ares vs BizHawk
ares
ares-emu.netBizHawk
github.comSide by side
| Figure | ares | BizHawk |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · TurboGrafx-16 Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.9 (#12) |
| Spec score · SNES Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 8.0 (#9) |
| Spec score · Sega Genesis Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.9 (#11) |
| Spec score · Nintendo 64 Emulators | 8.9 (#1) | 7.9 (#9) |
| Spec score · Sega Master System Emulators | 9.0 (#2) | 7.9 (#5) |
| Save states | Save states let users resume games that lack native saving. | EmuHawk offers 10 save slots with hotkeys and unlimited named savestates. |
| Supported systems | The catalogue includes Arcade, Atari 2600, WonderSwan, ColecoVision, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Sega systems, Neo Geo Pocket and PlayStation. | The project lists support for systems including 3DO, Apple II, arcade machines, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, Sega, and PlayStation consoles. |
| What it does | ares is a cross-platform emulator for multiple game systems, built around accuracy and software preservation. | EmuHawk is a multi-system emulator written in C# with recording, playback, and debugging tools aimed at Tool-Assisted Speedrunners. |
Plans
In their own words
ares
ares is a free, open-source emulator for multiple systems, with a stated focus on accuracy and preservation. It supports systems including Arcade, Atari 2600, WonderSwan, ColecoVision, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation, though some listed systems are experimental. Playback options include save states, run-ahead, rewind, and fast-forward. Pixel shaders and optional color correction can alter display characteristics, while Virtual Game-Pads let users configure controls for use across emulated systems. The interface framework uses WinAPI on Windows, Cocoa on macOS, and GTK2 or GTK3 on POSIX platforms. Simple debugging features such as trace logging support development of original software for supported systems. Windows builds support Windows 7 or later; AMD64 binaries require at least Intel Nehalem or AMD Jaguar architecture. macOS binaries require Catalina 10.15 and support Intel and Apple Silicon. The project prefers Linux users compile from source and points to third-party packages rather than official Linux binaries. Source code uses the ISC license. Android is not supported, and a BIOS is required.
BizHawk
BizHawk is a free multi-system emulator for Windows and Linux, built around the EmuHawk interface. It is aimed at Tool-Assisted Speedrunners and combines playback with recording and debugging. The project lists systems including 3DO, Apple II, arcade machines, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, Sega, and PlayStation consoles. EmuHawk provides 10 hotkey-operated save slots as well as unlimited named savestates, along with speed adjustment, frame stepping, and rewind. Users can record input as TAS movies and save screenshots, audio, and video. Debugging tools let users inspect, search, and edit memory across emulated hardware, while Lua or C#.NET can control the core and frontend programmatically. Keyboard, mouse, and gamepad hotkeys can be rebound, and an input mapper covers emulated gamepads and peripherals. The Linux build targets x86_64 and omits Mupen64Plus for N64. Current releases are unavailable on Android and iOS; macOS use is limited to older releases or technical workarounds.