Wario Land 3 gameplay on Game Boy and Game Boy Color

Gameplay from Wario Land 3 on Game Boy and Game Boy Color. Image from the Retro Replay media library.

BGB

GAME BOY AND GAME BOY COLOR EMULATOR

BGB

BGB — a Windows Game Boy / Game Boy Color emulator and debugger with high-accuracy core, link emulation, and extensive developer/debugging features.

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Gameplay from Wario Land 3 on Game Boy and Game Boy Color. Image from the Retro Replay media library.

Game Boy and Game Boy ColorPRIMARY SYSTEM

History documentedPROJECT BEGAN

FreewarePROJECT MODEL

WHY IT MATTERS

Why use BGB

High-accuracy Game Boy / Game Boy Color emulation on Windows with an integrated, full-featured debugger and developer tools. Suitable for development, testing, demo playback/recording, and accurate single‑machine play, including Game Link/netplay support.

BEST FOR

Best for

Developers and ROM demoscene authors who need a fast, accurate Game Boy/GBC core with a powerful debugger; also users who want precise timing, SGB support and reliable link emulation on Windows or under Wine.

Gameplay from Wario Land 3 on Game Boy Color.

The people behind BGB

History & status

BGB is a long-running Windows-focused Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulator known for its integrated debugger and attention to emulation accuracy. The project changelogs on the official site document many incremental releases and feature additions (debugger improvements, GBC bootrom support, SGB color improvements, link protocol work, and a 'reality' LCD simulation feature). BGB runs natively on Windows and is reported to work under Wine. Development appears active in the sense of ongoing feature pages and WIP notes published on the official site, and multiple numbered releases are described in the project's changelogs and manual. Exact authorship and first release year are documented on the site rather than in a single clear 'first released' entry; therefore this profile uses the project's published history pages as the authoritative record.

What BGB supports

Game Boy (DMG)
Game Boy Color (GBC)
Super Game Boy (SGB) features
Link cable emulation (TCP/IP link / netplay)
Game Boy Camera emulation (file, test pattern, or webcam)
Save states and battery save (.sav) compatible with some other emulators (VBA-compatible option for RTC)

Download and availability

OFFICIAL DOWNLOADS

Get BGB

Official downloads and documentation are served from the project's website. The distribution is a Windows executable. The official site provides multiple pages describing releases, WIP builds and manual/documentation.

Get BGB ↗

DOCUMENTATION

Official documentation

Read the official configuration, compatibility, and troubleshooting material before changing advanced options.

Read official documentation ↗

Broken or missing download? Emulator projects move and official links sometimes change. Please contact Retro Replay so the source can be verified and updated.

BGB setup guide

Setup note: Concrete, emulator-specific setup and usage steps for BGB (Windows). These steps assume you will obtain legally owned ROMs and optional boot ROMs yourself; emulators do not include copyrighted firmware or commercial game files.

Get the official build: Download BGB from the official site (official_url). The project distributes Windows executables; there is no installer required in most builds—you typically download a ZIP or EXE and extract/run it. Use the official pages for current download links and release notes.
Run on Windows (or Wine): Run the downloaded bgb executable on a supported Windows version. The manual explicitly lists Windows XP/7/10/11 and Wine as supported/tested environments. On modern Windows, you may need to unblock the downloaded file and run it with normal user permissions; no installation is usually required.
Configure ROM and save directories: Open Options/Settings and set your ROM directory and save directory. BGB uses raw .sav battery RAM images; for MBC3 RTC games it appends 48 bytes of RTC data in a VBA-compatible format when the matching setting is enabled. If you need compatibility with other emulators, toggle 'Save RTC in SAV file (VBA compatible)' in Settings -> Misc.
Controller and input setup: Configure gamepad/keyboard mapping in the input section. BGB supports multiple gamepads (4 pads supported historically) and XInput on newer builds. If running under Wine, test focus behavior and enable any Wine input mappings required; the manual covers fixes for focus-related controller issues in some versions.
Using the debugger and developer tools: BGB includes an integrated debugger, disassembler, memory/stack viewers, breakpoints, watchpoints, and support for debug messages and SYM symbol files. Use 'debug mode' features from the Debug menu; note that enabling breakpoints or certain debug logging will slow emulation (the manual warns it can be about twice as slow). The debugger supports assembling and patching code live, formatting debug messages, and logging.
Link cable / netplay: BGB supports link emulation over TCP/IP. One instance listens and the other connects; the site documents a BGB link protocol and command-line options (-listen, -connect) and automatic reconnect behavior. Use identical settings on both sides to avoid desynchronization. The manual lists additional command-line options useful for automated linking and demo capture.
SGB and display features: BGB implements Super Game Boy color handling and includes a 'reality' feature to simulate Game Boy LCD look and hi-res borders. Look in Video/Display settings for border and reality options and in notes about SGB color handling in the changelog if you need exact SGB palette behavior.
Camera emulation: BGB emulates the Game Boy Camera. Image sources can be an image file (BMP/PNG), an internal test pattern, or a webcam via DirectShow. Webcam support requires DirectShow and is supported on Windows and newer Wine builds; the manual documents camera control and preview behavior.

Software reminder: BGB does not include commercial games, copyrighted BIOS/boot ROMs, or firmware. Where the emulator supports loading a GBC boot ROM, supplying such a file is optional and must come from a legal source if used.