Apple changed App Store rules last week to allow game emulators on iPhone for what appears to be the first time.
After that policy change, the first emulator apps are now appearing in the store. iGBA is a free Game Boy emulator for iPhone and iPad, which can indeed load and play ROMs downloaded to the device — a category of apps that Apple would have unequivocally dismissed two weeks ago.
The iGBA developer is clearly capitalizing on the surprising rule change. The app is a lazy copy of the GBA4iOS open source project, albeit monetized with embedded ads.
However, it is a full-featured emulator. You can indeed download Game Boy Advance or Game Boy Color ROMs from the web and then ‘Open in’ the iGBA to start playing them. Save state, virtual controller customization, haptic settings and AirPlay external screen projection are available here.
The App Store policy change was a bit ambiguous as to whether it would allow installation via a sideloaded ROM, as the language referred to licensed emulated programs within the main app.
But assuming the iGBA approval isn’t a reviewer’s mistake, there seems to be no limit to the functionality of loading ROMs, and consequently it’s now open season on the App Store for game emulators to exist and develop.
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