Attract-Mode vs LaunchBox
Attract-Mode
attractmode.org
LaunchBox
launchbox-app.comSide by side
| Figure | Attract-Mode | LaunchBox |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 8 |
| Spec score · Game Library Managers | 9.1 (#2) | 8.9 (#4) |
| Spec score · Emulation Frontends | 9.1 (#2) | 8.8 (#4) |
| Spec score · Game launchers | 8.9 (#11) | 9.0 (#9) |
| License | Attract-Mode is released under the GNU General Public License version 3 or later. | The maker says Premium is DRM-free and can be deployed to as many personal devices as the user wishes. |
| Praise: customization | Unstore says the Squirrel-based scripting is flexible enough for marquee displays, side art, lighting controls and other cabinet hardware. | A Trustpilot reviewer praised the way LaunchBox displays a collection, emulation support, extensive customization, and Big Box themes. |
| Public API | The layouts manual documents a Squirrel API exposed through the fe object, including image, artwork, surface, text, listbox and shader functions. | Public plugin documentation exposes the Unbroken.LaunchBox.Plugins assembly and interfaces such as IGame with C#, Visual Basic, C++, and F# signatures. |
| Self-hosting | The compile guide supports local Linux or FreeBSD builds and installs the executable and data under /usr/local. | The product is a portable local application whose installation can be moved by copying its folder; no hosted server deployment is documented. |
| Support | The official site links to a community forum and provides documentation, compile instructions, a layouts manual and a project wiki. | The maker points users to technical support forums, how-to video tutorials, bug reporting, and feature requests. |
| What it does | Attract-Mode is a graphical launcher for command-line emulators, designed for joystick or gamepad controlled arcade cabinets. | LaunchBox is a Windows game-library manager and launcher that organizes PC, storefront, and emulated games and starts them through configured applications. |
Plans
LaunchBox
- StarterFree
- Starter (Windows)Free
- Regular$30, paid once
- Regular (Windows)$30, paid once
- Bundle (Windows and Android)$35, paid once
- Windows and Android bundle$35, paid once
- Lifetime$75, paid once
- Lifetime (Windows)$75, paid once
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.
LaunchBox
LaunchBox is a game collection frontend and manager for modern PC games and emulated console games. It can import Steam and GOG games, ROM files, and MS-DOS games, then retrieve box art and metadata from its Games Database along with fan art, screenshots, and logos. Collections can be arranged and filtered by genre, platform, ESRB rating, developer, and publisher, with custom status and source fields. The Windows app supports Windows 10 and higher, with Windows 10 and 11 described as fully supported. LaunchBox for Android is free for collections of 100 games or fewer; it shares the games database, media, and portable XML data with Windows, and Windows data can be exported to Android. Premium adds themes, Big Box mode, gamepad automation, startup and pause screens, and display customization. The Regular Windows license costs $30 as a one-time purchase and includes a year of free updates. The maker says Premium is DRM-free and can be deployed to as many personal devices as desired. Windows data can also be moved by copying the app to another folder or computer.