Ask API. GET https://whichemulator.wtf/ask answers questions from the same data as this page, and it is the only place the setup steps are published. It takes the question as q and, optionally, this page's path as page, and returns JSON with answer, sources and follow_ups, or Markdown with Accept: text/markdown. No key needed.
curl -G 'https://whichemulator.wtf/ask' --data-urlencode 'q=Which Game Boy emulator should I use on a Mac?' --data-urlencode 'page=/gameboy/'Questions it answers:
Guide: /skill.md. This page as Markdown: /gameboy.md
Nintendo Game Boy, Nintendo, 1989. also covers Game Boy Color.
whichemulator.wtf calls its recommendation for each system the Gold Cartridge pick. For the Game Boy, the Gold Cartridge pick is Mesen.
Accurate, fast, and the same app you'd already use for NES and SNES. Handles Game Boy and Game Boy Color with proper palettes, screen shaders that mimic the original LCD, and a debugger if you're curious.
Runs on Windows · Mac · Linux. Open source. Download: https://www.mesen.ca
No BIOS needed: Game Boy emulators don't require the boot ROM. The scrolling logo at the start is optional.
The original screen showed four shades of green-grey on a reflective LCD with heavy motion blur. Some games relied on that blur to fake transparency by flickering sprites. Turn on an LCD ghosting shader if something looks too flickery.
Many later cartridges were dual mode and get colour on a Game Boy Color. Emulators let you force either model — choose DMG if you want the original look.
Trading and battling over link cable works in SameBoy and Mesen by running two instances side by side.
Reference: WEM-GAMEBOY-80H7