Quick Answer
There are many great GBA emulators available for Windows 10/11 PC, including VisualBoy Advance, No$GBA, mGBA, Higan GBA, Boycott Advance, BatGBA, and RascalBoy Advance. Based on our experience, VisualBoy Advance -M is overall best with comprehensive tools. mGBA is the best because it is simple and lightweight. For multi-system emulation, RetroArch is the best. Finally, if you are looking for multiplayer support, NO$GBA or RascalBoy Advance are great options.
In our previous blog – How to play GBA games online without downloading an emulator – we presented some of the best online GBA gaming platforms. But of course, you need an internet connection to play games online, which is not always convenient. This blog introduces you to the best GBA emulators you can download on your Windows 10/11 computers to play your favourite GBA games offline.
This guide will introduce you to the features, pros, and cons of each GBA emulator we selected. So, grab your gaming gear and get ready because you are about to be overcome by the nostalgia of your childhood!
Table of Contents
Best GameBoy Advance Emulators for Windows 10/11
Good GBA emulators allow you to play GBA ROMs, while the best ones allow you to play the ROMs, save progress, customize controls, and even use cheat codes. Below, you will find a list of the best GBA emulators for Windows:
Emulator | Compatibility with Specific OS | Supported Games | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
BatGBA | Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 | Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance | Simplicity and low-end hardware |
Boycott Advance | Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 | Game Boy Advance | Multiplayer and wireless joystick support |
Higan | Windows 7, 8, 10, macOS, Linux | GBA, SNES, GB, GBC, Master System, PC Engine, WonderSwan | Multi-system emulation and full-screen mode |
Mednafen | Windows 7, 8, 10, macOS, Linux | GBA, NES, WonderSwan, PC-FX, Sega, Sony PlayStation | Advanced audio-video recording and customization |
mGBA | Windows 7, 8, 10, macOS, Linux, BSD, 3DS, Switch, Wii, Vita | Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance | Lightweight and multi-window support |
NO$GBA | Windows XP, Vista, 7, 10, MS-DOS | Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS | Multiplayer and low-end system support |
RascalBoy Advance | Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10 | Game Boy Advance | Multiplayer and audio-video recording |
RetroArch | Windows 7, 8, 10, macOS, Linux, Android | GBA, GBC, PS2, PS3, PSP, PS Vita, Wii, Wii U, 2DS, 3DS, Switch | Multi-system emulation and customization |
VisualBoy Advance - M | Windows 7, 8, 10, macOS, Linux | Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Super Game Boy, Super Game Boy 2 | Comprehensive features and developer tools |
VisualBoy Advance Emulator – M
VisualBoy Advance (VBA-M)is the best GBA emulator that lets you play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games on your computer. Also, you can play Super Game Boy and Super Game Boy 2 games on the VBA – M emulator. It is one of the most popular game emulators for GBA titles that lets you play retro games on your PC.
Features:
- Supports Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games.
- Allows automatic firing of keys at intervals.
- Supports popular Cheat codes.
- Comes with built-in GameShark support.
- Supports advanced debugging options for game developers.
- Increase emulation speed with a single click on the spacebar.
- Capture screenshots and record gameplay videos.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Free and open-source GBA emulator | Known to have some bugs |
Cross-platform availability (Windows, Mac OS, Android, etc.) | Default keys for Windows are complicated |
Simple and user-friendly interface | Improper functioning of default keys |
Supports a large collection of GBA ROMs | |
Allows saving the game at any stage | |
Supports joystick controls | |
Allows remapping of control keys | |
Low system requirements, runs on older or low-powered PCs |
NO$GBA Emulator
NO$GBA, also known as No Cash GBA, is another free GBA emulator for PC that is available online. In addition to GBA games, the NO$GBA emulator allows you to play commercial and homebrew Nintendo DS games. It also works on older Windows systems like Windows XP and MS-DOS with minimal system requirements.
Features:
- One of the first emulators to support multiplayer gaming.
- Supports Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games.
- Offers comprehensive cheat code support.
- Integrates with third-party tools for screen recording.
- Supports RISC architecture and various 2D and 3D graphical interfaces.
