Game Boy Emulator for iPhone Now Available in App Store Following Rule Change [Removed]

[MacRumors]

A week after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to permit retro game console emulators, a Game Boy emulator for the iPhone called iGBA has appeared in the App Store worldwide. The emulator is already one of the top free apps on the App Store charts.

It was not entirely clear if Apple would allow emulators to work with all and any games, but iGBA is able to load any Game Boy ROMs that users download from the web and open via the Files app on the iPhone. Accordingly, it seems like there are no game restrictions for emulators, unless Apple mistakenly approved iGBA on the App Store.

iGBA works with Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games. It is important to note that it can be illegal to possess certain ROMs from game developers, but homebrew Game Boy games are typically in the clear.

iGBA appears to be a copy of Riley Testut's open-source GBA4iOS emulator, but with ads that can track users. GBA4iOS is the predecessor to Testut's current Nintendo game emulator Delta, which can be installed on the iPhone outside of the App Store, and will soon be available through his alternative app marketplace AltStore on iPhones in the EU. It is not clear if Testut plans to make Delta available in the App Store following the rule change.

Update: As noted by Parker Ortolani, the iGBA emulator has been removed from the App Store. Apple told us it removed the app for violating the company's app review guidelines related to spam and copyright, after learning that it was a knockoff app that copied another developer's submission (likely referring to GBA4iOS).

Article Link: Game Boy Emulator for iPhone Now Available in App Store Following Rule Change [Removed]

 

[ThunderSkunk]

NES now do it
SMB3 FAN LEVELS SOON

 

[Macalway]

quote

"Unless Apple mistakenly approved iGBA on the App Store"

Any old ROM? We shall see. But they MUST have figured this. Beats me for sure.

They approve this, they need to approve some 'totally' legal emulators also. I can think of a few.

 

[SoldOnApple]

Tim Cook finally got my emails.

 

[Populus]

From what I’ve read, this has embedded ads. I would prefer paid emulators that aren’t based on ads…

 

[Zapski]

So this is an ad and tracking enabled version of someone else’s work. Hard pass.

 

[Matthew.H]

Cool for people who want to play the GB/GBC/GBA games on the go without the original hardware. Also regarding the ROMS, if you rip ROMS from the games you physically own it's perfectly legal to play them. Of course Nintendo would disagree but they're not the law and frankly should be sued for some of the stuff they've done to the retro gaming community.

 

[MarioPhone96]

The fact this app is based off GBA4iOS and is full of ads and tracking makes it not worth getting. Just wait for Delta, it’s way better.

 

[CarletonTorpin]

So this is an ad and tracking enabled version of someone else’s work. Hard pass.

Well said, Zapski.

I downloaded the app, and then I realized the only way to load roms is via a web browser, which built into the app.

I am NOT putting any user info into a third-party app's web browser.

Here's hoping for a more-legit and official solution, in the future.

 

[NightFox]

...Also regarding the ROMS, if you rip ROMS from the games you physically own it's perfectly legal to play them. Of course Nintendo would disagree but they're not the law and frankly should be sued for some of the stuff they've done to the retro gaming community.

Thanks, random internet legal expert.

 

[Infodataset]

Citra lets goo

 

[Franjelisco]

Wow this is huge. No way to pay to turn off ads tho. I’d pay even 100€ for this idc. Pandora’s box is now open, let’s wait for better alternatives

 

[foobarbaz]

Eww. First thing it does is ask for push notification permission. Then it asks for permission to be tracked by 126 (!) entities. Then it shows an ad with a fake button trying to get me to click it. (You know the kind you find on shady download sites).

No, thank you.

I’ll wait for a premium or community app, not shovelware from a developer with 70 different apps.

 

[vertsix]

If you would've told me 10 years ago that this day would come, I would've laughed at you. But it's here, and I am so happy!!

However, **** this guy for putting ads on open source work!! Wait for Delta by Riley, but he needs to release it NOW.

 

[Chaos215bar2]

So this is an ad and tracking enabled version of someone else’s work. Hard pass.

Par for the App Store these days.

 

[erikkfi]

I’ll wait for a responsible developer to build a feature complete emulator with RetroAchievements integration. I’d pay decent money for that!

 

[rumorphobe]

If you would've told me 10 years ago that this day would come, I would've laughed at you. But it's here, and I am so happy!!

However, **** this guy for putting ads on open source work!! Wait for Delta by Riley, but he needs to release it NOW.

Riley was trying to play Apple and make his store the cool new thing. Hope he has the foresight to change course and release on the App Store now.

 

[pappl]

Gameboy ROMs on iCloud Drive may lead to copyright problems. Hope Apple will not lock AppleIDs of users because of this.
There are reports of users losing their complete access to their AppleID because of a lock, may this be a reason?

 

[IcerPro]

Well said, Zapski.

I downloaded the app, and then I realized the only way to load roms is via a web browser, which built into the app.

I am NOT putting any user info into a third-party app's web browser.

Here's hoping for a more-legit and official solution, in the future.

You can open files in iGBA though the Files app.

 

[hacky]

Well said, Zapski.

I downloaded the app, and then I realized the only way to load roms is via a web browser, which built into the app.

I am NOT putting any user info into a third-party app's web browser.

Here's hoping for a more-legit and official solution, in the future.

That's fortunately not true. You can import or download your rom from any place you want. Just open it in the iOS Files app and it fires right up in this emulator.

The embedded browser is not needed at all. Also it just opens the website you set in the settings of the app and it's just embedded Safari. So no worries there.

 

[VulchR]

One small step for Game Boy fans, one giant leap for consumers. [/sarcasm]

 

[JapanApple]

No, Thank you. Other means to play games than this way.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I hope Delta is also coming to the Apple App Store

Nobody outside the EU can install Rileys alternative App Store unfortunately

 

[Apple$]

Can't wait for the NES emulators so I can play Wrecking Crew!

 

[sw1tcher]

Tim Cook finally got my emails.

Which agency do you work for, the DoJ or FTC? 😜