NanoBoyAdvance
NanoBoyAdvance is a free, open-source Game Boy Advance emulator for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
What NanoBoyAdvance is
NanoBoyAdvance is a free, open-source Game Boy Advance emulator for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It emulates most system components cycle by cycle, including the CPU, DMA, timers, PPU, and Game Pak prefetch. The project reports passing all AGS aging cartridge tests and most tests in the mGBA test suite. For display and sound, it offers color correction, xBRZ upscaling, LCD ghosting simulation, and an audio mixer for games using Nintendo’s MusicPlayer2000 sound engine. It supports 10 save slots, controller button and axis remapping, ROM loading from ZIP, 7z, and tar archives, plus RTC and Solar Sensor emulation. Debug views cover PPU palettes, tiles, backgrounds, and sprites. On the first ROM load, it asks you to assign a Game Boy Advance BIOS file. The project is licensed under GPL 3.0 or later; its GitHub repository was archived on June 21, 2026, and development is stated to continue on Codeberg.
Good
- Free, open-source software for three desktop platforms
- Cycle-accurate emulation covers most components
- Ten save-state slots
- Supports RTC and Solar Sensor emulation
Watch out
- Requires a GBA BIOS file on first ROM load
- GitHub repository was archived on June 21, 2026
Who it suits
It suits desktop players who want a free GBA emulator with cycle-accurate components, display options, and debugging views. First use requires assigning a Game Boy Advance BIOS file.
Verdict
NanoBoyAdvance combines detailed emulation with graphics options, save states, and debugging tools at no cost. Keep the first-load BIOS requirement and the archived GitHub repository in mind.
Plans and prices
From NanoBoyAdvance's own pricing page, checked 7 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| NanoBoyAdvance | Free | GPL 3.0 or later |
The facts
Each one read from NanoBoyAdvance's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Accuracy
- It emulates most components cycle-accurately, including the CPU, DMA, timers, PPU and Game Pak prefetch.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Additional emulation
- It supports RTC and Solar Sensor emulation, including for Boktai - The Sun is in Your Hand.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Audio
- It includes a high-quality audio mixer for games using Nintendo’s MusicPlayer2000 sound engine.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Compatibility
- The project says it passes all AGS aging cartridge tests and most tests in the mGBA test suite.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Controls
- Game controller buttons and axes can be remapped.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Debugging
- Debug tools include PPU palette, tile, background and sprite viewers.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Dependencies
- Building requires a C++20-capable Clang or GCC, CMake 3.24 or newer, SDL 3.0.0 or newer, and Qt 6.0 or newer.checked 7 Oct 2026
- License and project status
- The project is licensed under GPL 3.0 or later, and its GitHub repository was archived on June 21, 2026; development is stated to continue on Codeberg.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- NanoBoyAdvance is a cycle-accurate Game Boy Advance emulator.checked 7 Oct 2026
- ROM loading
- It can load ROMs from archives, including ZIP, 7z and tar files.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Save states
- The emulator supports save states with 10 save slots.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Video
- Post-processing options include color correction, xBRZ upscaling and LCD ghosting simulation.checked 7 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- BIOS requirement
- The first time a ROM is loaded, the user is prompted to assign a Game Boy Advance BIOS file.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Build platforms
- The README lists build instructions for Windows, macOS, Arch Linux, Debian, Ubuntu and FreeBSD; it says FreeBSD is untested on CI.checked 7 Oct 2026
Alternatives to NanoBoyAdvance
- 1
Provenance
Free planOpen sourceiOSmacOS8.2From $39.99 a year - 2
SkyEmu
Free planOpen sourceAndroidiOSWebLinux8.0Free plan - 3
RetroArch
Free planAndroidiOSWebLinux7.7Free plan - 4
ares
Free planOpen sourceLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows7.5Free plan - 5
OpenEmu
Free planOpen sourcemacOS7.3Free plan - 6
RustBoyAdvance-NG
Free planAndroidWebLinuxmacOS7.1Free plan