- Supports real-time IPS/UPS patching for ROM files.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Free and open-source GBA emulator | No longer in development and support |
Very simple interface and controls | Not all DS games can be played |
Allows playing GBA and Nintendo DS ROMs | |
Allows saving and loading games at any time | |
Allows you to keymap control keys | |
Supports multiplayer games on PC |
RetroArch
RetroArch is an arsenal of emulators that allow you to play retro games on so many platforms, including game consoles like GBA, GBC, PS2, PS3, PSP, PS Vita, Wii, Wii U, 2DS, 3DS, Switch, and more! RetroArch is based on “Cores.” You can add the core of the emulator you want to play to RetroArch and play them without installing multiple emulators.
Features:
- Works on Android, Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc.
- Offers an advanced settings interface to optimize every possible option.
- Automatically detects and configures gaming controllers.
- Record games directly in the emulator using FFMPEG.
- Play games online with others using peer-to-peer networking.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Free and open-source emulator | Very complex user interface |
Allows saving and loading game progress | Setup takes a long time and is complicated |
Supports cheats and hacks | Takes up too much space on the drive |
Works on multiple platforms like Windows, MacOS, Android, etc. | |
Plenty of gaming cores are available | |
Gaming performance can be highly tweaked from the settings |
mGBA Emulator
mGBA is another popular Gameboy Advance emulator for PC that supports multiple windows and can run multiple ROMs simultaneously. It is a lightweight and fast GBA emulator compared to others. It also supports GameBoy and GameBoy Color games.
Features:
- Supports Game Boy Advance, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color games.
- Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, Wii, and PlayStation Vita
- Supports multiple windows so that you can run multiple ROMs at once.
- Allows you to speed up the game’s actions using the fast-forward menu.
- Supports loading patches to improve the gaming experience.
- mGBA also supports most cheat codes without any problems.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Free and open-source emulator | Lacks advanced and additional settings |
Allows fast saving and loading of games | The emulator has some bugs but is updated regularly |
Works smoothly on Mac, PC, and Linux | Some cheats do not work |
Simple controls and hotkey configuration | |
Supports cheat codes for most GBA ROMs | |
Works great even on low-end PCs |
Mednafen
Mednafen emulator has the most badass name among all emulators available on the Internet. The acronym MEDNAFEN stands for “My Emulator Doesn’t Need A Frickin’ Excellent Name” It is a free, open-source, cross-system emulator that works flawlessly on most devices.
Besides GBA ROMs, it also supports NES, WonderSwan, PC-FX, Sega Systems, Sony Playstation, etc. But it is also one of the most complex emulators unless you are a techie. Mednafen lets you create and save audio and video files in QuickTime file format. It also supports a variety of lossless codecs and map hotkey functions and virtual system inputs to a keyboard, joystick, or all at once.
Features:
- Supports multiple systems, including GBA, NES, WonderSwan, PC-FX, Sega systems, and Sony PlayStation.
- Record gameplay in QuickTime format with various lossless codecs.
- It supports map functions for keyboard or joystick inputs.
- Take snapshots in gameplay using PNG format.
- Save and rewind game progress in real-time.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Extremely accurate and compatible emulator | Difficult and complex interface |
Provides a very stable gaming experience | Command line interface is not suitable for everyone |
Supports hotkeys and joysticks simultaneously | Settings and setup are insufficient or complex |
Supports a variety of lossless codecs |
RascalBoy Advance Emulator
RascalBoy Advance is a Windows GameBoy Advance emulator. This emulator can help you play hundreds of GBA ROMs with ease. With its multiplayer support, you can play together with your friends.RascalBoy Advance has a multiplayer plugin that allows you to play with your friends on the same computer.
Features:
- Supports hundreds of GBA ROMs.
- Supports cheat codes are supported for most games.
- Comes with support for multiplayer gaming on the same computer.
- For developers, the emulator comes with hacking and debugging tools for game manipulation.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Open source and free | Available only for Windows |
Simple and clear interface | Some GBA games cannot be opened, "Corrupt file" displayed |
Supports debugging and cheat codes | |
Built-in frame indicator | |
Supports multiple languages | |
Higan Emulator
Higan multisystem emulator is available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and FreeBSD 10.0+. With the Higan emulator, you can play GBA ROMs and Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, SNES, GameBoy, GameBoy Color, and many other ROMs. It supports over 10 game systems, including GBA.
Features:
- Supports over 10 systems, including GBA, SNES, GameBoy, GameBoy Color, Master System, PC Engine, and WonderSwan.
