Gearlynx vs Virtual Jaguar
Gearlynx
github.comVirtual Jaguar
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Gearlynx | Virtual Jaguar |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 3 |
| Spec score · Atari Emulators | 7.5 (#12) | 8.2 (#3) |
| BIOS requirement | Gearlynx requires a BIOS to work; the README recommends the original BIOS identified by its MD5 hash. | No BIOS files are required because Jaguar boot ROMs and CD BIOS images are embedded, although optional external CD BIOS overrides are supported. |
| Emulation | It supports the commercial Atari Lynx catalog and most homebrew games and demos, with selectable Lynx I or Lynx II emulation. | The core emulates the Jaguar’s 68000, GPU, DSP, Object Processor, and Jaguar CD hardware. |
| License | The repository states that Gearlynx is licensed under GNU GPL version 3.0. | The project is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0. |
| Security | For HTTP mode, authentication is optional on loopback binds and required for wildcard or other non-loopback binds; the server also checks Host and browser Origin against the connection address. | The project requests private GitHub vulnerability reports, publishes build provenance, and supplies SHA-256 checksums for release artifacts. |
| Support | The project asks users to report bugs or request features by opening a GitHub issue. | Project support is handled through GitHub Discussions for questions and Issues for confirmed bugs and compatibility reports. |
Plans
Virtual Jaguar
- FreeFree
- Virtual Jaguar Android appFree
- Virtual Jaguar libretro coreFree
In their own words
Gearlynx
Gearlynx is a free, open-source Atari Lynx emulator and debugger written in C++. It supports the commercial Lynx catalog and most homebrew and demo software, with Lynx I or Lynx II emulation selectable. Supported ROM formats include lnx, lyx, o, bin, and zip, including compressed and homebrew files. Gaming tools include save states with previews, rewind, run-ahead to reduce input latency, audio emulation, VGM recording, and EEPROM and NVRAM save files. ComLynx multiplayer connects up to eight emulator instances on one computer. The debugger provides disassembly, CPU and memory breakpoints, debug symbols, memory editing and search, hardware register views, and cartridge and video inspectors. An embedded MCP server supports AI-assisted debugging, with execution controls, memory inspection, breakpoints, screenshots, and rewind over STDIO or HTTP. Standalone builds are listed for Windows, Linux, BSD, and macOS; libretro includes Android and iOS. Gearlynx requires a BIOS. Concurrent HTTP clients control the same emulator instance and may interfere with one another.
Virtual Jaguar
Virtual Jaguar libretro is a free, open-source emulator core for Atari Jaguar cartridges and Jaguar CD media. It is designed to run through a libretro frontend such as RetroArch, not as a standalone emulator. The core emulates the Jaguar’s 68000, GPU, DSP, Object Processor, and Jaguar CD hardware. It accepts cartridge formats including .j64, .jag, .rom, .abs, .cof, .bin, and .prg, plus Jaguar CD CUE, CDI, and CHD images. Console and Jaguar CD BIOS images are embedded, so external BIOS files are not required. Through its frontend, the core supports save states, cheats, rewind, run-ahead, netplay, shaders, controller remapping, and fast-forward. Optional settings include true-color rendering, 2× internal resolution, overclock controls, and adjustable CD read speed. Link-cable emulation supports TCP transport and a multi-peer hub. The project notes that the blitter is not fully cycle-accurate, GPU/DSP pipeline hazards are not modeled, and some titles can run too fast. Listed platforms include Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.