Lakka vs OpenEmu
Lakka
lakka.tv
OpenEmu
openemu.orgSide by side
| Figure | Lakka | OpenEmu |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Sega Genesis Emulators | 8.5 (#4) | 7.9 (#12) |
| Controller support | Common USB joypads are preconfigured and work automatically when plugged in, according to the hardware support documentation. | Generic HID USB and Bluetooth controllers are supported, with automatic mapping for recognized devices. |
| Purpose | Lakka is a lightweight Linux distribution that transforms a small computer into a retrogaming console. | OpenEmu is open-source video game emulation software for Mac. |
| Support | Users can get help through the documentation, FAQ, forums, IRC, Discord, and the GitHub bug tracker. | The project directs users to read its contributing guide before reporting bugs through GitHub Issues or IRC. |
| What it does | Lakka is a lightweight Linux distribution that transforms a small computer into a game console. | OpenEmu is an open-source macOS application that emulates many classic video-game systems through a single native front end. |
Plans
In their own words
Lakka
Lakka is a lightweight Linux distribution that turns a small computer into a retrogaming console. It is built on LibreELEC and RetroArch, with RetroArch serving as its graphical interface and providing unified emulator configuration and joypad autoconfiguration. Listed features include automatic controller recognition, rewinding, netplay, and shaders. Official builds target Raspberry Pi, Allwinner, iMX6, Amlogic, and 32-bit and 64-bit PC systems. Installation uses USB images specific to the target hardware, and installation instructions cover GNU/Linux, Windows, and MacOS. The PC version is intended for dedicated hardware and does not support virtualization, dual boot, or CD and DVD installation. Users must supply their own ROMs; documentation also covers BIOS files. Netplay requires both players to use the same ROM, and cores without savestate support cannot use it. Lakka is community-driven and open source, and the listed price is free; required hardware is not included. The project says it remains under heavy development, so bugs, missing features, or unsupported hardware may occur.
OpenEmu
OpenEmu is free, open-source video game emulation software for macOS. It organizes game backups into a unified library, adds box art and supports collections spanning consoles. Users drag and drop backups for scanning and organization. Modular cores from open-source projects emulate systems including Atari, Game Boy, Nintendo, Sega, Sony PlayStation and Super Nintendo; the project lists 31 supported systems. Generic HID-compliant USB or Bluetooth controllers can work immediately, with automatic mapping for recognized devices. OpenEmu is intended for games users already own, and BIOS files are required. The wiki describes an experimental arcade core plugin that is strictly unsupported. The latest release page identifies OpenEmu 2.4.1 binaries as Intel-only. The official site offers a macOS (OS X) application, but the version requirement was not rendered. The project lists save states, CD audio and cheat support, while online netplay is not available.