Retra
Retra is a free Android Game Boy Advance emulator, patch workspace, save vault, and personal game archive.
What Retra is
Retra is a free Android Game Boy Advance emulator, patch workspace, save vault, and personal game archive. It uses a native mGBA libretro core and organizes games in grid or list views, with search and filters for favorites, patches, homebrew, and unplayed titles. It can import .gba, .zip, .ups, .ips, and .bps files, apply UPS, IPS, and BPS patches to compatible user-provided base files, and rejects Nintendo DS .nds files. Save features include local saves, automatic backups, a timeline, save health information, screenshots, and rewind. Controls include touch, keyboard, and gamepad, with analog and dead-zone calibration and Controller Studio. The product overview says ROMs, battery saves, save states, screenshots, and settings stay on the device; Google account linking is optional for identity personalization. A fresh install imports Retra Drift, an original 64 KiB GBA homebrew mini-game. Commercial ROMs are not included, and users must provide compatible backups they are entitled to use. The listed Android APK releases are personal or open-source sideload test builds, not Play Store releases.
Good
- Uses a native mGBA libretro core.
- Supports .gba, .zip, .ups, .ips, and .bps imports.
- Includes automatic backups and a Save Timeline.
- Supports touch, keyboard, and gamepad controls.
- Game data and settings stay on the device.
Watch out
- Commercial ROMs are not included.
- Nintendo DS .nds files are rejected.
- Cloud synchronization is not release-ready.
- Listed APKs are sideload test builds, not Play Store releases.
Who it suits
Retra suits Android users looking for a GBA emulator with patching, save-management, and library tools. It is intended for users who can provide their own compatible game backups.
Verdict
Retra combines GBA emulation with patching and local save-management tools. Its listed builds are sideload test releases, and users need to supply compatible games themselves.
The facts
Each one read from Retra's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Account linking
- The product overview describes a private local profile with optional Google account linking for identity personalization.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Build status
- The maker's known-issues page says an Android SDK/NDK was unavailable in its environment, leaving Gradle and Compose APK compilation unverified there.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Built-in game
- A fresh install imports Retra Drift, an original 64 KiB GBA homebrew mini-game.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Cloud sync
- The project says cloud synchronization and cross-device conflict resolution are not release-ready, and recommends local backup/export.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Commercial ROMs
- Retra says it does not include commercial ROMs and that users must provide compatible commercial game backups themselves.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Controls
- Retra supports touch, keyboard or gamepad input, per-game launch profiles, and analog/dead-zone calibration.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Developer
- The repository identifies Prashant Chataut as Retra's developer.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Distribution
- The listed Android APK releases are described as personal or open-source sideload test builds, not Play Store releases.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Emulation
- Retra uses a native mGBA libretro core for Game Boy Advance emulation.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Format limit
- Retra targets Game Boy Advance and intentionally rejects Nintendo DS .nds files.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Game library
- The library supports grid and list views, search, and filters for continue, favorites, patches, homebrew, and unplayed games.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Game requirement
- Commercial games are not included and users must provide compatible game backups they are entitled to use.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Homebrew
- The app includes Retra Drift, an original 64 KiB GBA homebrew mini-game, and a creator-first Homebrew Hub.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Imports and patches
- Retra lists support for importing .gba, .zip, .ups, .ips, and .bps files, and rejects Nintendo DS .nds files.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Library
- Its library supports artwork-oriented grid and list views, search, and filters for favorites, patches, homebrew, and unplayed games.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Local privacy
- The product overview says ROMs, battery saves, save states, screenshots, and settings stay on the device.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Patch support
- It supports UPS, IPS, and BPS patches applied to user-provided compatible base files.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The product overview says ROMs, battery saves, save states, screenshots, and settings stay local on the device.checked 2 Oct 2026
- Product
- Retra is a privacy-first Android Game Boy Advance emulator, patch workspace, save vault, and personal game archive.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Save tools
- Features include local saves, automatic backups, Save Timeline, Save Health, screenshots, and rewind.checked 3 Oct 2026
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