# Gearboy
[](https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/actions/workflows/gearboy.yml)
[](https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases)
[](https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/commits/master)
[](https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/graphs/contributors)
[](https://github.com/sponsors/drhelius)
[](https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/blob/master/LICENSE)
[](https://x.com/drhelius)
Gearboy is an accurate, cross-platform Game Boy / Game Boy Color / Super Game Boy emulator written in C++ that runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD and RetroArch, with an embedded MCP server for AI debugging and development.
This is an open source project with its ongoing development made possible thanks to the support by these awesome [backers](backers.md). If you find it useful, please consider [sponsoring](https://github.com/sponsors/drhelius).
Don't hesitate to report bugs or ask for new features by [opening an issue](https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/issues).
<img src="http://www.geardome.com/files/gearboy/gearboy_debug_05.png">
## Downloads
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Platform</th>
<th>Architecture</th>
<th>Download Link</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td rowspan="2"><strong>Windows</strong></td>
<td>Desktop x64</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases/download/3.8.19/Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-windows-x64.zip">Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-windows-x64.zip</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Desktop ARM64</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases/download/3.8.19/Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-windows-arm64.zip">Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-windows-arm64.zip</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="3"><strong>macOS</strong></td>
<td>Homebrew</td>
<td><code>brew install --cask drhelius/geardome/gearboy</code></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Desktop Apple Silicon</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases/download/3.8.19/Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-macos-arm64.zip">Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-macos-arm64.zip</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Desktop Intel</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases/download/3.8.19/Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-macos-intel.zip">Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-macos-intel.zip</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td rowspan="6"><strong>Linux</strong></td>
<td>Ubuntu PPA</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/ppa-geardome">drhelius/ppa-geardome</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fedora RPM</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/rpm-geardome">drhelius/rpm-geardome</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Desktop Ubuntu 26.04 x64</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases/download/3.8.19/Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-ubuntu26.04-x64.zip">Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-ubuntu26.04-x64.zip</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Desktop Ubuntu 26.04 ARM64</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases/download/3.8.19/Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-ubuntu26.04-arm64.zip">Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-ubuntu26.04-arm64.zip</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Desktop Ubuntu 24.04 x64</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases/download/3.8.19/Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-ubuntu24.04-x64.zip">Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-ubuntu24.04-x64.zip</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Desktop Ubuntu 24.04 ARM64</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/releases/download/3.8.19/Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-ubuntu24.04-arm64.zip">Gearboy-3.8.19-desktop-ubuntu24.04-arm64.zip</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>MCPB</strong></td>
<td>All platforms</td>
<td><a href="MCP_README.md">MCP Readme</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>RetroArch</strong></td>
<td>All platforms</td>
<td><a href="https://docs.libretro.com/library/gearboy/">Libretro core documentation</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Dev Builds</strong></td>
<td>All platforms</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/drhelius/Gearboy/actions/workflows/gearboy.yml">GitHub Actions</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
**Notes:**
- **Windows**: May need [Visual C++ Redistributable](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=746572) and [OpenGL Compatibility Pack](https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nqpsl29bfff)
- **Homebrew**: If Homebrew asks you to trust the third-party tap, run `brew trust --tap drhelius/geardome`
- **Linux**: May need `libsdl3`
## Features
- Supported cartridges: ROM, ROM + RAM, MBC1, MBC2, MBC3, MBC5, MBC6, MBC7, HuC-1, HuC-3, MMM01, Pocket Camera, TAMA5, MBC1M, Wisdom Tree, M161, Sachen MMC1, Sachen MMC2, PKJD, Bung/EMS, Poke 2-in-1, Rocket Games, BHGOS, Li Cheng, NT newer, GGB81, Hitek, VF001, VF001 (SL), Sintax, NT old 1 and NT old 2.
- Game Boy Color support.
- Super Game Boy support.
- Local two-instance Game Boy link cable support on desktop platforms and libretro core.
- Barcode Boy
- LCD screen ghosting effect as seen in the original Game Boy.
- LCD dot matrix effects.
- Battery powered RAM save support.
- Save states with preview and rewind support.
