My Boy! - GBA Emulator | Game Brain

My Boy! - GBA Emulator is an arcade game that emulates the Game Boy Advance console on mobile devices. It boasts fast gameplay, full-featured emulation, and link cable emulation. However, the game has some drawbacks such as grinding, excessive advertisements, and bugs that may impact the overall gaming experience. The game's description highlights its speed and comprehensive features, making it a popular choice for GBA enthusiasts.

Genres & Tags

Arcade

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,963 reviews

optimization49 positive mentions

stability112 negative mentions

Highly customizable controls and layout, allowing for a personalized gaming experience.
Smooth performance with minimal lag, making it enjoyable to play classic GBA games.
The ability to link games for trading and battling adds a fun multiplayer aspect.

Constantly requests access to Google accounts, which raises privacy concerns and can be annoying.
Recent updates have caused issues with saving and loading games, leading to lost progress.
Some users report crashes and glitches, particularly when using cheats or certain ROMs.

stability
139 mentions
15 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
81 % negative mentions
The stability of the emulator has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent freezes and crashes, particularly when using cheats or specific games like Pokémon Emerald. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay without issues, a significant number have expressed frustration over the app's tendency to freeze, requiring restarts or reinstallation. Overall, the emulator shows potential but suffers from notable stability problems that detract from the user experience.
- “No problems with emulation and it runs great.”
- “Best emulator, runs great, easy to use.”
- “It's bug free, fast, and the developer is constantly putting out updates.”
- “It occasionally freezes, and the only way to unfreeze it is to restart my phone.”
- “The game was great for a day, but now it freezes and gives me a black screen after 5 minutes of launch.”
- “I spent $5 on this emulator because I've heard that it was great, but 5 minutes into playing, the screen freezes, and now every time I open the app, it's just a blank screen.”
optimization
71 mentions
69 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the emulator is highly praised, with users reporting smooth performance across a variety of devices, including older models. Many appreciate the customizable controls and features like fast-forward and cheat codes, although some have experienced issues with specific ROMs and occasional lag. Despite minor complaints, the general consensus is that the emulator runs efficiently and effectively, making it a strong choice for gamers.
- “Fantastic optimization, ran flawlessly on my worst devices.”
- “I have used the paid version of this app for many years to play Pokémon ROMs, I consistently play at a highly boosted speed without any performance or graphical issues.”
- “Runs smoothly at high speeds and I love that I can completely customize the layout, plus cheats work easily.”
- “I get that you can simply cast using Android's built-in screen sharing, but let's be honest, the latency issues and screen stuttering that option tends to elicit makes for a poor gameplay experience.”
- “After this, I experienced stuttering, which is something I shouldn't have on a Note 4 of all phones.”
- “Only this could use some more performance updates.”
monetization
69 mentions
16 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
81 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the app has drawn significant criticism, particularly regarding the presence of ads in the paid version, which many users expected to be ad-free. Despite paying for the full version, users report being bombarded with ads, leading to frustration over the perceived lack of value for their purchase. While some users appreciate the app's functionality and features, the inconsistency in ad presence and the complications with saving files have overshadowed the overall experience.
- “10/10 bought due to no ads and to support the devs.”
- “Best emulator to get for GBA on mobile; all you need is the ROM and that's it, no ads or any purchases.”
- “I never write reviews, but this app deserves it. It works flawlessly on my HTC One and lets me play games on my phone without in-app purchases.”
- “Nice app, but I paid for the full version and suddenly it's playing ads and I cannot use multiple line cheats.”
- “Bought the lifetime without ads, super disappointed now you have to pay to use certain features, and the ads are back.”
- “I just bought this paid version and I'm still getting ads, full screen ones, what's the point?”
graphics
56 mentions
34 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of this emulator are highly praised for their sharpness, vibrancy, and smooth performance, even on low-end devices. Users appreciate the inclusion of video shaders and upscaling options that enhance the visual experience, making it better than the original graphics. However, some users suggest minor improvements, such as adding more aesthetic features and addressing occasional graphical glitches.
- “The video shaders are a cool addition and make the graphics look really nice.”
- “Amazingly accurate emulation, even on my low-end LG Neon Android phone, an impressive amount of options and extras to get the emulation just right, and an aesthetically pleasing interface.”
- “It works as advertised and the upscaling + filters allow for better than original graphics as well.”
