ares vs RustBoyAdvance-NG
ares
ares-emu.netRustBoyAdvance-NG
github.comSide by side
| Figure | ares | RustBoyAdvance-NG |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Boy Advance Emulators | 9.0 (#1) | 7.9 (#10) |
| Debugger | A built-in debugger provides simple tracing tools for development of original software. | The README documents a custom debugger requiring the debugger feature and an experimental GDB server requiring the gdb feature. |
| License | The source code is distributed under the ISC license. | The repository is distributed under the MIT License, which grants permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, sublicense, and sell copies subject to its conditions. |
| Purpose | ares is a cross-platform, open-source multi-system emulator focused on accuracy and preservation. | RustBoyAdvance-NG is a Nintendo Game Boy Advance emulator and debugger written in Rust. |
| Save states | Save states let users resume games that lack native saving. | The desktop key bindings include commands to save and load snapshot files. |
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.
RustBoyAdvance-NG
RustBoyAdvance-NG is a free Nintendo Game Boy Advance emulator and debugger written in Rust. Its WebAssembly demo accepts ROM files by drag and drop, while the desktop emulator loads ROM files or ZIP archives containing .gba files. Desktop use requires a GBA BIOS binary; the project says an open-source BIOS is supported. The repository lists SDL2 and minifb desktop frontends, with minifb marked as unmaintained, plus Java JNI bindings and a terminal frontend. A proof-of-concept Android application can be opened in Android Studio and requires Rust Android targets with the NDK. The custom debugger and experimental GDB server are gated behind build features. Desktop key commands include saving and loading snapshot files, but controls cannot currently be reconfigured. Desktop builds require Rust 1.51 or later and SDL2 dependencies on Linux and macOS. The project identifies CGB audio, including four wave-generator channels, as remaining emulation work. It is distributed under the MIT License and lists Linux, macOS, Windows, web, and Android platforms.