Visual Boy Advance Emulator

Visual Boy Advance (VBA) is an Open Source GBA emulator used to play Nintendo Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games on a personal computer system. Released in 2004, it quickly gained popularity and became one of the most widely used Game Boy emulators for Windows. To this day, many feel it remains among one of the best portable game boy emulators in existence.

Visual Boy Advance | GBA Emulator

Visual Boy Advance - GBA Emulator
Visual Boy Advance (VBA); an emulator for the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance.

VBA | GBA Emulator Features

  • Game Boy Compatibility: Visual Boy Advance supports a wide range of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance game ROMs, allowing users to play popular titles from these handheld consoles on their computer.
  • GBA Emulation Accuracy: VBA is a GBA emulator that aims to accurately emulate the behavior and performance of the original Game Boy systems. It replicates the hardware and software features, including graphics, sound, and input, providing a faithful recreation of the gaming experience.
  • Save VBA Game States: This gameboy advance emulator allows users to save their progress at any point in the game and load it later using save states. This feature enables quick saving and reloading, making it convenient for players to continue from where they left off without relying on in-game save points.
  • Game Boy Cheat Code Support: It includes support for cheat codes, allowing users to input codes that modify various aspects of the game, such as unlimited lives, infinite health, or unlocking hidden content. This feature can enhance gameplay or help players overcome difficult challenges.
  • Gameplay Speed Controls:  Options are available to control the emulation speed. Users can increase or decrease the speed of gameplay to suit their preferences. This feature is particularly useful for speeding up repetitive or slow sections of a game.
  • Gamepad and Keyboard Input: Includes support for both gamepad controllers and keyboard input, giving users flexibility in choosing their preferred method of control. It allows mapping of buttons and keys to emulate the original console's button layout.
  • Screen Filters: VBA provides several screen filters to enhance the visual experience. Users can choose different filters to smooth the graphics, apply scanlines, or simulate the appearance of a specific display technology, such as a CRT monitor.
  • Customization Options: There are various customization options, allowing users to configure the emulator to their liking. This includes options to adjust audio settings, video scaling, and control mappings, among others.

The VisualBoyAdvance emulator for gaming systems supports the emulation of .GBA, .GBC, and .SGB ROMs. This tool can be stored and run from a USB flash drive, so it can be taken with you and run portably from a USB flash drive using any host Windows computer.

  • Website: Official GBA Emulator Project Page
  • Developer: Originally created by Forgotten, and currently maintained by Sébastien Guignot
  • Release Date: First released in 2004
  • License: Open Source
  • File Size: 1.3 MB extracted
  • Supported Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows
  • Downloading: The VBA GBA emulator is downloadable from here:
    Visual Boy Advance Download

If you find this freeware portable GBA game emulator useful, you might also want to check out MAME for Arcade Game Emulation