Game Boy Advance是任天堂最成功的掌上游戏机之一。凭借比著名的SNES(SNES)和Pokemon FireRed等热门游戏更先进的图形，GBA成为发布后销售最快的游戏机(gaming console)。
但就像所有控制台设备一样，它最终被更新的选项所取代，让你的旧游戏卡带在阁楼上积满灰尘。即使您将ROM文件复制到计算机的内存中，它也无法玩游戏，因为 GBA 的硬件以完全不同的方式工作。
你需要一个模拟器。GBA 模拟器(GBA emulator)是一个可以在您的 PC 上创建虚拟Game Boy Advance 设备(Game Boy Advance device)的应用程序，允许您使用键盘作为操纵杆来玩GBA 游戏。(GBA)Pokemon等游戏还有其他选择，但官方游戏只能使用这种方法。这是PC的最佳GBA 模拟器列表，可帮助您入门。(GBA emulator)
1. mGBA – 最佳整体
不久前，最佳GBA 模拟器(GBA emulator)的称号是Visual Boy Advance或 No$ GBA。毕竟，这些模拟器已经存在了很长时间，并且可以运行大多数游戏。
但他们的年龄也带来了问题。随着时间的推移，这些项目的开发要么停滞不前，要么大幅放缓。虽然在它们上运行的任何游戏都可能有效，但您可能会遇到轻微的保真度问题甚至图形故障。更不用说没有针对现代处理器进行优化。
这就是mGBA 大放异彩(mGBA)的地方。作为GBA 仿真(GBA emulation)的新人，它因其令人难以置信的性能和对手持控制台的精美再现而迅速流行起来。它也很容易使用，并且正在积极开发中，每隔几个月就会添加新功能。
2. No$GBA – 最佳易用性
No$GBA就像模拟器一样简单。无需过多地修改设置，也无需启用任何花哨的选项。只需(Just fire)启动应用程序并开始游戏。
No$ GBA的一大特色是它的多人游戏功能。您甚至可以在 PC 上运行同一游戏的多个实例，分配不同的控件以与朋友一起玩（或与自己交易Pokemon ）。虽然其他领先的模拟器也复制了此功能，但 No$ GBA的实现仍然是最容易使用的一种。
此外，它还是少数能够运行任天堂 DS(Nintendo DS)游戏的GBA模拟器之一。(GBA)是的，您可以在用于玩GBA ROM的同一模拟器上玩(GBA ROMs)NDS游戏，而无需更改控制方案(control scheme)或寻找新的模拟器。
3. Visual Boy Advance – 最佳(Boy Advance – Best)功能
Visual Boy Advance是最著名和最古老的GBA 模拟器(GBA emulator)之一。许多人(Many)会推荐它作为市场上最好的GBA 模拟器(GBA emulator)，这是有充分理由的：它的功能列表是首屈一指的。
其较长的开发生命周期(development life cycle)允许模拟器添加其他替代品中没有的高级功能——操纵杆支持、GameShark 作弊码(GameShark cheat)等。还提供了令人难以置信的定制水平。从 DirectSound(From DirectSound)到各种图形过滤器，有大量可用的高级设置。
唯一的问题是Visual Boy Advance的开发在 2004 年停止。这意味着不再有最新的官方版本。源代码(source code)的许多分支已经出现，其中最突出的是Visual Boy Advance-M，但众所周知，它在某些系统上会遇到问题。
4. 抵制推进 – 最佳 MacOS
Mac用户在玩游戏时总是吃亏。PC 游戏不会为系统启动，但即使是大多数模拟器也不支持 macOS。
幸运的是，GBA 仿真(GBA emulation)有足够多的选项，您也可以为Mac找到一个。Boycott Advance是一款流线型的GBA游戏模拟器，在 macOS 上运行良好，让您可以在Macbook上玩自己喜欢的游戏。
尽管模拟器对这个场景有些陌生，但它的功能列表非常全面。操纵杆支持(Joystick support)、音频效果、针对现代处理器的优化——您会发现GBA 模拟器(GBA emulator)提供的一切。
5. BizHawk – 最佳 TAS
工具辅助Speedruns ( TAS ) 是在PC 上玩旧GBA游戏的最常见原因之一。毕竟，这些游戏通常是为孩子设计的，而且太容易玩了。Speedrunning 为这些复古游戏增添了挑战元素，工具辅助的 speedruns 是一项有趣的解谜练习。
Bizhawk是速度跑者(Bizhawk)的首选模拟器。这是因为，除了简单地模拟游戏之外，它还提供了一些有用的功能，例如倒带和输入记录。借助Bizhawk，速跑者可以使用预先录制的输入创建工具辅助速度跑，从而在游戏中大放异彩。您甚至可以编写通过代码玩游戏的Lua 或 C(Lua or C) # 脚本。
有趣的是，Bizhawk(Bizhawk isn)不仅仅是GBA 模拟器(GBA emulator)。它使用其他仿真项目的“核心”来模拟许多复古游戏系统。例如，Bizhawk使用 m GBA作为模拟GBA游戏的核心，这使其具有相似级别的准确性和可靠性(accuracy and reliability)。
6. RetroArch – 最佳多平台
如果您是复古游戏爱好者，那么您很可能不会只满足于 GBA(GBA)游戏。还有许多其他带有标志性游戏的游戏机定义了这个时代。可以使用模拟器在您的 PC 上播放所有这些。
通常，这将涉及为各种控制台安装一堆不同的模拟器并学习它们各自的界面。但是使用像Retroarch这样的通用前端，您可以使这种方式更容易。
Retroarch使用从其他模拟器采用的内核来运行游戏，将其全部打包在一个易于导航的流线型界面中。Retroarch不断更新并包含各种功能，是在您的 PC 上模拟多个复古控制台的最佳方式。
最好的部分是什么？它不仅可以在 Windows 上运行，还可以在Mac甚至Linux上运行。
7. Higan – 最佳精度
