ares vs MasterGear
ares
ares-emu.netMasterGear
fms.komkon.orgSide by side
| Figure | ares | MasterGear |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 4 |
| Spec score · Game Gear Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 9.0 (#3) |
| Spec score · Sega Master System Emulators | 9.0 (#2) | 9.1 (#1) |
| Debugger | A built-in debugger provides simple tracing tools for development of original software. | The product includes a built-in debugger for supported development or hacking work. |
| Founded | 2020 | 1996 |
| Purpose | ares is a cross-platform, open-source multi-system emulator focused on accuracy and preservation. | MasterGear emulates 8-bit SEGA consoles and computers, including MasterSystem, GameGear, SG1000, SC3000, SF7000, Mark2, and Mark3. |
| Save states | Save states let users resume games that lack native saving. | Users can save and reload emulation states, although a state file is not guaranteed to work across different hardware versions. |
| What it does | ares is a cross-platform emulator for multiple game systems, built around accuracy and software preservation. | MasterGear emulates Sega Mark III/Master System, Game Gear, SG-1000, SC-3000 and SF-7000 hardware and runs their cartridge or disk images. |
Plans
MasterGear
- MasterGear Windows/LinuxFree
- Windows/LinuxFree
- Android$4.99, paid once
- MasterGear Android$430, paid once
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.
MasterGear
MasterGear emulates 8-bit SEGA consoles and computers, including MasterSystem, GameGear, SG1000, SC3000, SF7000, Mark2, and Mark3. It runs on Windows, Linux, and Android. The maker says hobbyists can use it to debug software without rare development hardware. Documentation reports support for about 98% of the maker’s SMS, GG, SF7000, SC3000, and SG1000 cartridge and disk images, while noting compatibility is not complete. Emulated hardware includes the Z80 CPU, console video processors, SN76489 sound, and Mark3 YM2413 FM sound. It can save and load emulation states, but state files are not guaranteed to work across versions on different hardware. Other listed features include automatic GZIP ROM handling, MIDI soundtrack logging, a built-in debugger, cheat support, and NetPlay. Windows and Linux are free; the Android plan costs 430.00 USD once. Game ROM images are not included, and source code is not publicly available.