nSide Balanced vs RetroArch
nSide Balanced
docs.libretro.comRetroArch
retroarch.comSide by side
| Figure | nSide Balanced | RetroArch |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · SNES Emulators | 6.9 (#24) | 8.5 (#4) |
| Multiplayer | The multitap controller option allows up to five players in compatible games. | Its built-in netplay lobby lets users host or join network gaming sessions and watch through spectator mode. |
| Purpose | nSide Balanced is a fork of higan v106 that reimplements the Balanced profile. | RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players that runs classic games through a graphical interface with unified settings. |
Plans
In their own words
nSide Balanced
nSide Balanced has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
RetroArch
RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players, bringing them under a unified settings system. The RetroArch/Libretro project includes more than 200 cores across those categories. Its menu can group scanned games by system and display thumbnails and animated backgrounds. Common game controllers configure automatically when plugged in, and button actions can also be assigned manually.
Stackable shaders can change rendered graphics or imitate the look of CRT monitors. Built-in netplay supports hosting or joining network gaming sessions, including spectator mode. RetroArch can record gameplay to video files and stream games to Twitch or YouTube. Versions are listed for Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, macOS, and web browsers. RetroArch is free and open source under GPL version 3; the libretro API uses an MIT license. Features differ by platform and store version: the browser edition has lower performance and fewer capabilities than the full version, while Steam lacks Core Updater and thumbnail scraping and offers a selected core set.