Apple has recently revised section 4.7 of the App Store Review Guidelines, and that change has made it possible for retro game emulators to appear on iPhone and iPad. Under the updated rule, apps are now allowed to run “software that is not embedded in the binary,” with retro console emulators explicitly mentioned.
Not long after the policy shift, several emulator apps began passing App Store review and became downloadable. One early example was iGBA, a consumer-facing emulator designed for mainstream users. It supported both Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Color, and could accurately run Game Boy Color titles.
Even with the new policy, Apple still places several conditions on these apps. Emulators must provide a way to filter objectionable content, comply with privacy requirements, and avoid sharing data or privacy permissions with other software. The act of emulation itself is generally considered legal, but in most cases users are expected to own the original ROM files for the games they want to play in order to use them lawfully.
How to install one
App version
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/hk/app/igba-gba-gbc-retro-emulator/id6482993626
Update 2024/4/15
The Game Boy emulator iGBA has been removed from the App Store.
The reported reason was infringement involving work by original GBA emulator developer Riley Testut. iGBA, which had been listed on the iOS App Store, was accused of being a knockoff, and its developer, Mattia La Spina, was also criticized for adding advertising and privacy tracking.
Web version
https://gba.44670.org
Game sites shared in the original post
- coolrom.com.au
- visualboyadvance.org
- www.oldmantvg.net