It’s live
Retro Pal is now on the App Store. You download it like any other app, import your game files, and play. No third-party store, no sideloading, no fiddling.
What you can do
Retro Pal runs four consoles: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. The app contains no games: you bring your own files (.gba, .gb, .gbc, .nds, or a .zip containing one), which you legally own.
- Metal-rendered display, at each console’s native resolution.
- Customizable touch controls, and support for Bluetooth controllers (Xbox, PlayStation, MFi).
- Save states with previews, auto-save when you leave the app, and a few seconds of rewind on Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance.
- Your battery saves (
.sav) are kept between sessions. You can also import an existing save (.sav,.srm) from another emulator to pick up where you left off. - Available in 10 European languages.
What matters to me
No ads, no ad-tracking, no required subscription. Retro Pal is free; an optional Pro unlocks a few extras and supports development, but the core of the app stays usable without paying anything.
Your saves stay local on your iPhone. If you want, they sync through your own iCloud. Your saves never go to a third-party server.
How to start
- Download Retro Pal from the App Store.
- Get your game file onto your iPhone (Safari, AirDrop or iCloud Drive).
- Tap the + button and pick the file in the Files app.
- Play. The game appears in your library, ready to launch.
What’s next?
Retro Pal just shipped, but the work goes on. Updates will land over time, guided by what you do with it and by your feedback. If an idea is nagging at you, or something feels off, say so: that’s how the app gets better.
Welcome back to your games.