(Handheld)Game Boy Advance等(Game Boy Advance)手持游戏机的硬件与 PC 完全不同。这正是为什么您不能只是将游戏复制到您的计算机并玩它们的原因。
模拟器通过创建控制台的虚拟版本来工作，然后可以正常运行ROM文件。然而，这个仿真过程并不(emulation process isn)完全准确。
虽然大多数模拟器可以很好地运行游戏，但它们不会为您提供真实的体验。例如，颜色会显得有些不同，声音会有些奇怪，诸如此类。
这就是Higan的用武之地。它是一个多系统模拟器，旨在准确再现原始体验，而不仅仅是让它可玩。无论是GBA 还是 SNES(GBA or SNES)，您都不会得到比Higan更正确的仿真。
另一方面，它使用起来可能很复杂，因此不建议初学者使用模拟场景(emulation scene)。
你应该玩哪个GBA模拟器？(GBA Emulator Should)
此列表中的所有模拟器都可以流畅地运行大多数GBA游戏。它们仅在功能集和用户界面上有所不同。
如果您想要一个流畅、准确地播放的简洁模拟器，mGBA 就是您的应用程序。对于那些寻找多年来开发的一系列高级功能的人，请尝试使用Visual Boy Advance。
然后是多系统模拟器。No$ GBA、RetroArch、Higan和BizHawk都能够模拟多个控制台，包括GBA。使用哪一个(Which one)取决于您对模拟器的熟悉程度和您喜欢的用户界面。
你还在等什么？去拿一个ROM，选择一个模拟器，然后开始在你的电脑上玩那些童年的最爱。
7 Best GBA Emulators for PC Retro Gaming
The Game Boy Advance was one of Nintendo’s moѕt successful handheld consoles. With grаphics more advanced than the celebrated SNES аnd marquee titles like Pоkеmon FіrеRed, the GBA became the fastest-selling gaming console upon release.
But like all console devices, it was ultimately supplanted by newer options, leaving your old game cartridges gathering dust in the attic. Even if you copy the ROM files to your computer’s memory, it cannot play the games, as the GBA’s hardware works in a completely different manner.
You need an emulator. A GBA emulator is an application that can create a virtual Game Boy Advance device on your PC, allowing you to play GBA games using your keyboard as a joystick. There are other options for games like Pokemon, but the official games only work using this method. Here’s a list of the best GBA emulators for PCs to get you started.
1. mGBA – Best Overall
Not that long ago, the title of best GBA emulator would go to Visual Boy Advance or perhaps No$GBA. After all, those emulators have been around for a long time and can run most games out there.
But their very age also poses a problem. Over time, development on those projects has either stalled or slowed down considerably. While any game run on them will probably work, you might get minor fidelity issues or even graphical glitches. To say nothing about not being optimized for modern processors.
That’s where mGBA shines. A relative newcomer to GBA emulation, it has quickly become popular due to its incredible performance and beautiful reproduction of the handheld console. It’s also easy to use and is in active development, with new features being added every few months.
2. No$GBA – Best Easy-to-use
No$GBA is as simple as emulators come. There is no need for tinkering with the settings too much, and there are no fancy options you have to enable. Just fire up the app and start gaming.
