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Sapphire

Free#23 of 29 in Game Boy Advance Emulators

Sapphire: A focused GBA emulator for Mac and web users who value open-source development. Ranked #23 of 29 in Game Boy Advance Emulators by our editors (6.8/10); pricing: Open source; best for mac and web users wanting a focused GBA project.

6.8/10Editor score

Visit Sapphire

Sapphire6.8 Visit Sapphire

At a glance

Editor score
6.8 / 10
Pricing
Open source
Best for
Mac and web users wanting a focused GBA project
Paid from
Free
Platform scope
Desktop and mobile
Facts checked
20 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Emulates core ARM7TDMI CPU, memory, graphics, audio, DMA, and timers
- Supports cartridge saves, real-time clocks, and save states
- Offers macOS desktop and WebAssembly browser frontends
Where it doesn't
- Serial and link-cable support are not implemented
- EEPROM saves are not supported
- Timing remains approximate while the project is in progress

Our verdict on Sapphire

Sapphire is an open-source Game Boy Advance emulator written from scratch in Go. It is aimed at users who want a focused GBA project with desktop and browser access, rather than a broad multi-system emulator. The listed platforms are web, macOS, and iOS, while the documented frontends are a macOS desktop build and a WebAssembly browser build. Its scope centers on running GBA games locally through emulated hardware components.

The project covers a substantial portion of the GBA system model. Its ARM7TDMI emulation includes ARM and THUMB instruction sets, while the memory bus and hardware address map handle the console's memory structure. Graphics support includes display modes, backgrounds, sprites, windows, blending, and brightness effects. Sapphire also implements DMA, timers, interrupts, sound FIFO timing, PSG audio, Direct Sound FIFO channels, Flash and SRAM cartridge saves, and real-time-clock support. Save states are available in the desktop and browser versions, giving the project useful continuity across its supported frontends.

Sapphire's boundaries matter when choosing it. The project remains a work in progress, with serial and link-cable support absent, EEPROM saves unsupported, and timing described as approximate. Link multiplayer is not part of its category specification, so users who need cable-based connectivity, broader save compatibility, or more mature timing behavior should choose another emulator. Sapphire fits users who prioritize an open-source codebase, core GBA hardware coverage, save states, and macOS or browser access over a wider feature set.

Your product? Our editors can test Sapphire in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

Sapphire pricing

Plans Open sourceFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on dylanbutler.dev

Sapphire fact sheet

Free plan	Not verified
Paid from	Free
Platform scope	Desktop and mobile
Save states	Yes
Link multiplayer	No
Cheat support	Not verified
Graphics enhancements	Not verified
Open source	Yes
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, macOS, iOS
Built for	Solo (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Open source
Website	dylanbutler.dev
Facts checked	20 Sep 2026

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Featured on iTechGuides

Sapphire is listed in our Game Boy Advance Emulators directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update