My Boy! Lite

About

My Boy! Lite is a free, arcade-style Game Boy Advance emulator that offers fast performance and full-featured gameplay with link cable emulation. Although it boasts compelling game mechanics and fantastic graphics, the experience is marred by annoying ads and occasional bugs. Overall, it's a decent option for GBA emulation on-the-go, but be prepared for some minor inconveniences.

Genres & Tags

Arcade

Play Modes

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

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 10,000 reviews

graphics58 positive mentions

monetization376 negative mentions

monetization
418 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
1%
90%
The monetization strategy of the emulator has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the requirement to watch ads to load save states, which often fail to load, effectively locking players out of their progress. Many reviewers describe this as a frustrating cash grab, as the app frequently presents errors that prevent ad loading, compelling users to purchase the premium version to regain access to their saves. While some users are willing to tolerate ads in a free app, the inconsistent ad functionality and the pressure to upgrade have led to widespread dissatisfaction.
- “For anyone wondering if you should get this emulator, then it should be most definitely as it's free, no ads, modifiable, and easy to use.”
- “100 stars if possible, no ads, super good performance, it's the best GBA emulator right now, the paid version is even better, x16 speed and other features.”
- “Absolutely love it and I salute the developers for not being cash grabbing.”
- “Was working fine until I tried loading my quick save and suddenly there's an error with the ads, and I would have to buy the full version to load my save.”
- “After loading a handful of times by watching ads, the app will pretend there is an error loading ads to force you to buy the premium version to continue your game.”
- “The app basically holds your save for ransom behind ads.”
graphics
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
34%
3%
The graphics of the emulator are generally praised for being smooth and high-quality, with many users noting that they closely resemble the original games. However, some reviews express a desire for improvements, citing outdated visuals or a need for clearer graphics. Overall, while the graphics are considered good for a mobile emulator, there is room for enhancement to meet modern standards.
- “Smooth as butter and the only one with zero lag during graphically intensive attack animations.”
- “The controls, graphics, gameplay, all are fabulous!!!”
- “Amazing graphics, sound is awesome, and it's easy to use.”
- “Nothing can be said about the graphics because they are outdated, but everything else is amazing.”
- “The only downside is the graphics, but besides that, I love it!”
- “With today's technology, the graphics are bad, but for me, it's awesome.”
stability
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
5%
73%
The stability of the emulator is a mixed bag; while many users report smooth performance with minimal glitches and good integration with ROMs, a significant number also experience frequent crashes, freezes, and issues with save files. Some users highlight that the app runs well overall but becomes problematic during specific actions, such as using cheats or trading Pokémon. Overall, while the emulator shows potential, it suffers from stability issues that detract from the user experience.
- “Runs great, smooth and clear in both picture and sound.”
- “Moreover, the app is well made, and so far, bug free.”
- “Works smoothly, no glitches, appreciate the legacy device support.”
- “Great emulator I've had it for a while now and I mainly play Pokemon on it, but recently it's been crashing for no reason. I could be playing it one minute, then the game either freezes or I'm kicked out of the app. If this gets fixed, I'll update to 5 stars.”
- “It either freezes or stops the app; it's frustrating...”
- “When I complete a mission, it freezes when those Pokemon that I helped are talking to me.”
gameplay
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
52%
6%
Overall, the gameplay experience is generally praised for its smoothness and lack of interruptions from ads, with many users appreciating the emulator's performance on various devices. However, there are significant concerns regarding the proximity of save/load buttons, leading to accidental data loss, and some users have reported issues with lag and unresponsive controls. Despite these drawbacks, the ability to modify control layouts and the nostalgic value of the games contribute positively to the gameplay experience.
- “Amazing app with a fair amount of ads, but for a free app, it is amazing. No lag, and amazing gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and has no lag whatsoever.”
- “Works like a charm, smooth gameplay and great control layout.”
- “I wish the load button and save button were further apart, or could toggle an 'are you sure you want to ____?' I almost lost 13 hours of gameplay; luckily, I had been remembering to save in-game, so I only ended up losing 2 hours.”
- “Lost hours of gameplay due to crashing.”
- “Had about 60 hours of gameplay saved, then went in today to play, and it was deleted. I'm 100% sure I didn't delete it, so beware if you download.”
optimization
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
84%
9%
7%
Overall, the emulator is praised for its smooth performance and minimal input lag, making it a top choice for playing Game Boy Advance games. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and good audio quality, although some report occasional issues with save states and performance on newer devices. Despite minor glitches with certain games, the majority of users find it to be an excellent and well-optimized emulator.
- “For a free emulator, it's incredibly well made, runs smoothly and has almost unnoticeable input lag with a controller.”
- “The performance is perfect.”
- “This emulator is amazing, no lag, it's free and runs smoothly; I love it.”
- “Poor optimization on newer devices; Pizzaboy is a better option.”
- “When I have OpenGL disabled, the input lag goes away, but video performance suffers as a result.”
- “I was very much impressed by its performance until it started to lag on my Redmi Note 3. I was disappointed with the fact that it could use only one cheat.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
Users generally find the story aspects of games like Pokémon engaging and enjoyable, highlighting the challenge of completing the Kanto region. However, frustrations arise from control issues that hinder gameplay in titles such as Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission, particularly with touchscreen controls causing difficulties in executing certain actions. Additionally, some players experience technical problems, such as game freezes during story progression, which detracts from their overall experience.
- “My experience is very good in this game. I enjoy this Pokémon game more than all other games. This is a very low MB game but has very good graphics and story, and I take on the challenge to catch all Pokémon of the Kanto region.”
- “I had an issue; I was happily playing my JRPGs, leveling up, and progressing through the story. All cool.”
- “I went to the story.”
- “When I complete a mission, it freezes when those Pokémon that I helped are talking to me.”
- “When I opened the game and tried to load, it was a mission to get loaded.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with grinding in various games, noting that it can feel tedious and time-consuming, particularly in titles like Fire Emblem and Pokémon. While some appreciate the nostalgia of grinding, many call for improvements to speed up the process, as the current pacing often detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “Makes arena grinding in Fire Emblem even more of a chore.”
- “Please fix this, I don't want to restart. I've been grinding for hours now, please!”
- “2x is way too slow for grinding in Pokémon.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game's humor to be a standout feature, with many describing it as genuinely funny and nostalgic. The inclusion of a speed option that enhances comedic moments has also been highlighted as particularly entertaining. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the enjoyment of the game.
- “This game is so funny.”
- “It actually acts funny when I hear the same sounds as a kid.”
- “I love the x2 speed option; it's hilarious.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Users have reported issues with the game's music, noting that it sometimes plays unexpectedly even when their device's music is turned off. This has led to frustration, particularly among certain phone users. Overall, the music aspect appears to have technical glitches that detract from the gaming experience.
- “The only downside is that sometimes sound comes from my mobile phone from the game while my music is off.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users generally find the emotional aspect of the game to be impactful and engaging, though some experience issues with touch sensitivity that can detract from the overall experience. A dirty screen can lead to unintended interactions, which may disrupt the emotional immersion.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users highlight the strong replayability of the app, noting that it supports all Game Boy Advance games, including modified versions, which enhances the overall gaming experience and encourages repeated play.
- “Every GBA game is playable on this app, even the modified ones! High five! :D”
- “The variety of choices and paths in the game makes me want to replay it multiple times.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the different strategies and character builds you can explore.”