A great feature of No$GBA is its multiplayer functionality. You can even run multiple instances of the same game on your PC, assigning different controls to play it alongside a friend (or trade Pokemon with yourself). While other leading emulators have also replicated this feature, No$GBA’s implementation remains one of the easiest to use.
In addition, it’s one of the few GBA emulators capable of running even Nintendo DS games. Yes, you can play NDS games on the same emulator you use to play your GBA ROMs without changing your control scheme or finding a new emulator.
3. Visual Boy Advance – Best Features
Visual Boy Advance is one of the most well-known and oldest GBA emulators. Many will recommend it as the best GBA emulator on the market, and for a good reason: its list of features is second to none.
Its long development life cycle has allowed the emulator to add advanced features not found in other alternatives – joystick support, GameShark cheat codes, etc. There’s also an incredible level of customization offered. From DirectSound to various graphical filters, there are a surprisingly large number of advanced settings available.
The only problem is that development on Visual Boy Advance halted in 2004. This means there’s no up-to-date official version anymore. Many forks of the source code have emerged, with the most prominent being Visual Boy Advance-M, but it is known to run into issues on some systems.
4. Boycott Advance – Best MacOS
Mac users always get the short end of the stick when it comes to gaming. PC games do not launch for the system, but even most emulators do not support the macOS.
Fortunately, GBA emulation has enough options that you can find one for Mac as well. Boycott Advance is a streamlined emulator for GBA games that works well on the macOS, allowing you to play your favorite titles on your Macbook.
Even though the emulator is somewhat new to the scene, its list of features is quite comprehensive. Joystick support, audio effects, optimization for modern processors – you’ll find everything you expect from a GBA emulator.
5. BizHawk – Best TAS
Tool-Assisted Speedruns (TAS) are among the most common reasons for playing old GBA games on a PC. After all, these games are often designed for kids and are too easy to play. Speedrunning adds an element of challenge to these retro titles, and tool-assisted speedruns are a fun puzzle-solving exercise.
And Bizhawk is the emulator of choice for speedrunners. This is because, in addition to simply emulating the games, it also offers useful features like rewinding and input recording. With Bizhawk, speedrunners can create tool-assisted speed runs that blaze through a game using pre-recorded inputs. You can even write Lua or C# scripts that play a game through code.
Interestingly enough, Bizhawk isn’t just a GBA emulator. It emulates many retro gaming systems, using “cores” of other emulation projects. For example, Bizhawk uses mGBA as the core for emulating GBA games, which gives it a similar level of accuracy and reliability.
6. RetroArch – Best Multi-Platform
If you’re a retro gaming enthusiast, chances are that you will not be content with GBA titles alone. There are plenty of other consoles with iconic games that defined the era. It is possible to play all of them on your PC with emulators.
Usually, this would involve installing a bunch of different emulators for the various consoles and learning their respective interfaces. But with a universal frontend like Retroarch, you can make this way easier.
Retroarch uses cores adopted from other emulators to run the games, packing it all up in a streamlined interface that is a breeze to navigate. Constantly updated and packed with features, Retroarch is the best way to emulate multiple retro consoles on your PC.
And the best part? It not only runs on Windows but also on Mac and even Linux.
7. Higan – Best Accuracy
Handheld consoles like the Game Boy Advance have completely different hardware than a PC. This is precisely why you can’t just copy the games to your computer and play them.
Emulators work by creating a virtual version of the console, which can then run the ROM files normally. However, this emulation process isn’t wholly accurate.
While most emulators will run the games just fine, they won’t give you the authentic experience. For example, the colors will appear a bit different, the sounds are a bit odd, and that sort of thing.
That is where Higan comes in. It is a multi-system emulator developed to accurately recreate the original experience instead of just making it playable. Be it GBA or SNES, you won’t get a more correct emulation than with Higan.
On the flip side, it can be complicated to use, so it isn’t recommended for beginners to the emulation scene.
Which GBA Emulator Should You Play On?
All of the emulators on this list can run most GBA games smoothly. They differ only in their feature set and user interfaces.
If you want a no-frills emulator that plays smoothly and accurately, mGBA is your app. For those looking for a bevy of advanced features developed over the years, try Visual Boy Advance Instead.
Then there are the multi-system emulators. No$GBA, RetroArch, Higan, and BizHawk are all capable of emulating multiple consoles, including GBA. Which one to go with depends on your familiarity with emulators and the user interface you prefer.
So what are you waiting for? Go grab a ROM, choose an emulator, and start playing those childhood favorites on your PC.
