Flycast vs openMSX
Flycast
github.comopenMSX
openmsx.orgSide by side
| Figure | Flycast | openMSX |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Multi-System Emulators | 8.8 (#5) | 8.3 (#13) |
| Downloads | The project offers master builds, experimental nightly development builds, and stable tagged releases. | The download list includes Windows, macOS, Linux x86 64-bit, Android ARM and source code builds; listed release versions differ by platform. |
Plans
In their own words
Flycast
Flycast is a free emulator for Sega Dreamcast, Naomi, Naomi 2, and Atomiswave, derived from reicast. It runs on Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows, with releases available as stable tagged versions, master builds, and experimental nightly builds. Android users are directed to Google Play; Linux instructions cover Flatpak and Flathub, while macOS instructions use Homebrew. Windows documentation provides a bootstrap script for building from source. Xbox One and Series users can install a build through Xbox Device Portal. Flycast supports online play, with release notes describing modem-emulation improvements and fixes for online features in several games. Its DCNet service is a free dedicated VPN for Dreamcast games; 30 game servers were available when it was released. Physical Dreamcast controllers work with DreamConn+ and DreamPicoPort adapters. On Android, Google Auto Backup can back up VMU saves and non-volatile memory. The project lists GPL-2.0 as its license and says iOS support has been dropped.
openMSX
openMSX is a free, open-source emulator for the MSX home computer system, with an aim of 100% accuracy. It emulates almost all MSX, MSX2, MSX2+, and turboR systems, plus some others experimentally. The project lists over 230 machine configurations and over 110 extension hardware configurations. A built-in graphical interface works across supported operating systems. Users can control the emulator with Tcl scripts or a command interface over pipes or a UNIX domain socket, and external applications can connect through that interface. The built-in debugger provides watchpoints, breakpoints, viewers, and real-time data display; save states and a reverse feature support replay or stepping back through time. MIDI connectivity is available through host frameworks on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Downloads include Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android builds, though listed versions differ by platform. Version 20.0 and later requires OpenGL 2 support. Android support is listed only through version 0.15.0, and the default C-BIOS machine does not provide all functionality for a complete MSX machine. Catapult is deprecated; the project recommends its built-in GUI.