Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

VisualBoyAdvance VS LaunchBox

Compare VisualBoyAdvance VS LaunchBox and see what are their differences

VisualBoyAdvance logo VisualBoyAdvance

VisualBoyAdvance (VBA) is a free software (GNU GPL) emulator targeted for the Game Boy, Super Game...

LaunchBox logo LaunchBox

LaunchBox is a portable, box-art-based games database and launcher for DOSBox, emulators, arcade cabinets, and PC Games. Download it free!
  • VisualBoyAdvance Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-30
  • LaunchBox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

VisualBoyAdvance features and specs

  • Wide Game Compatibility
    VisualBoyAdvance supports a vast range of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games, allowing users to play a comprehensive library of classic games.
  • Save States
    The emulator allows the use of save states, enabling users to save their progress at any point in the game and reload from that state at a later time, making gameplay more convenient.
  • Cheat Code Support
    VisualBoyAdvance offers built-in support for GameShark and CodeBreaker cheat codes, enhancing gameplay by unlocking new features or making the game easier.
  • Customizable Controls
    Users can customize keyboard or gamepad controls to their liking, making it adaptable to different hardware preferences.
  • Free and Open Source
    VisualBoyAdvance is free to use and its source code is open, allowing developers to modify and enhance the emulator as needed.

Possible disadvantages of VisualBoyAdvance

  • Potential Emulation Bugs
    As with many emulators, there may be occasional graphics or sound bugs due to incomplete or imperfect emulation of the original hardware.
  • Performance Issues on Older Systems
    While generally efficient, VisualBoyAdvance may encounter performance issues and slowdowns on very old or low-spec computers.
  • Outdated Interface
    The user interface of VisualBoyAdvance can feel outdated and less intuitive compared to modern software standards.
  • Less Active Development
    Compared to newer emulators, VisualBoyAdvance has less frequent updates or development, potentially leading to a lack of new features or compatibility updates.
  • Legal Concerns
    While the emulator itself is legal, running games on it may involve legal issues, especially if the ROMs are obtained without permission from the copyright holder.

LaunchBox features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    LaunchBox offers an intuitive and sleek interface that makes it easy for users to organize and access their game library, even if they are not tech-savvy.
  • Wide Emulator Support
    It supports a wide range of emulators, allowing users to play games from multiple platforms within a single application.
  • Customizability
    LaunchBox provides various options for customizing the look and feel of your game library, including custom themes and artwork.
  • Big Box Mode
    Big Box is a premium feature that offers a full-screen, TV-friendly interface ideal for home theater setups or those using a game console setup.
  • Regular Updates
    The software is regularly updated with new features, improvements, and bug fixes, ensuring that users have a continuously improving experience.
  • Community Support
    LaunchBox has a strong community of users who contribute to forums, share custom themes, and create guides, making it easier for newcomers to get started.

Possible disadvantages of LaunchBox

  • Cost
    While LaunchBox offers a free version, many advanced features such as Big Box mode require a paid license, which might be a drawback for some users.
  • Resource Intensive
    The application can be resource-heavy, particularly when dealing with large game libraries, potentially affecting the performance of older or less powerful systems.
  • Setup Complexity
    Initial setup can be time-consuming and somewhat complicated, particularly for users new to emulation or those with extensive game collections.
  • Dependency on Emulators
    The quality of the gaming experience often depends on the performance and compatibility of third-party emulators, over which LaunchBox has no control.
  • Limited Native Features
    Some features, like automatic game configuration, are not natively built into LaunchBox and require additional plugins or manual setup.

VisualBoyAdvance videos

Visual Boy Advance Full Setup Guide for PC

LaunchBox videos

The Best Emulation Frontend For Windows? - LaunchBox / Big Box

More videos:

  • Review - LaunchBox - Review and Setup Guide!
  • Review - LaunchBox Review and Setup

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VisualBoyAdvance and LaunchBox)
Gaming
29 29%
71% 71
Emulators
28 28%
72% 72
Gaming Tools
29 29%
71% 71
Gaming Software
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using VisualBoyAdvance and LaunchBox. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare VisualBoyAdvance and LaunchBox

VisualBoyAdvance Reviews

We have no reviews of VisualBoyAdvance yet.
Be the first one to post

LaunchBox Reviews

Best Free Game Launcher for Windows PC
The initially DOSBox emulator front end, LaunchBox, has integrated more features to its stacks. It allows you to play previously downloaded games. LaunchBox is pretty flexible, you can set the settings as well as customize it as per your likes.
5 best game launcher software for Windows PC
The software is partnered with EmuMovies so that you can quickly add associated box art, fan art, logos, screenshots and videos to your game database. LaunchBox will also find all associated metadata of title, genre, release, platform, etc.
The Three best Windows game launcher software to organize your game library
This software is compatible with Windows platforms from Vista on, and the publisher hints there might also be future Mac and Linux versions. LaunchBox has a freeware and Premium version with extra customization options and a Big Box Mode. The Premium version of the software is currently retailing at $20. LaunchBox is comparable to Photon Game Manager as it enables users to...
Source: zobuz.com
Top 6 best launcher games to launch and organize PC games
Depending on the launcher, LaunchBox may not find your game. Therefore you need to add it manually. However, if you are looking for a launcher that can handle Pitfall as well as the latest Tom Clancy game, Launchbox is worth considering.
Source: tipsmake.com

What are some alternatives?

When comparing VisualBoyAdvance and LaunchBox, you can also consider the following products

RetroArch - RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.

mGBA - mGBA is an open source emulator of the Game Boy Advance. The goals are speed and accuracy.

Playnite - Source code generated using layoutit.com

ePSXe - ePSXe (enhanced PSX emulator) is an emulator of the PlayStation video game console for x86-based PC...

Batocera.linux - Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer/nano computer into a gaming console during a game or permanently.

DeSmuME - DeSmuME is a freeware emulator for the NDS roms & Nintendo DS Lite games created by YopYop156.