They say second parts are never good, but the Game Boy Advance technically qualified as a third (replaces the Game Boy Color), and its success exceeded all expectations. Almost two decades after its launch, the Game Boy Advance is not only very popular among modders and collectors, but its emulation is one of the best on the market. Do you have a compatible smartphone or tablet? Then you should definitely explore this list of three of the best GBA emulators for Android.
The Best Game Boy Advance Emulators on Android
GBA Emulator
Its name may be generic to the core, but user comments place it at the top of the list. Its compatibility with commercial games is solid, it has minimal ads (mainly limited to its settings menu), and it doesn't ask for ridiculous permissions. Furthermore, its specs mention Android 4.0.3 as the minimum version, so maybe you can turn that tablet that has been gathering dust for years into a console…
My Boy! Free
Many lists dedicated to the best GBA emulators for Android often present the paid version of My Boy!, and completely forget that its developer offers a free edition. It is financed by ads and sets specific limits like the speed change (which doesn't exceed 2x) or the lack of support for alternative saves (only the internal saving each game offers works), but it compensates with excellent compatibility and good speed. Extra detail: It doesn't need GBA BIOS..
John GBA Lite
It is supposed that John GBA Lite will move to a “maintenance mode” in favor of the new version John GBAC, but judging by the feedback and the number of installations, you should start by downloading this build. Its last update is from February 2021, it supports zipped ROMs stored on different media (whether SD card or internal memory), it has slow and fast forward modes (essential in games like Pokémon), and it gets along quite well with Bluetooth gamepads.
Obviously, we're just scratching the surface. The Play Store is full of GBA emulators for Android, and you'll need to get your feet wet a bit to find the emulator that best suits your device. Our list is just a starting point based on the most popular and compatible options. Good luck, and don't stop playing!
