Jnes vs Nestalgia
Jnes
jabosoft.comNestalgia
tiagohm.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | Jnes | Nestalgia |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · NES Emulators | 7.7 (#10) | 7.9 (#8) |
| Downloads | The downloads page lists Windows releases, including version 1.2.1 dated January 15, 2017, and x64 binaries. | The download section links Windows, Linux and Mac versions. |
Plans
In their own words
Jnes
Jnes is a free Windows emulator for the original 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. Its interface is translated into 20 languages, and it can instantly save game progress. Jnes records gameplay movies for sharing with other Jnes users and converts those recordings to AVI files with video and audio. Compatibility centers on North American and European games, with many popular Japanese games also supported. Cheat support includes Game Genie and Pro Action Replay codes, multiple codes in one entry, and a Cheat Search tool for examining game memory values and creating custom codes. The ROM browser can show game artwork when artwork is available, but artwork is not included with the software. Downloads include Windows version 1.2.1, dated January 15, 2017, and x64 binaries. Netplay and save states are supported. The Android app was removed from Google Play in late 2024, and Android is no longer supported. Freeware terms allow downloading and use but prohibit sale or commercial distribution.
Nestalgia
Nestalgia is a work-in-progress emulator for NES and Famicom systems, built in Kotlin for Linux, macOS and Windows. It also emulates Famicom Disk System, Dendy, Vs. System, NSF and NSFe, and lists support for 305 mappers. The emulator includes save states, battery saves, overclocking and cheat codes, along with fullscreen display and screenshots. Audio, video, controller and emulation settings are configurable. More than 20 controllers are supported, including the NES Controller, Zapper, Power Pad and Four Score. The project lists passing CPU, video, audio, mapper and input accuracy tests. Windows, Linux and Mac downloads require Java 21 or newer. The project is free and open source under GPL-3.0, with no plan limits stated. Android is listed with an uncertain “Coming soon...or not :(” status. Developers can add its core library through JitPack using Gradle instructions. Nestalgia implements the emulator but does not include debugging tools.