- Run-ahead support to reduce input latency.
- Compressed ROM support (ZIP).
- Bootrom (BIOS) support.
- *Game Genie* and *GameShark* cheat support, with RetroArch `.cht` import.
- VGM recorder.
- Supported platforms (standalone): Windows, Linux, BSD and macOS.
- Supported platforms (libretro): Windows, Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi, Android, iOS, tvOS, webOS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo WiiU, Nintendo Switch, Emscripten, Classic Mini systems (NES, SNES, C64, ...), OpenDingux, RetroFW and QNX.
- Full debugger with just-in-time disassembler, CPU breakpoints, memory access breakpoints, code navigation (goto address, JP JR and CALL double clicking), debug symbols, automatic labels, memory editor, trace logger, IO inspector and VRAM viewer including tiles, sprites, backgrounds and palettes.
- MCP server for AI-assisted debugging with Claude Code, Codex and similar, exposing tools for execution control, memory inspection, hardware status, rewind and more.
- Windows, Linux and macOS *Portable Mode*.
- [Programmable Shader Chain](platforms/shared/desktop/shaders/README.md).
- ROM loading from the command line by adding the ROM path as an argument.
- ROM loading using drag & drop.
- Support for modern game controllers through [gamecontrollerdb.txt](https://github.com/mdqinc/SDL_GameControllerDB) file located in the same directory as the application binary.
## Tips
### Basic Usage
- **Boot ROM**: Gearboy can run with or without a Boot ROM. You can optionally load a Boot ROM and enable it.
- **Mouse Cursor**: Automatically hides when hovering over the main output window or when Main Menu is disabled.
- **Portable Mode**: Run with `--portable`, or create an empty file named `portable.ini` in the same directory as the application binary. On macOS, place the file next to the `.app` bundle.
- **Link Cable**:
Open `Link Cable` menu in two desktop instances, select the same session, and connect both, or start each process with `--link-cable-join N`. Independent instances should use separate application copies or `--portable` data directories so configuration, saves, and single-instance handling do not conflict.
### Debugging Features
- **Docking Windows**: In debug mode, you can dock windows together by pressing SHIFT and dragging a window onto another.
- **Multi-viewport**: In Windows or macOS, you can enable "multi-viewport" in the debug menu. You must restart the emulator for the change to take effect. Once enabled, you can drag debugger windows outside the main window.
- **Single Instance**: You can enable "Single Instance" in the `Emulator` menu. When enabled, opening a ROM while another instance is running will send the ROM to the running instance instead of starting a new one.
- **Debug Symbols**: The emulator automatically tries to load a symbol file when loading a ROM (.sym, .noi). For example, for `path_to_rom_file.gb` it tries to load `path_to_rom_file.sym`. You can also load a symbol file using the GUI or the CLI. It supports RGBDS, GBDK-2020, WLA-DX, no$gmb, SDCC/NoICE (.noi), EQU and generic file formats.
### Command Line Usage
```
gearboy [options] [rom_file] [symbol_file]
Arguments:
[rom_file] ROM file: accepts ROMs (.gb, .dmg, .gbc, .cgb, .sgb) or ZIP (.zip)
[symbol_file] Optional symbol file for debugging
Options:
-f, --fullscreen Start in fullscreen mode
-w, --windowed Start in windowed mode with menu visible
--load-state SLOT Load save state slot 1-5, or a state file, once the media is loaded
--mcp-stdio Auto-start MCP server with stdio transport
--mcp-http Auto-start MCP server with HTTP transport
--mcp-router Enable compact MCP tool routing
--mcp-http-address A HTTP bind address (default: 127.0.0.1)
--mcp-http-port N HTTP port for MCP server (default: 7777)
--link-cable-join N Join local link cable session 1-255
--headless Run without GUI (requires MCP or link cable)
--portable Store configuration and user data beside the application
-v, --version Display version information
-h, --help Display this help message
```
### MCP Server
Gearboy includes a [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/introduction) (MCP) server that enables AI-assisted debugging through AI agents like Claude Code, Codex and similar. The server provides tools for execution control, memory inspection, breakpoints, disassembly, hardware status, and more. STDIO and HTTP transports are supported, with STDIO preferred.
