Okay, when the downloading process is complete, now transfer the GBA games/ROMs to your smartphone or tablet.Īfter moving the GBA game files/ROMs to you Android device, now put them all in one empty folder on your device and name the folder as “GBA games” so you can easily locate these games when 'GBA emulator' app asks you to find the games on your device. So it only takes a couple of minutes or even seconds to download GBA games/ROMs to your computer, especially if you have a really fast internet connection.
In terms of size, unlike PlayStation Portable (PSP) games that are mostly heavy in size (around 100MB to 2GB), the size of GBA games are mostly not really huge, probably around 10MB to 40MB. If you want to download GBA games on Google, you can simply use the key phrase “game’s name(space)GBA ROM” in the search bar and Google will give you a bunch of websites that provide the download links for that game.įor example, if you’re looking for the GBA version of “Donkey Kong Country 3”, you can just type this on Google:Īnyway, if you’re having trouble to find the names of all GBA games, you can check out this Wikipedia page that has the complete list of all GBA games available on the market. You can control it with the virtual buttons, or hit the 'Menu' button and choose 'input settings' to configure a gamepad or the Xperia Play's controls.#5. If all goes well, the game should start playing. Now, open GBAoid again, find the ROM, and tap it to play. You'll need to source a file off of the Internet (either on your phone or a PC) - but we won't be giving you exact locations of any naughty files.ĭrop the ".GBA" file in a sensible place on your SD card (we say: make a folder called "GBA Roms" on your card). These are called ROMs and are very easy to find. It will ask you to find the BIOS - hit 'Browse', and select the file you just acquired.Īlmost there.
But, a little Googling for "gba_bios.bin" will point you in the right direction.Įither download directly on the phone, or get it on your PC and transfer it across using USB.
This code is copyrighted to Nintendo, so to avoid getting in a legal bind, the developer makes you find, download, and install it yourself.įor the same reason, we won't give you an exact location. Phew! Done! Okay, the next step is grab a GBA BIOS file.
If you download it directly to the phone, you'll need a ZIP file manager (the free AndroZip is the one you want, again) to extract the APK file and install it. Then, use a file manager app (we recommend AndroZip) on the phone to find the GBAoid APK and tap 'Install' to, erm, install it. Unzip the file and drag the APK file over. If you download it on your PC, plug your Android in via the USB cable and find the phone's SD card under 'My Computer' on Windows or 'Devices' on OS X. Then, use a file manager app (we recommend AndroZip ) on the phone to find the GBAoid APK and tap 'Install' to, erm, install it. You can either download it on your PC and transfer it across, or download it directly on your phone. If you download it on your PC, plug your Android in via the USB cable and find the phone's SD card under 'My Computer' on Windows or 'Devices' on OS X.
To do this, enter the 'Settings', tap 'Applications', and tick 'Unknown Sources'.ĭownload GBAoid. That's on you, bro.įirst things first, this emulator is not available on Google Play, so you'll need to give your Android device permission to install apps from outside this marketplace. Pocket Gamer also takes no responsibility if you follow this guide and manage to bugger up your phone in the process. Note: Pocket Gamer does not condone piracy, and offers this information for entertainment purposes only. Here's our guru guide to downloading GBAoid, installing the emulator, and loading up your favourite games. GBAoid also has cheats, configurable controls (including for the Xperia Play), top-notch performance, and even the ability to fast-forward boring cutscenes. Rival Visual Boy Advance has an almost identical set of features, but that one will set you back £2.99. After a lot of testing (and a lot of Advance Wars), we think GBAoid is your best bet.įor one, it's completely free. We scoured Google Play, searched the internet, and tried a handful of GBA emulators for Android.
Did you know that your Android has the power to play Game Boy Advance games? With a few choice downloads and a little know-how, you can play Fire Emblem, Pokemon, or Mario Kart on your phone.