- Supports cheat codes during gameplay.
- Simple and user-friendly, However advanced features may require a learning curve
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Open source and free | Setup is difficult and complex |
Very accurate in dealing with GBA and other ROMs | The interface is not user-friendly |
Supports a wide range of game systems | You have to download individual BIOS files |
You have to assign controls for individual games |
|
There is an issue with the music output |
Boycott Advance
Boycott Advance is another GBA emulator developed by Lino Maglione specifically for the Windows platform. This emulator can run almost all GBA ROMs and also supports multiplayer games. The emulator allows you to play with your friends, supporting up to 4 players. Boycott Advance also supports external wireless joysticks for even more gaming fun. It comes with a wealth of tools for hacking and debugging, which can help developers improve the gaming experience.
Features:
- Supports almost all GBA ROMs.
- Supports cheat codes and includes tools for hacking and debugging.
- Supports language packs like VisualBoy Advance.
- Supports up to 4 players in multiplayer mode.
- Compatible with external wireless joysticks.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Free and open source | Doesn't support sound |
Very simple user interface | Glitches in the gameplay |
Supports cheat codes | |
Built-in multiplayer support for PC | |
Allows key mapping |
BatGBA
BatGBA is a simple and lightweight GBA emulator that lacks many advanced features and works well on low-end computers. It takes up very little space on your computer and runs almost all GBA ROMs available on the market. BatGBA shows you the frames per second and helps you monitor the game’s performance. It also lets you play GBC and GBA games. BatGBA easily works on almost any hardware. It’s lightweight and doesn’t need many resources when running.
Features:
- Supports most commercial and non-commercial GBA games.
- The Emulator does not offer extensive cheat code support but focuses on basic emulation features.
- Supports both GBC and GBA games.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Free and open-source emulator | Lacks advanced features |
Works great on low-end and old computers | Debugging tools are limited |
Supports GBC games as well | No support for cheat codes |
User-friendly interface with simple controls | Some games don't boot up |
Allows remapping of keys and controls | |
Allows saving and loading |
Which One is The Best GBA Emulator for PC?
Playing GameBoy Advance games is quite easy with the best GBA emulators for Windows presented above. However, when testing each emulator, we liked the simplicity of the mGBA emulator the most. If you are looking for a simple but powerful emulator for your computer, mGBA is a good choice. Also, if you want to play other retro gaming systems on your PC, RetroArch is just great. With its ability to download multiple emulator cores, it’s a true arsenal of emulators you’ll ever need.
For the overall experience, we recommend VisualBoy Advance – M, the best PC GBA emulator. It works best even on low-end PCs and can run all GBA ROMs effortlessly.
FAQs About Best GBA Emulators for Windows 10/11
Are GBA emulators free to download and use?
Yes, most Game Boy Advance (GBA) emulators are available for free download and use. However, the legality of downloading and using ROMs (game files) is a separate matter and may depend on the jurisdiction you're in and whether you own the original games.
Which GBA emulator supports multiplayer games on the same computer?
No$GBA, Boycott Advance, and RascalBoy Advance are the popular GBA emulators that supports multiplayer games on the same computer. They allow you to connect multiple emulator instances together to play multiplayer games using the "Link" feature.
Can I save my game progress while using these GBA emulators?
Yes, you can save your game progress while using these GBA emulators. For example, VisualBoy Advance, No Casg GBA, RetroArch, and many other emulators in our list allow you to save your game progress at any time.
Can I use a controller or remap the buttons on my controller while using these GBA emulators?
Yes, there are emulators that support controllers and joysticks and even allow you to remap the buttons to your liking. You can connect a controller to your computer and configure the emulator's settings to use the controller for gameplay. This allows for a more authentic and comfortable gaming experience.
Can I take screenshots or record gameplay while using these GBA emulators?
Yes, you can take screenshots or record gameplay while using the above GBA emulators. Most emulators offer built-in features or hotkeys to capture screenshots during gameplay. Additionally, you can use screen recording software or game capture programs to record your gameplay sessions while using the emulator.
Can I use cheat codes while using these GBA emulators?
Yes, you can use cheat codes while using the above GBA emulators. Many GBA emulators provide built-in cheat code functionality, allowing you to input and activate cheats during gameplay. These cheat codes can provide various advantages, such as unlimited lives, extra items, or unlocking hidden features.