For complete setup instructions and tool documentation, see [MCP_README.md](MCP_README.md).
### Agent Skills
Gearboy provides [Agent Skills](https://agentskills.io/) that teach AI assistants how to effectively use the emulator for specific tasks:
- **[gearboy-debugging](skills/gearboy-debugging/SKILL.md)** — Game debugging, code tracing, breakpoint management, hardware inspection, and reverse engineering.
- **[gearboy-romhacking](skills/gearboy-romhacking/SKILL.md)** — Cheat creation, memory searching, ROM data modification, text translation, and game patching.
Install with `npx skills add drhelius/gearboy`. See the [skills README](skills/README.md) for details.
## Build Instructions
### Windows
- Install Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2026 or later.
- Download the latest SDL3 VC development libraries from [SDL3 Releases](https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL/releases) (the file named `SDL3-devel-x.y.z-VC.zip`).
- Extract the archive and rename the resulting folder (e.g. `SDL3-x.y.z`) to `SDL3`.
- Place the `SDL3` folder inside `platforms/windows/dependencies/` so that the include path is `platforms/windows/dependencies/SDL3/include/SDL3/`.
- Open the Gearboy Visual Studio solution `platforms/windows/Gearboy.sln` and build.
### macOS
- Install Xcode and run `xcode-select --install` in the terminal for the compiler to be available on the command line.
- Run these commands to generate a Mac *app* bundle:
``` shell
brew install sdl3
cd platforms/macos
make dist
```
### Linux
- Ubuntu / Debian / Raspberry Pi (Raspbian):
If you are using Ubuntu 26.04, you can install SDL3 directly. Use the following commands to build:
``` shell
sudo apt install build-essential pkg-config libsdl3-dev libgl-dev
cd platforms/linux
make
```
For Ubuntu 24.04, you need to build SDL3 from source first. Use the following commands to build both SDL3 and Gearboy:
``` shell
sudo apt install build-essential cmake git curl jq pkg-config \
libx11-dev libxext-dev libxrandr-dev libxcursor-dev libxfixes-dev \
libxi-dev libxss-dev libxkbcommon-dev libwayland-dev libdecor-0-dev \
libdrm-dev libgbm-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libegl1-mesa-dev libdbus-1-dev libudev-dev libxtst-dev
SDL3_TAG=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/libsdl-org/SDL/releases/latest | jq -r '.tag_name')
git clone --depth 1 --branch "$SDL3_TAG" https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL.git /tmp/SDL3
cmake -S /tmp/SDL3 -B /tmp/SDL3/build -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr -DSDL_TESTS=OFF -DSDL_EXAMPLES=OFF
cmake --build /tmp/SDL3/build -j$(nproc)
sudo cmake --install /tmp/SDL3/build
cd platforms/linux
make
```
- Fedora:
``` shell
sudo dnf install @development-tools gcc-c++ SDL3-devel
cd platforms/linux
make
```
- Arch Linux:
``` shell
sudo pacman -S base-devel sdl3
cd platforms/linux
make
```
### BSD
- FreeBSD:
``` shell
su root -c "pkg install -y git gmake pkgconf sdl3"
cd platforms/bsd
USE_CLANG=1 gmake
```
- NetBSD:
``` shell
su root -c "pkgin install gmake pkgconf SDL3"
cd platforms/bsd
gmake
```
- OpenBSD
``` shell
doas pkg_add gmake sdl3
cd platforms/bsd
LDFLAGS=-L/usr/X11R6/lib/ USE_CLANG=1 gmake
```
### Libretro
- Ubuntu / Debian / Raspberry Pi (Raspbian):
``` shell
sudo apt install build-essential
cd platforms/libretro
make
```
- Fedora:
``` shell
sudo dnf install @development-tools gcc-c++
cd platforms/libretro
make
```
## Screenshots
## Contributors
Thank you to all the people who have already contributed to Gearboy!
[](https://github.com/drhelius/gearboy/graphs/contributors)
## License
Gearboy is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 License, see [LICENSE](LICENSE) for more information.