Atari800 vs BigPEmu

AAtari8009.4Visit BigPEmu8.4Visit

Higher score A Atari800 #1 in Atari Emulators 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Atari800

vs

BigPEmu #8 in Atari Emulators 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit BigPEmu

• Atari800 fits best

  Broad Atari computer and 5200 emulation

• BigPEmu fits best

  Jaguar multiplayer and advanced playback features

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Side by side

Feature	AAtari800 9.4/10 Visit ↗	BigPEmu 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.4
Ranking	#1 in Atari Emulators	#8 in Atari Emulators
Best for	Broad Atari computer and 5200 emulation	Jaguar multiplayer and advanced playback features
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android	Windows, Linux, iOS, macOS
Support	Community, Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Atari800 3/4 · BigPEmu 3/4
Save states	✓	✓
Netplay	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Controller remapping	✓	✓
BIOS required	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Atari systems	Atari 400, 800, 1200XL, 600XL, 800XL, 65XE, 130XE, 800XE, XE Game System, 5200 SuperSystem	Atari Jaguar; Atari Jaguar CD
Supported platforms	Linux, Windows, macOS, Android	Windows; Linux; iOS; macOS
Our review
Pros	Emulates Atari 400/800-family systems and the 5200 Supports disk, cartridge and cassette images Save states, controller remapping and four platform builds	Jaguar CD hardware and disc support Network multiplayer and synchronization for 2–8 players Deterministic movies, rewind, shaders, scripting, and profiles
Cons	Required ROM files must be obtained separately No official netplay feature Broad configuration may require emulator knowledge	Desktop downloads are limited to Windows and Linux The App Store edition is sold separately from the desktop version The project is not open source
Our verdict	Atari800 is a free, open-source emulator for Atari 8-bit computers and the Atari 5200 console. Its supported systems include the Atari 400, 800, 1200XL, 600XL, 800XL, 65XE, 130XE, 800XE, XE Game System and 5200 SuperSystem. Builds are… Read the review →	BigPEmu is an Atari Jaguar emulator for running the Jaguar’s retail cartridge library and Jaguar CD software. It is aimed at players who want more than basic game launching, including saved states, controller remapping, playback tools,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Atari800 — where it wins

  • Emulates Atari 400/800-family systems and the 5200
  • Supports disk, cartridge and cassette images
  • Save states, controller remapping and four platform builds

  Where it doesn't

  • Required ROM files must be obtained separately
  • No official netplay feature
  • Broad configuration may require emulator knowledge

• BigPEmu — where it wins

  • Jaguar CD hardware and disc support
  • Network multiplayer and synchronization for 2–8 players
  • Deterministic movies, rewind, shaders, scripting, and profiles

  Where it doesn't

  • Desktop downloads are limited to Windows and Linux
  • The App Store edition is sold separately from the desktop version
  • The project is not open source

• AAtari8009.4/10 · Free plan

  A broad, free Atari emulator with cycle-exact hardware support and flexible media handling.

  Visit Atari800Full verdict →
• BigPEmu8.4/10 · Free plan

  A feature-rich Jaguar emulator for multiplayer, playback, and advanced customization.

  Visit BigPEmuFull verdict →