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Head-to-head · Game Boy Emulators

Gearboy vs oxGBC

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Gearboy #2 in Game Boy Emulators 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Gearboy
oxGBC #8 in Game Boy Emulators 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit oxGBC

Gearboy leads on 1 check, oxGBC on 1, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGearboy · 9.3/10
  • Free planboth

Gearboy scores higher on our rubric for game boy emulators: 9.3 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #8.

Gearboy offers link cable emulation; oxGBC doesn't publish it. oxGBC offers real-time clock; Gearboy doesn't publish it.

Gearboy is the better fit for maximum platform coverage and debugging tools. oxGBC is the better fit for cross-platform GB/GBC play with visual customization.

  • Gearboy fits best

    Maximum platform coverage and debugging tools

  • oxGBC fits best

    Cross-platform GB/GBC play with visual customization

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Gearboy 9.3/10 Visit ↗ oxGBC 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 8.7
Ranking #2 in Game Boy Emulators #8 in Game Boy Emulators
Best for Maximum platform coverage and debugging tools Cross-platform GB/GBC play with visual customization
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support Community, Docs Community
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features Gearboy 3/5 · oxGBC 3/5
Save states ✓ ✓
Link cable emulation ✓ (best) Not published
Netplay Not published Not published
Real-time clock Not published ✓ (best)
Controller support ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported systems Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Super Game Boy Game Boy; Game Boy Color
Supported platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, RetroArch/libretro, iOS, Android, Raspberry Pi, tvOS, webOS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo WiiU, Nintendo Switch, Emscripten, OpenDingux, RetroFW, QNX Windows; macOS; Linux; Android; WebAssembly/browser
Our review
Pros
  • Supports Game Boy, Color and Super Game Boy emulation
  • Includes local two-instance link-cable emulation and rewind
  • Adds breakpoints, disassembly, memory inspection and AI-assisted debugging
  • Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and browser play
  • Offers multiple save slots, rewind, SRAM, and RTC emulation
  • Adds remapping, shaders, filters, library scanning, and tile inspection
Cons
  • Link-cable emulation is local two-instance rather than online play
  • Its focus is limited to the Game Boy family of systems
  • Advanced debugging features may exceed casual players’ needs
  • Focuses only on Game Boy and Game Boy Color systems
  • Link-cable emulation is not documented
  • Netplay is not documented
Our verdict

Gearboy is a free, open-source emulator for Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Super Game Boy software. It suits players who want broad platform access, save-state convenience and controller support, as well as technical users interested in…

Read the review →

oxGBC is a Rust-based, open-source emulator for Game Boy and Game Boy Color software. It is aimed at players who want to run these systems across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or a browser, with consistent access to core emulation and…

Read the review →
  1. GearboyGame Boy Emulators 9.3Free plan
  2. oxGBCGame Boy Emulators 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Gearboy — where it wins

    • Supports Game Boy, Color and Super Game Boy emulation
    • Includes local two-instance link-cable emulation and rewind
    • Adds breakpoints, disassembly, memory inspection and AI-assisted debugging

    Where it doesn't

    • Link-cable emulation is local two-instance rather than online play
    • Its focus is limited to the Game Boy family of systems
    • Advanced debugging features may exceed casual players’ needs

  • oxGBC — where it wins

    • Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and browser play
    • Offers multiple save slots, rewind, SRAM, and RTC emulation
    • Adds remapping, shaders, filters, library scanning, and tile inspection

    Where it doesn't

    • Focuses only on Game Boy and Game Boy Color systems
    • Link-cable emulation is not documented
    • Netplay is not documented

More comparisons

All game boy emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Guides on game boy emulators

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update