ares vs MEKA
ares
ares-emu.netMEKA
smspower.orgSide by side
| Figure | ares | MEKA |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Gear Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 8.1 (#11) |
| Debugger | A built-in debugger provides simple tracing tools for development of original software. | MEKA includes a debugger and debugging and hacking tools. |
| Founded | 2020 | 1998 |
| License | The source code is distributed under the ISC license. | MEKA is free software under a BSD-like license, and the maker says its sources and data may be browsed and reused without restrictions. |
| Project history | ares began as a higan fork on March 25, 2020 and became public open source under Luke Usher's leadership on July 5, 2021. | The project was initiated in 1998 and is maintained by Omar Cornut, known as Bock. |
| Purpose | ares is a cross-platform, open-source multi-system emulator focused on accuracy and preservation. | MEKA is a multi-machine emulator for Sega 8-bit systems and ColecoVision. |
| 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. | It supports Sega SG-1000, SC-3000, SF-7000, Mark III, Master System, Game Gear, ColecoVision and Othello Multivision. |
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.
MEKA
MEKA is a free multi-machine emulator for Sega 8-bit systems and ColecoVision. It supports the SG-1000, SC-3000, SF-7000, Mark III, Master System, Game Gear, ColecoVision and Othello Multivision, along with a wide range of peripherals and unusual games. The project includes a debugger and tools for debugging and hacking, aimed at programmers and people working with Sega 8-bit systems. It also provides a game database and compatibility list, which the site describes as receiving fixes and changes. MEKA is free software under a BSD-like license, and its source and data may be browsed and reused without restrictions. The download page lists a Windows x86 build and directs GNU/Linux and macOS users to build from source. That page describes MEKA 0.80 as in development, while the GitHub releases page lists Meka 2025-08-17 as the latest release. Initiated in 1998, the project is maintained by Omar Cornut, known as Bock. The project says it has limited use for the average player.