ares vs Mednafen
ares
ares-emu.netMednafen
mednafen.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | ares | Mednafen |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 0 |
| Spec score · Game Console Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.4 (#27) |
| Spec score · TurboGrafx-16 Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.3 (#20) |
| Spec score · Game Gear Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.2 (#24) |
| Spec score · SNES Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.4 (#19) |
| Spec score · Game Boy Advance Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.3 (#23) |
| Spec score · Sega Genesis Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.1 (#23) |
| Spec score · Multi-System Emulators | 8.9 (#2) | 7.2 (#44) |
| Spec score · Sega Master System Emulators | 9.0 (#2) | 7.3 (#16) |
| License | The source code is distributed under the ISC license. | Mednafen is distributed under the GNU GPLv2. |
| Purpose | ares is a cross-platform, open-source multi-system emulator focused on accuracy and preservation. | Mednafen is a portable, command-line-driven multi-system emulator that uses OpenGL and SDL. |
| 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. | Its listed systems include Apple II, Atari Lynx, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, NES, SNES, Sega Saturn, and Sony PlayStation. |
| Windows requirements | Official Windows downloads support Windows 7 or newer, while AMD64 builds require at least Intel Nehalem or AMD Jaguar architecture. | The releases page says Windows builds require Windows XP or newer and recommends the 64-bit build for better performance and functionality. |
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.
Mednafen
Mednafen has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.