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Nintendo - Game Boy Advance (VBA Next)

Background

VBA Next is a Game Boy Advance emulator based on VBA-M 2011 with backported patches for performance and compatibility improvements.

Author/License

The VBA Next core has been authored by

  • Forgotten
  • VBA-M Team
  • Squarepusher

The VBA Next core is licensed under

A summary of the licenses behind RetroArch and its cores can be found here.

Extensions

Content that can be loaded by the VBA Next core have the following file extensions:

  • .gba

Databases

RetroArch database(s) that are associated with the VBA Next core:

BIOS

Required or optional firmware files go in the frontend's system directory.

Warning

In order for the Game Boy Advance BIOS to be used, the 'Use bios if available' core option must be set to On.

Filename Description md5sum
gba_bios.bin Game Boy Advance Image - Optional a860e8c0b6d573d191e4ec7db1b1e4f6

Features

Frontend-level settings or features that the VBA Next core respects.

Feature Supported
Restart
Screenshots
Saves
States
Rewind
Netplay
Core Options
RetroAchievements
RetroArch Cheats
RetroArch SaveRAM Autosave Interval support
Native Cheats
Controls
Remapping
Multi-Mouse
Rumble
Sensors
Camera
Location
Subsystem
Softpatching
Disk Control
Username
Language
Crop Overscan
LEDs

Directories

The VBA Next core's directory name is 'VBA Next'

The VBA Next core saves/loads to/from these directories.

Frontend's Save directory

  • 'content-name'.srm (Cartridge battery save)

Frontend's State directory

  • 'content-name'.state# (State)

Geometry and timing

  • The VBA Next core's core provided FPS is 59.727
  • The VBA Next core's core provided sample rate is 32000 Hz
  • The VBA Next core's core provided aspect ratio is 3/2

Core options

The VBA Next core has the following option(s) that can be tweaked from the core options menu. The default setting is bolded.

Settings with (Restart) means that core has to be closed for the new setting to be applied on next launch.

  • Use bios if available (Restart) [vbanext_bios] (Off/On)

    Uses BIOS present in RetroArch's system directory. Look at the BIOS section for more information.

Use bios if available - On

Controllers

The VBA Next core supports the following device type(s) in the controls menu, bolded device types are the default for the specified user(s):

User 1 device types

  • None - Doesn't disable input
  • RetroPad - Joypad
  • RetroPad w/Analog - Joypad - There's no reason to switch to this.

Controller tables

Joypad

User 1 Remap descriptors RetroPad Inputs
B
Select
Start
D-Pad Up
D-Pad Down
D-Pad Left
D-Pad Right
A
L
R

Compatibility

Game Issue
Boktai Trilogy The solar sensor is not emulated.
Croket! 2 – Yami no Bank to Banqueen Heavy slowdown when approaching the snowman in the beginning.
Koro Koro Puzzle Happy Panechu! The tilt sensor is not emulated.
Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World (Europe) The program crashes during the final fight, when Bowser approaches (zoom mode 7)
WarioWare: Twisted! The tilt sensor is not emulated.
Yoshi’s Universal Gravitation The tilt sensor is not emulated.
1

See also

Nintendo - Game Boy Advance