family) · SNES / SFC (Super Nintendo) · Sega Mega Drive / Genesis, Master System, Game Gear · Neo Geo · Nintendo 64 · Nintendo DS / DSi Import your legally owned cartridge backups and return to the living room of yesteryear anytime. 【Save anytime, never lose progress】 · 10 manual save slots + 1 auto-save slot — keep as many copies as you like · Auto-save when exiting a game; reopen and continue right where you left off · Fully preserves cartridge battery saves (SRAM); in-game records work as normal · One-tap reset to restart a session anytime 【Virtual gamepad born for touchscreens】 · D-pad + A / B / X / Y + START / SELECT, button layout auto-matches each platform · Switch freely between one-handed portrait and two-handed landscape; landscape hold feels closer to a real controller · Two button styles — 3D and flat — choose by feel 【Connect a physical controller, rediscover the real feel】 · Supports Bluetooth gamepads · Touch and controller can be assigned to 1P or 2P separately · Play two-player games with a friend on one device — co-op or versus, on the same screen 【A tidy, manageable game library】 · Recent / Favorites / All — three views for quick locating · Keyword search, so even a large collection is never hard to find · Auto-generated cover thumbnails — no more a row of gray placeholders · Tracks cumulative playtime per game 【Appearance to match your mood】 · Dark, Light, or System — three themes switchable in one tap · Simplified Chinese / Traditional Chinese / English / Japanese — four-language UI 【Simple, clean, lightweight】 No fussy settings or account barriers — import and play. A restrained interface and fast launch keep the focus on the game itself. 【About game content】 NBOX is an emulator and provides no games itself. Please import cartridge files you legally own backups of (supports common formats such as .nes / .gba / .gb / .gbc / .sfc / .smc / .md / .sms / .gg / .neo / .nds / .n64 / .v64 / .z64), and take responsibility for the content you import.

About

RetroPocket

This app allows you to manage and play your owned retro game files. Import your game ROMs, save progress, and customize controls for a personalized gaming experience. Supports GBA, GB, and GBC formats.

Highlights
  • Import and manage retro game files
  • Save and resume game progress
  • Customizable on-screen controls
  • Multiple controller styles and themes
  • Fast forward gameplay
  • Sound and haptic feedback options
  • Landscape mode optimization
Features
Read full description

RetroPocket: Retro Games offers a simple and modern way to manage and play the retro games you own. Import your own game files, build your personal library, save your progress, and customize your gaming experience to match your style. Supported game file formats: - GBA-compatible files - GB-compatible files - GBC-compatible files Key Features: - Save & Resume: Use Save State to quickly save your current game state and Load State to return to the exact moment you want. - Automatic Progress Saving: RetroPocket helps preserve your latest game progress, making it easier to return to your games whenever you want. - Customizable Controls: Choose between left-handed or right-handed layouts, adjust button sizes and positions, and customize the appearance of your controls. - Multiple Controller Styles: Refresh your gaming experience with a variety of controller styles, colors, and themes. - Fast Forward: Speed up gameplay whenever you want to skip slow or repetitive sections. - Sound & Haptic Feedback: Customize your experience with sound and haptic feedback options. - Landscape Mode: Take advantage of a wider screen with a layout optimized for landscape mode. Important Notice: - RetroPocket is a tool for managing and playing game files imported by the user. - RetroPocket does not provide, sell, distribute, or host game files or ROMs. - Users should only use game files that they legally own or have the right to use. - Users are responsible for the content and files they import into the application. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/retrogbapocket/trang-ch%E1%BB%A7 Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Support: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560933465584 If you have any feedback about the RetroPocket: Retro Games, please leave a comment below or email the developer. We will always monitor your feedback to improve and create a better app.

Screenshots

NBOX4 screens
RetroPocket4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: RetroPocket at 5.0 against NBOX's 4.5. NBOX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads 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. RetroPocket sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. NBOX asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RetroPocket holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NBOX ships an update every 4 days, RetroPocket every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
NBOX versus RetroPocket: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNBOXRetroPocket
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size87 MB25 MB
Age rating17++4
Developer广州唬啊科技有限公司Duc Tran Trung

Customer experience

NBOX

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

RetroPocket

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

In-app purchases

None

NBOX

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

RetroPocket

Subscriptions2
  • GBA Emulator Monthly$5.991 Month
  • GBA Emulator Yearly$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Membership$34.99

Questions

Is NBOX free?
NBOX is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is RetroPocket free?
RetroPocket is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NBOX or RetroPocket?
RetroPocket is rated higher. NBOX averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while RetroPocket averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do NBOX or RetroPocket have ads?
Both NBOX and RetroPocket show ads.
Which is updated more often, NBOX or RetroPocket?
NBOX ships an update every 4 days, and RetroPocket every 5 weeks. Most recently, NBOX was updated on October 31, 2026 and RetroPocket on October 31, 2026.

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