Download Visual Boy Advance Emulator for Windows and macOS platform for free full version with latest features and compatible with Windows 7/8/10/Vista and XP.
If you spend a lot of time discussing older consoles and their emulators on the internet, you have probably heard of the VisualBoy Advance. But if the term is new to your ears, you are probably wondering what it is and why it sounds a lot like ‘Game Boy Advance’. Are the two related? If not, why do their names sound so similar?
What Is VisualBoy Advance?
VisualBoy Advance is an emulator. People use it to play Game Boy (Original, Color, Advance, Super Game Boy, Super Game Boy 2) games on a computer. The original emulator was created by a developer known only as ‘Forgotten’ on the internet.
When he left, his brother took over. Development on the original VisualBoy Advance stalled in 2004. If you have an operational Visual Boy Advance Windows 7/8/10 emulator on your computer, you are most likely using one of the newer versions that were created from the original emulator after new developers took over.
The most popular version is called the ‘VisualBoy Advance-M’. It is packed with a litany of features, including support for joysticks, the ability to import native saved games from other emulators, hacking and debugging tools, and full-screen mode. The VisualBoy Advance-M has become one of the most popular Game Boy emulators on the internet.
Related: Best GBA Emulator for Windows and macOS
How To Install It On A PC?
Because it is not a standalone program, installing a Visual Boy Advance Windows 10 emulator isn’t particularly challenging:
Step 1. You have to start by finding a trustworthy source that will permit you to download the emulator without infecting your PC with malware or click the below link to download safely. Look for VisualBoy communities and forums on the internet. Ask for recommendations. Avid fans of the emulator will point you in the right direction.
You need the recommendations that VisualBoy forums offer because things on the internet are always changing. Sources of VisualBoy Advance downloads that were previously safe can become dangerous overnight. Friendly communities will help you identify sources that are currently safe.
Step 2. Once you locate a trustworthy source, download a PC version of the emulator. Because the emulator typically comes as a zip file, you need a program that can extract it. If you don’t have one, many people use 7-zip.
Step 3. Extract the emulator’s file. As was noted above, it is not a standalone program. Therefore, you don’t have to install VisualBoy Advance. Extracting it is enough. Some people believe that it is a bad idea to place the emulator anywhere else on the main C drive besides ‘Documents’, ‘Downloads’, and ‘Desktop’ because you will restrict it to ‘read-only’, preventing the emulator from saving.
- Arrow keys – direction
- Z – Button A
- X – Button B
- A – Button L
- S – Button R
- Enter – Start
- Backspace – Select
- Speedup – Space
- Capture – F12
Download VisualBoy Advance Direct Link
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How To Play Games?
Downloading and extracting the emulator is simply the first step. Once VisualBoy Advance is in place on your PC, you must use it to open the ROM files whose games you want to play:
Step 1. Start by identifying a trustworthy source of ROM files. Technically, you can legally download ROM files of games you own. But it is illegal to share copyrighted ROM files on the internet.
Step 2. Like the emulator, Game Boy communities will point you in the direction of ROM files that you can safely download.
Step 3. Once you download the ROM files, place them in a sub-directory of the folder holding your emulator. This isn’t mandatory. But it simplifies the process of locating the ROM files. ROM files normally come in zip format. However, you don’t have to extract them.
Step 4. Start VisualBoy Advance by double-clicking the emulator’s execution file. This is the file you downloaded and extracted. Unless something went wrong, the emulator will start immediately.
Step 5. Locate the menu in the emulator and click ‘Options’. Go to ‘Directories’ and then ‘Browse’. Look for the folder where you stored the ROM files. Select that folder and click ‘OK’. This will tell the emulator where to find your games.
Step 6. Next, go to ‘File’ in the menu. Click ‘Open’ and select the ROM file you want out of the available list. This will launch the game.
Visual Boy Advance Safe To Use?
The original emulator had a vulnerability (Arbitrary Code Execution). But from what most people have seen, the VisualBoy Advance-M does not have that vulnerability or any other notable weakness. It is perfectly safe for people to use, especially if you secure a clean download that is free of viruses.
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