Attract-Mode vs KNULLI
Attract-Mode
attractmode.orgKNULLI
knulli.orgSide by side
| Figure | Attract-Mode | KNULLI |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Emulation Frontends | 9.1 (#2) | 7.7 (#14) |
| Metadata sources | The frontend can scrape missing game information and artwork from TheGamesDB, Progetto-Snaps and adb.arcadeitalia.net. | The built-in scraper can fetch metadata and media from ScreenScraper, TheGamesDB, and ArcadeDB. |
| 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. | KNULLI is custom firmware for retro-gaming devices such as handhelds and bartops, developed as a fork of Batocera. |
| Support | The official site links to a community forum and provides documentation, compile instructions, a layouts manual and a project wiki. | The project uses Discord for discussions and provides a wiki with setup and troubleshooting guides. |
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.
KNULLI
KNULLI is free, open-source custom firmware for supported retro-gaming devices, including handhelds and bartops. It runs on Linux and self-hosted setups, with supported platforms including Anbernic RG series, GoRetroid Pocket 5 and Mini, Miyoo Flip, Powkiddy RGB30 and X55, Orange Pi Zero 2w, and TrimUI Brick and Smart Pro. The system provides EmulationStation or Simplemenu/Simplermenu+ frontends, RetroArch, and multiple libretro cores. It adds RetroAchievements, netplay, cover art, and thumbnail scraping through ScreenScraper, TheGamesDB, and ArcadeDB. Wireless and Bluetooth features depend on the device, while external USB wireless adapters are supported. Syncthing synchronizes saves between KNULLI devices or backs them up to a NAS, not a cloud. Installation requires a device-specific image flashed to an SD card or internal storage. Games, BIOS files, saves, and themes must use a strict case-sensitive folder structure.