ares vs Flycast

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.

Flycast Dojo is a free, open-source fork of the Flycast emulator for Sega Dreamcast, Naomi, Naomi 2 and Atomiswave. Its focus is netplay and replay, with training tools for supported games. Players can connect using Match Codes, direct IP connections or virtual LANs such as ZeroTier or Radmin. Match Codes use an internet relay to help start peer-to-peer sessions through firewalls without an account or extra software. Netplay sessions can be recorded and played back, or transmitted to a replay server or listening spectator. Training Mode supports RetroArch .cht cheats, savestates, and recording and playing back inputs. Players can compare ROM MD5 checksums, while successful peer-to-peer play requires matching ROM and BIOS files. The project is bundled with Fightcade and Arkadyzja. It is listed for Android, Linux, macOS and Windows, though the official site links downloads for Windows, Linux and Mac. The documentation notes that Match Codes may have problems on some cloud gaming services or corporate networks.