Best Game Boy Emulators in 2026
Updated
In short: Virtual Jaguar is ranked #1 of 23 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of SkyEmu and GBCC. The best-ranked option with a free plan is SkyEmu.
Choosing a Game Boy emulator starts with the systems you want to play and the devices you use. Compare supported systems and platforms, then check controller support, save states and real-time clock handling for the features your games may need. Link cable emulation and netplay are relevant if connected play matters; free-plan availability and paid-from pricing help put access and cost in view. Virtual Jaguar, SkyEmu and GBCC are among the names to consider, alongside Gearlynx and binjgb. The listed criteria offer a practical way to weigh compatibility and play features against your setup, whether you are looking for a straightforward solo session or connection options.
23 Game Boy emulators ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
23ranked
9free plans on this page
4 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Game Boy Emulators 23 channels on this page · 103 of 184 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromSupported systemsSupported platformsSave statesLink cable emulationNetplayReal-time clock Spec sheet Score
01 Virtual Jaguar Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy, Game Boy ColorSupported platformsWindows, Linux/BSD/UNIX-like systems, macOSSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplayNoReal-time clockYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.8
02 SkyEmu Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systems4Supported platformsnot statedSave statesnot statedLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.5
03 GBCC Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy; Game Boy ColorSupported platformsLinux; macOS; Windows; AndroidSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplaynot statedReal-time clockYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.4
04 Gearlynx Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy, Game Boy Color, Super Game BoySupported platformsWindows, macOS, Linux, BSD, RetroArch/libretro, iOS, Android, Raspberry Pi, tvOS, webOS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo WiiU, Nintendo Switch, Emscripten, OpenDingux, RetroFW, QNXSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 5/8spec lines stated 7.4
05 binjgb Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy (GB); Game Boy Color (GBC); Super Game Boy (SGB)Supported platformsWeb browser; Windows; macOS; LinuxSave statesYesLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.3
06 ChillyGB Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy (DMG); Game Boy Color (CGB)Supported platformsWebAssembly/browser; Windows; Linux; Nintendo SwitchSave statesYesLink cable emulationNoNetplayNoReal-time clockYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.3
07 Coffee GB Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy (GB/DMG), Game Boy Color (GBC/CGB), Super Game Boy featuresSupported platformsWindows, macOS, Linux, AndroidSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplayYesReal-time clockYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.3
08 oxGBC Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy; Game Boy ColorSupported platformsWindows; macOS; Linux; Android; WebAssembly/browserSave statesYesLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clockYes 5/8spec lines stated 7.2
09 BGB Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy; Game Boy Color; Super Game BoySupported platformsWindows; Wine on Linux and macOSSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplayYesReal-time clockYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.1
10 GB Enhanced+ Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsDMG/Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Pokémon Mini, experimental Nintendo DSSupported platformsWindows, Linux, macOSSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplayYesReal-time clockYes 7/8spec lines stated 7.1
11 PyBoy Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy, Game Boy ColorSupported platformsWindows 64-bit, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OSSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplaynot statedReal-time clockYes 6/8spec lines stated 7.0
12 RetroGBm Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy ColorSupported platformsWindows, AndroidSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplaynot statedReal-time clockYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.8
13 Lynx.emu Free planNoPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy, Game Boy ColorSupported platformsAndroidSave statesYesLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.7
14 PHPBoy Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy, Game Boy ColorSupported platformsCLI terminal, browser WebAssembly, SDL2 native desktop (work in progress)Save statesnot statedLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.7
15 DocBoy Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy (DMG), Game Boy Color (CGB)Supported platformsWindows, Linux, AndroidSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplaynot statedReal-time clockYes 6/8spec lines stated 6.2
16 SDL2-GNUBoy Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy, Game Boy ColorSupported platformsWindows, macOS, LinuxSave statesnot statedLink cable emulationYesNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 4/8spec lines stated 6.1
