Swati Mishra

Updated 3 months ago

A free and powerful emulator for DS games

VisualBoyAdvance (VBA) is a free emulation software program that lets users play Gameboy games on their macOS PCs. The feature-rich tool emulates all Nintendo games so that you can take a trip down memory lane. VBA comes with an e-reader, supports the use of cheat codes, and lets you map all controls. With its help, you can easily run your favorite console games on your PC. 

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VBA download isn’t limited to macOS. It is also available for download on Windows devices. 

What is VisualBoyAdvance?

During the 90s, you could play various action and adventure games on a handheld gaming console. With various technological advancements, these console games became a thing of the past. But, if you’re feeling even a little bit nostalgic, you can run an emulator on your macOS computer and begin gaming

VisualBoyAdvance is a Game Boy Advance (GBA) emulator that lets you play your favorite 90s games without a dedicated console. This tool is a one-stop solution for all Nintendo DS devices, as it supports all Game Boy games including, Color and Advance

The macOS app comes with multiple features so you can enjoy thousands of Nintendo games without any hassle. The emulator lets you map controls, use cheat codes, capture screenshots, record videos, and import and export save-states. 

Additionally, VBA offers advanced tools for debugging and ROM hacking. For a more old-school experience, the emulator lets you use various GUI skins and filters. 

The program is easy to install and set up and takes up little space on your computer. 

How do I use VisualBoyAdvance?

Once the installation process of VisualBoyAdvance download is complete, you can open the program and change its settings according to your requirements. The program’s Options button lets you make changes to the audio and video, and update input methods, shortcuts, and directories. 

VBA also includes a cheat section that lets you skip chapters and start playing any game from the segment of your choice. With the help of this emulation tool, you can change the sample rate of the audio, keep track of your speed from the display, and enjoy in-game songs.  

Does VBA work with external drives?

If you have some old GBA ROM files lying around on your device, all you have to do is run the VisualBoyAdvance app and start playing immediately. It’s worth mentioning that the software works well with a variety of file types, including those that are compressed. 

The free application also comes with an in-built e-reader that recognizes files stored on any external device. That means, if you have games like Mario Kart DS, The Legend of Zelda, and Sonic Rush lying around in a hard drive or USB, you can easily play them using VBA.  

Can you save different states using VBA?

VisualBoyAdvance Mac supports save-states functionality, which means that anytime you wish to pause your game, you can save it in its current state. 

Once you return, you can continue playing from where you last left off. You can even import and export these saved states for future use. 

Is VisualBoyAdvance easy-to-use?

Though the Mac version of VisualBoyAdvance isn’t a complicated application, it does require a basic knowledge of emulation tools. If you’ve never used an emulator tool before, you may need to learn a few basics before you can start playing old console games. 

There are a few issues that come to light when you start using VBA on different platforms. While the tool works well on old systems, it can sometimes crash on new devices. 

Additionally, you may also face some display issues, meaning some games may not fit the screen as well as they should. But, apart from that, it is safe to use. 

Does VBA have any alternatives?

VisualBoyAdvance is a powerful emulator software program for macOS. However, it does have competition. KiGB offers similar features and runs Game Boy Color games well. Mupen64 and DeSmuME both provide support for Nintendo games, along with some added functionalities. 

Play old console games on your modern PC

One of the best parts about VisualBoyAdvance download for Mac is that it lets you delight in fond memories.

 With the help of this emulation tool, you can play thousands of Nintendo games, easily available as ROMs on the internet. 

Swati Mishra

Swati has over a decade of experience in content strategy, SEO, and editorial writing across technology and travel. She specializes in technical reviews, structured guidelines, and long-form pieces. Her work focuses on clear organization, search intent, and practical takeaways for readers evaluating software and digital tools.

  • Pros

    • Free to download and use
    • Comes with an e-reader
    • Offers configuration tools
    • Supports controller mapping
  • Cons

    • Experiences occasional crashes
 0/2

App specs

  • License

    Free

  • Version

    2.1.5
  • Latest update

  • Platform

    Mac

    Other platforms (1)
  • OS

    Mac OS X

  • Language

    English

  • Downloads

    474.4K

    Last month's downloads

    • 78
  • Size

    21.53 MB

  • Developer

    • Emuscene

Also available in other platforms

Program available in other languages



User reviews about VisualBoyAdvance

3.1

2 reviews

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Main reviews for you

  • Anonymous user

    This emulator makes me sad. I cannot open ANY game without this thing crashing. The game will not even start before it crashes. The only emulator I can find for Mac that runs GBC, and it's completely UNUSABLE. Pros: Mac Emulator for GBA and GBC Cons: Crashes every time I try to open a game

  • Anonymous user

    Cant save. every time i save it says wrote battery how do i fix need help and is there something else i need to download

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Laws concerning the use of this software vary from country to country. We do not encourage or condone the use of this program if it is in violation of these laws.
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Is VisualBoyAdvance safe?

100/100

Score result: Clean

This file passed a comprehensive security scan using VirusTotal technology. It is safe to download.

  • Virus free
  • Spyware free
  • Malware free
  • Verified by Security Partners

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Scan Info

Last scan
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Scan provider
VirusTotal · Full report

File Integrity

File
visualboyadvance-m-Mac-32bit.zip
SHA256
6fa4853b01924909db6fd420873155d4b9a0894e2d1cb0d0709defb6b52ceaed
SHA1
e75f9522db60407bb6a77071f36d770b87a41ca1

Softonic security commitment

VisualBoyAdvance has been thoroughly scanned by our advanced security systems and verified by industry-leading partners. This file comes from the official developer and has passed all our security checks, showing no signs of viruses, malware, or spyware. For more information, visit our Security and Trust Center