BGB vs SkyEmu
BGB
bgb.bircd.orgSkyEmu
github.comSide by side
| Figure | BGB | SkyEmu |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 2 |
| Spec score · Game Boy Emulators | 7.9 (#6) | 8.2 (#4) |
| Accuracy | The maker describes its emulation as hardware-accurate and says it is based on research with test ROMs. | The project says GBA emulation is significantly more accurate than its GB/GBC emulation. |
| Cheats | It supports GameGenie and GameShark cheats, cheat loading and saving, cheat searching, and creation of new cheat codes. | An Action Replay cheat-code engine is listed among the features. |
| Save states | It supports save and load states with mappable quick keys and preview screenshots for state slots. | SkyEmu provides four persistent save-state slots with screenshot previews. |
| System requirements | The x86 version requires DirectX 7 or later, OpenGL, and Winsock 2, with a minimum Pentium 133 MHz and 16 MB RAM listed for Windows 95b. | The opened project pages do not state minimum CPU, memory, storage, or operating-system version requirements. |
Plans
In their own words
BGB
BGB is a free Game Boy emulator and debugger for playing games and examining emulation. It emulates Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Super Game Boy, with gamepad support, rewind, save states, low latency, and high-quality sound and graphics. ROMs can be loaded from ZIP and GZIP files. The debugger can analyze emulation, help create or modify ROMs, and create, search, load, and save cheat codes; supported formats include GameGenie and GameShark. BGB can also emulate the Game Boy Camera using an image file, test pattern, or webcam. TCP/IP linking connects BGB instances, while Super Game Boy multiplayer supports up to four gamepads. BGB is listed for Windows, and its maker says it also runs under Wine on Linux and macOS; 32-bit and 64-bit versions are provided. The listed current release is version 1.6.6, dated 2025-07-20. Game linking may not work with every game and requires a modern PC with very low lag. AVI recordings omit sound, which is recorded separately to WAV. The manual states that the program has no warranty and is used at the user's own risk.
SkyEmu
SkyEmu is a free emulator for Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS systems. It runs on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and can load ROMs compressed in ZIP archives. Graphics options include upscaling shaders, color correction, and screen ghosting. Controls include game controllers, rumble, configurable keybinds, and mobile on-screen controls. Four persistent save-state slots include screenshot previews. A REST-like API supports asynchronous scripting and automation, and listed integrations include Retro Achievements, a RetroArch/libretro core, and Google Drive save-state sync. The web app runs locally using WebAssembly and JavaScript, keeping files on the user's machine; its service worker enables offline use on more platforms. The project describes its focus as preserving these systems for future generations while providing a good user experience. It says Game Boy Advance emulation is significantly more accurate than its Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulation. Many Nintendo DS games still have mild graphics and audio issues, and DS emulation is beta quality.