17 GoBoy Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsNintendo Game Boy; Nintendo Game Boy ColorSupported platformsmacOS; Windows; LinuxSave statesNoLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clockNo 4/8spec lines stated 6.0
18 Pizza Boy C Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy, Game Boy ColorSupported platformsAndroidSave statesYesLink cable emulationYesNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 5/8spec lines stated 5.9
19 SameBoy Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy (DMG), Game Boy Pocket/Light (MGB), Game Boy Color (CGB), GBC-mode Game Boy Advance/Game Boy Player (AGB), Super Game Boy (SGB), Super Game Boy 2 (SGB2)Supported platformsnot statedSave statesnot statedLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 2/8spec lines stated 5.9
20 GB-EMU Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy (DMG), Game Boy Color (GBC)Supported platformsSamsung Tizen TVs, desktop web browsersSave statesYesLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 4/8spec lines stated 5.8
21 VaporBoy Free planYesPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame Boy, Game Boy ColorSupported platformsWeb browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and SafariSave statesYesLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 4/8spec lines stated 5.8
22 Gameboy by raphamorim Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsGame BoySupported platformsWebAssembly, desktop, terminalSave statesnot statedLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 2/8spec lines stated 5.4
23 Ocelot Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedSupported systemsnot statedSupported platformsnot statedSave statesnot statedLink cable emulationnot statedNetplaynot statedReal-time clocknot stated 0/8spec lines stated 4.7
Compare all 23 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported systems | Supported platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virtual Jaguar | 7.8 | Free plan | Free | — | — | Game Boy, Game Boy Color | Windows, Linux/BSD/UNIX-like systems, macOS |
| 2 | SkyEmu | 7.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | 4 | — |
| 3 | GBCC | 7.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Game Boy; Game Boy Color | Linux; macOS; Windows; Android |
| 4 | Gearlynx | 7.4 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Super Game Boy | Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, RetroArch/libretro, iOS, Android, Raspberry Pi, tvOS, webOS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo WiiU, Nintendo Switch, Emscripten, OpenDingux, RetroFW, QNX |
| 5 | binjgb | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | — | — | Game Boy (GB); Game Boy Color (GBC); Super Game Boy (SGB) | Web browser; Windows; macOS; Linux |
| 6 | ChillyGB | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Game Boy (DMG); Game Boy Color (CGB) | WebAssembly/browser; Windows; Linux; Nintendo Switch |
| 7 | Coffee GB | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | — | — | Game Boy (GB/DMG), Game Boy Color (GBC/CGB), Super Game Boy features | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android |
| 8 | oxGBC | 7.2 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy; Game Boy Color | Windows; macOS; Linux; Android; WebAssembly/browser |
| 9 | BGB | 7.1 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy; Game Boy Color; Super Game Boy | Windows; Wine on Linux and macOS |
| 10 | GB Enhanced+ | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | DMG/Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Pokémon Mini, experimental Nintendo DS | Windows, Linux, macOS |
| 11 | PyBoy | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Game Boy, Game Boy Color | Windows 64-bit, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi OS |
| 12 | RetroGBm | 6.8 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy Color | Windows, Android |
| 13 | Lynx.emu | 6.7 | No | — | No | — | Game Boy, Game Boy Color | Android |
| 14 | PHPBoy | 6.7 | No | — | — | — | Game Boy, Game Boy Color | CLI terminal, browser WebAssembly, SDL2 native desktop (work in progress) |
| 15 | DocBoy | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy (DMG), Game Boy Color (CGB) | Windows, Linux, Android |
| 16 | SDL2-GNUBoy | 6.1 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy, Game Boy Color | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 17 | GoBoy | 6.0 | No | — | — | — | Nintendo Game Boy; Nintendo Game Boy Color | macOS; Windows; Linux |
| 18 | Pizza Boy C | 5.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Game Boy, Game Boy Color | Android |
| 19 | SameBoy | 5.9 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy (DMG), Game Boy Pocket/Light (MGB), Game Boy Color (CGB), GBC-mode Game Boy Advance/Game Boy Player (AGB), Super Game Boy (SGB), Super Game Boy 2 (SGB2) | — |
| 20 | GB-EMU | 5.8 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy (DMG), Game Boy Color (GBC) | Samsung Tizen TVs, desktop web browsers |
| 21 | VaporBoy | 5.8 | No | — | Yes | — | Game Boy, Game Boy Color | Web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari |
| 22 | Gameboy by raphamorim | 5.4 | No | — | — | — | Game Boy | WebAssembly, desktop, terminal |
| 23 | Ocelot | 4.7 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which Game Boy emulator is ranked first on Specifiction?
Virtual Jaguar is ranked #1 of 23 with a score of 7.8. SkyEmu is second and GBCC third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 23 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.
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