Eclipse vs Retropa

Eclipse is a web-based emulator for playing games from classic systems: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, NES, SNES, Sega Master System, and Sega Game Gear. It is available on Android, iOS, and web, with a free plan. Games can be added from Google Drive, Dropbox, or the Homebrew selection, or loaded from local files. The interface supports touch, keyboard, and controllers, with editable default bindings; controller compatibility depends on the JavaScript Gamepad API and the operating system. Once the site is cached, uploaded local games can be played offline, although some features, including the Library, are disabled. Save behavior differs by system: NES games do not save, SNES and GB/GBC games should save, and GBA games have some incompatibilities. The GBA core lacks Real Time Clock support, and most GBA games with auto-save functionality are unsupported. Eclipse has no multiplayer features, including Pokémon trading. User data is stored locally on the device.

Retropa is an emulator for handheld and arcade games on iPhone and iPad, with Mac listed among its supported platforms. It covers 14 handheld and console systems plus arcade families; listed systems include GBA, Nintendo DS, NES, Super NES, Genesis, WonderSwan, Neo Geo Pocket, and Master System. The free plan costs nothing and includes handheld and console systems, imports, controller templates, Delta skin import, save states, and rewind. Games and BIOS files are not supplied, so users import content they are entitled to use through Files, AirDrop, a browser, a local Wi-Fi Portal, or the Homebrew catalog. Compatible external controllers and ready-made templates are supported. Retropa Plus adds arcade families, premium skins, console mode, advanced save workflows, adaptive touch controls with five styles, and 64 listed display filters. Saves can be backed up and restored with iCloud Drive. Game files stay on the device, and no account is needed to play. iPhone and iPad require iOS 18 or later.