ChillyGB vs oxGBC

ChillyGB is a free Game Boy (DMG) and Game Boy Color (CGB) emulator written in C. It is listed for Windows, Linux, and Nintendo Switch, and the project links to a WebAssembly browser version. Supported cartridges include no MBC, MBC1, MBC2, MBC3 with a real-time clock, MBC5, MBC7, and Pocket Camera. Features include Game Boy Color and BootROM support, BESS-compliant save states, a palette editor, integer scaling, a pixel grid, color correction, and GameGenie and GameShark cheats.

Players can use basic gamepads and edit inputs; Pocket Camera support can use a webcam. The debugger includes instruction, memory, stack, and register views, plus editors and status information for listed PPU registers. The project excludes SGB functions, MBC6, HUc1, HUc3, and infrared communication. Link cable emulation and netplay are not supported. The browser port's audio is noted as buggy. ChillyGB is licensed under GNU GPL v3.0; release 0.3.2 is listed as latest, and save states from before version 0.3.0 do not work with it.

oxGBC is a free Rust emulator for Game Boy and Game Boy Color. One portable emulation core supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and browsers through WebAssembly. The project aims for high accuracy using sub-instruction CPU timing and dot-level PPU emulation, and is validated in CI against community test suites including Blargg, Mooneye, SameSuite, DMG-acid2, CGB-acid2, CGB-acid-hell, and Magen.

Gameplay options include multiple save-state slots, optional automatic save and restore, configurable rewind, and adjustable speed with Slow and Turbo modes. Keyboard and gamepad controls are rebindable, including button combinations. Video options include visual filters, LCD frame blending, built-in or user-defined palettes, and custom GLSL shaders through an optional OpenGL backend. The desktop interface has a file browser and scans ROM directories. Listed cartridge support includes MBC0, MBC1, MBC1M, MBC2, MBC3, and MBC5, including battery-backed MBC3 real-time clock and SRAM. The project is licensed under GNU GPL version 3.0. On macOS, Gatekeeper blocks the first launch until the app is opened manually through security settings or its quarantine is cleared.