- “A little upgrade to the graphics wouldn't hurt.”
- “Pay for it and now the graphics are all messed up.”
- “I do get a graphical glitch after playing; it looks shifty...”
gameplay
42 mentions
33 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay experience is generally praised for its smoothness, user-friendliness, and nostalgic appeal, particularly in emulating classic games. However, users have reported issues such as latency when casting, occasional crashes, and problems with controls on mobile devices, especially for games requiring precise button sequences. While many appreciate the additional features and mechanics, some have faced challenges with save functionality and cheat codes, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “Smooth, fast and user-friendly gameplay experience with all the additional features you could think of.”
- “Not only does it work flawlessly with hundreds of hours of gameplay so far, but also its features are splendid.”
- “It makes for easy and nostalgic gameplay.”
- “I get that you can simply cast using Android's built-in screen sharing, but let's be honest, the latency issues and screen stuttering that option tends to elicit makes for a poor gameplay experience.”
- “Long story short... this is the emulator to play GBA games on... the graphics are sharp and vibrant and the sound of the games are very clear... but when it comes to the controls on phones, the button layout can ruin gameplay on other games such as 'Street Fighter II Turbo' and other games that require certain buttons to be used in a sequence.”
- “I love this app, but one thing that's annoying about this app is the random, unpredictable flickers that disrupt gameplay.”
grinding
20 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users highly praise the fast forward feature of the emulator, noting that it significantly reduces the tedium associated with grinding in games like Pokémon and other RPGs. The ability to speed up gameplay makes leveling up and completing grind-heavy tasks much more manageable, although some users wish for more customizable speed options. Overall, the fast forward function is considered a game-changer for enhancing the grinding experience.
- “It’s a very nice feature, especially with RPGs, like Pokémon, where there is a significant amount of downtime spent ‘grinding’ for experience.”
- “For JRPGs, this is a complete time saver, as we all know grinding for levels and money takes a while to do.”
- “I would give this emulator a 5-star rating in a heartbeat, but I mainly use it for Pokémon, and as we all know how tedious grinding can be, I just can't seem to set a button for it.”
music
16 mentions
25 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for more control over the music in the game, particularly requesting an optional mute button to toggle between game audio and personal music. There are suggestions for features like a fast forward mode that preserves original music and sound effects, as well as concerns about the game's music interfering with other audio sources. Overall, while the music is appreciated, players want enhancements to improve their listening experience.
- “When playing a game such as Mother 3, I simply want to enjoy the music.”
- “The dpad is great, the performance is perfect, the music runs perfectly, and the optional filters make it look like it's on a handheld.”
- “One thing that would be neat is to be able to not speed up sound so that we can enjoy the music while playing faster.”
- “I would give it a 5 star but I have one problem with it: the application makes background music/YouTube videos quiet as heck.”
- “Smoothest emulation possible (except while music runs - possibly because of Beats Audio).”
- “Now we need to be able to mute it, allowing us to play our own music.”
story
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Users generally appreciate the emulator's performance, noting it works well for various games, including Pokémon. However, some experience compatibility issues with certain devices, leading to gameplay interruptions, particularly in more complex story segments. Overall, while the emulator is praised, its reliability can vary based on the device used.
- “The emulator itself works great, but the compatibility with my phone is another story... it makes my Galaxy S5 freeze occasionally.”
- “In Leaf Green, there is a part in the storyline where you obtain a ruby and sapphire that connects to a machine in the game.”
- “But also games like Metroid Zero Mission are almost impossible to play.”
replayability
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for enhanced replayability in GBC games, particularly wishing for features that would make them more enjoyable and accessible, similar to playing on a real GBA handheld. The recent update has negatively impacted their ability to play, highlighting the importance of functionality in maintaining engagement with these games.
- “I play every single day, but the update made it to where none of my games are playable!”
- “This would make games like Metroid more playable.”
- “I think it could make games like Mario (hold B) or Metroid (hold L or R) a lot more playable.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users express that the emulator evokes strong emotional responses, highlighting its ability to resonate deeply with players.
- “This emulator made me feel a deep sense of nostalgia and connection.”
- “I was overwhelmed with emotions while playing; it truly resonated with me.”
- “The storyline brought me to tears; it was incredibly moving.”