NostalgiaDB vs The Visual Novel Database

NostalgiaDB is a free metadata database for retro game releases spanning 1977–2005. Its archive covers titles, platforms, release dates, ratings, cover art, and descriptions across 45 gaming platforms. Natural-language search helps locate games, while a GraphQL API provides access to releases, ROMs, systems, reviews, and media; API queries require a key and are limited to six levels of depth. Free SQLite database archives can be downloaded with a free registered account, and their presigned URLs remain valid for 15 minutes. Registered members can use the browser-based Play portal to run their own locally stored ROM files in a client-side emulator sandbox. Play requires a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome, Edge, Brave, or Opera. The portal says game files are read from the user’s device and are not uploaded or transmitted to Nostalgia Lab servers. Centralized sign-in supports Google, Microsoft, and Discord. Nostalgia Lab describes the platform as a non-profit preservation project funded by voluntary donations and serving researchers, historians, developers, and enthusiasts. It says it does not sell user data, serve targeted ads, or store payment information.

The Visual Novel Database (VNDB) is a free resource for information about visual novels and eroge, available on the web and through an API. Its wiki lets people add and contribute information, including general details and practical coverage of releases, localisations and producers. Registered users can vote on visual novels and maintain lists of games they want to play or have finished. VNDB also aims to introduce visual novels to a broader audience across geographic and cultural differences. The Kana HTTPS API can query the database and manage user lists. Non-commercial API access costs nothing and is subject to limits: 200 requests per 5 minutes, one second of execution time per minute, and automatic abortion of requests exceeding three seconds. API availability is best-effort, with no guarantees about stability or applicability. It does not provide some site functions, including forums, database editing and account creation. Users can obtain API tokens from the Applications tab in My Profile, and a sandbox endpoint at beta.vndb.org/api/kana is available for testing and development. VNDB's first version went live in September 2007.