What we do

The site is built on top of the open-source EmulatorJS project and the RetroArch/libretro emulation cores compiled to WebAssembly. Everything runs locally inside your browser: when you open a ROM file from your own device, the file is read by your browser and is never uploaded to our servers.

On top of the emulator, we maintain a small, curated library of homebrew games — new games created by independent developers for classic hardware such as the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and NES. These games can be launched with one click so that visitors can discover the modern homebrew scene.

How we choose games

We only list games that their authors distribute for free or under a "name your price" model, or that are released under an open-source license. We never host commercial ROMs from Nintendo or any other publisher.

• Every game page credits the original author and links to the official source page (for example the author’s itch.io page).
• We encourage players to support the developers by visiting, rating or donating on the original page.
• If you are the author of a listed game and would like it changed or removed, contact us and we will act promptly.

Who this site is for

• Players who want to revisit games they legally own without installing an emulator.
• Retro gaming fans who want to discover new homebrew titles for classic consoles.
• Homebrew developers who want an easy way to let people try their games in a browser.

Our position on copyright

Emulators are legal software in most countries. However, downloading or sharing copyrighted games that you do not own may be illegal where you live. We ask all users to only load games they have the right to use. See our Copyright & DMCA page for how to report infringing content.

How the site is funded

GBA Emulator is free to use. To cover hosting and bandwidth costs, the site may display advertisements provided by Google AdSense. Advertising never affects which games we list. Details about cookies and data are available in our Privacy Policy.

Get in touch

Questions, bug reports, game suggestions and partnership requests are all welcome. Please visit the Contact page or email us directly.