Dendy vs fixNES
Dendy
github.comfixNES
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Dendy | fixNES |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · NES Emulators | 7.6 (#12) | 7.8 (#9) |
| Controls | The emulator supports keyboard controls, likely detects connected gamepads, and emulates the Zapper with a mouse. | Controls are keyboard-only; the README says Windows users can use joy2key if they want controller support. |
| Downloads | Prebuilt binaries are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, though the maker says they are not guaranteed to work on Windows. | The repository README points to a Windows binary in Releases, whose newest listed release is titled “fixNES Alpha v1.3.1 - Windows Build.” |
| License | The GitHub repository identifies the project as MIT licensed. | The repository includes an MIT License granting permission to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and sell the software, subject to its conditions. |
Plans
In their own words
Dendy
Dendy is a free NES/Famicom emulator written in Go, with desktop versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux and a WebAssembly version for modern browsers. The desktop program has no graphical interface and runs from the command line with a .nes ROM file. Player one can use a keyboard or a detected gamepad, and a mouse can emulate the Zapper light gun. Options include save-state control, rewind, screenshots, CRT effects, and Game Genie codes. Network multiplayer uses rollback networking and peer-to-peer connections. A public relay can help players behind NATs find peers and connect, though it will not work if both players are behind symmetric NATs. Users can also build and run their own relay. The browser version does not currently support netplay. The maker cautions that Dendy may not match established emulators in accuracy or compatibility, so some games may not run. Sound emulation is still in progress and may produce pops and crackles. The project is MIT-licensed.
fixNES
fixNES is a free, open-source NES emulator for Windows and Linux. It runs NTSC and PAL .nes ROMs and creates .sav files for games that support saving. FDS and QD titles can run when a FDS BIOS named disksys.rom is placed in the same folder, and NSF music files are supported with track changes on the left and right keys. Files can be opened by drag and drop, command-line argument or from ZIP archives. The project lists support for NES mappers and VRC6, VRC7, FDS, MMC5, N163 and Sunsoft 5B audio expansions. Controls are keyboard-only; Windows users can use joy2key for controller input. The standalone build uses supplied scripts and requires freeglut and openal-soft, while a Makefile supports RetroArch core use. The README says the project is not in its most complete or cleanest state. It is licensed under MIT.