GameEx vs KNULLI
GameEx
gameex.comKNULLI
knulli.orgSide by side
| Figure | GameEx | KNULLI |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Emulation Frontends | 9.1 (#3) | 7.7 (#14) |
| Purpose | GameEx is an arcade and emulator front end for MAME, GameBase, Daphne, PC games and command-line emulators, and also offers HTPC features. | KNULLI is custom firmware for retro-gaming devices such as handhelds and bartops, developed as a fork of Batocera. |
| Security | The setup guide warns that security experts have not examined GameExtender for security issues and advises using it over networks at the user's own risk. | The site warns that KNULLI devices have no root password by default, making device data accessible on the local network, and recommends enabling additional security. |
| Support | The maker says commercial support and customizations are available and in many cases provided free of charge. | The project uses Discord for discussions and provides a wiki with setup and troubleshooting guides. |
Plans
In their own words
GameEx
GameEx is an arcade and emulator front end for MAME, GameBase, Daphne, PC games and command-line emulators, with HTPC features. The site lists original GameEx, GameEx Arcade Edition and GameEx Evolution. Its feature list describes support for nearly any emulator, with advanced MAME support, and compatibility with arcade controls such as X-Arcade, Slik-Stik, JPAC and IPAC, as well as remotes and gamepads. Media features include video and DVD playback, picture viewing, internet radio, a jukebox, a news reader and a YouTube module. Named integrations include Steam, EA Origin, Uplay, iTunes, Windows Media Player, GameBase, GameEx Arcade and the TMDb API. GameEx Online and GameExtender add networked display, remote control and online game statistics. Its listed free plan costs nothing, but commercial use requires each copy to be registered or purchased. The listing includes Android, Linux, macOS and Windows; the maker describes Linux or Mac use through WINE as experimental, while the multiplatform alpha builds may lack features.
KNULLI
KNULLI is free, open-source custom firmware for supported retro-gaming devices, including handhelds and bartops. It runs on Linux and self-hosted setups, with supported platforms including Anbernic RG series, GoRetroid Pocket 5 and Mini, Miyoo Flip, Powkiddy RGB30 and X55, Orange Pi Zero 2w, and TrimUI Brick and Smart Pro. The system provides EmulationStation or Simplemenu/Simplermenu+ frontends, RetroArch, and multiple libretro cores. It adds RetroAchievements, netplay, cover art, and thumbnail scraping through ScreenScraper, TheGamesDB, and ArcadeDB. Wireless and Bluetooth features depend on the device, while external USB wireless adapters are supported. Syncthing synchronizes saves between KNULLI devices or backs them up to a NAS, not a cloud. Installation requires a device-specific image flashed to an SD card or internal storage. Games, BIOS files, saves, and themes must use a strict case-sensitive folder structure.