Attract-Mode vs EmulationStation
Attract-Mode
attractmode.orgEmulationStation
emulationstation.orgSide by side
| Figure | Attract-Mode | EmulationStation |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 0 |
| Spec score · Game Library Managers | 9.1 (#2) | 7.1 (#29) |
| Spec score · Emulation Frontends | 9.1 (#2) | 7.2 (#20) |
| Spec score · Game launchers | 8.9 (#11) | 6.7 (#59) |
| Configuration | A built-in configuration menu provides on-screen guidance, while settings can also be edited as text files. | Users configure systems in an XML file that specifies game locations, file extensions, launch commands, and optional scraping and theme names. |
| Notable limit | Pause functionality for returning to the frontend and resuming an emulator is listed for Linux and Windows versions only. | Users must configure the emulators themselves; EmulationStation is the front end. |
| Open source | Attract-Mode is open source and licensed under the GNU General Public License v3. | The maker describes EmulationStation as open source, and its GitHub repository displays an MIT license. |
| Purpose | Attract-Mode is a graphical frontend for command-line emulators such as MAME, MESS and Nestopia, intended for joystick, gamepad or spin-dial control and arcade cabinet setups. | EmulationStation is a graphical, themeable front end that brings games from different emulators together in one place. |
| Support | The official site links to a community forum and provides documentation, compile instructions, a layouts manual and a project wiki. | The maker directs users to the GitHub issue tracker to report bugs or seek help. |
| Themes | Layouts are scriptable in Squirrel and can be customized with themes, animations and GLSL shaders. | The theming system lets users customize screens separately for each system. |
Plans
In their own words
Attract-Mode
Attract-Mode is a graphical frontend for command-line emulators such as MAME, MESS, and Nestopia. It is intended for arcade cabinets and control by joystick, gamepad, or spin dial, and runs on Windows, OS X, and Linux, including Raspberry Pi and Odroid. Users can import game lists, generate lists from emulator directories, and set launch commands for individual games. The frontend can retrieve missing game details and artwork from TheGamesDB, Progetto-Snaps, and adb.arcadeitalia.net. Controls can be assigned to joystick, keyboard, or mouse inputs, including combinations. A built-in configuration menu has on-screen help, and settings are stored in text files. Layouts can be scripted in Squirrel and customized with themes, animations, and GLSL shaders. It supports media formats supported by FFmpeg and SWF files through gameswf. The feature list also names Steam support and plug-ins for extensions or integration with external programs. Attract-Mode is free and open source under the GNU General Public License v3. Pause functionality for returning to the frontend and resuming an emulator is listed only for Linux and Windows versions.
EmulationStation
EmulationStation has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.