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Retra

Free plan Android

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Retra's own site

What Retra is

Retra is a free Android app for emulating Game Boy Advance games, applying patches, and organizing a personal game archive. Its emulation uses a native mGBA libretro core. You can browse a game library in grid or list form, search it, and filter for favorites, patches, homebrew, unplayed games, or titles to continue. The app imports .gba, .zip, .ups, .ips, and .bps files, applies UPS, IPS, and BPS patches to compatible base files, and rejects Nintendo DS .nds files. Save tools include local saves, automatic backups, a timeline, save-health information, screenshots, and rewind. Controls include touch, keyboard, and gamepad, with analog and dead-zone calibration. Retra says ROMs, saves, screenshots, and settings remain on the device; Google linking is optional for identity personalization. A fresh install includes Retra Drift, a 64 KiB GBA homebrew game. Commercial games are not included. Its Android APK releases are sideload test builds, not Play Store releases, and cloud sync is not release-ready.

Who it suits

Retra suits Android users who want a local GBA library, save tools, and patch support. You need to provide your own compatible commercial game backups.

What it does well

  • Free Android app
  • Imports GBA, ZIP, UPS, IPS, and BPS files
  • Includes local saves, backups, timeline, and rewind
  • Touch, keyboard, and gamepad controls
  • ROMs and saves stay on the device

What to know first

  • Does not support Nintendo DS .nds files
  • Commercial ROMs are not included
  • APK releases are sideload test builds, not Play Store releases
  • Cloud synchronization is not release-ready

Limits

Retra is free. It targets GBA files, excludes commercial ROMs, and its listed APKs are sideload test builds; cloud synchronization and cross-device conflict resolution are not release-ready.

Getting started

  1. Open the Retra GitHub repository.
  2. Get an Android APK release and sideload it.
  3. Import compatible game or patch files you provide.
  4. Use the library to search, filter, and open games.
  5. Configure touch, keyboard, or gamepad controls as needed.

Verdict

Retra combines GBA emulation, patching, library tools, and local save management in one Android app. Note the sideload distribution, unsupported DS files, and requirement to provide your own commercial game backups.

Questions

What does Retra cost?

Retra is free, with a free plan.

Which platform does it support?

Android.

Is Retra open source?

Yes.

Does it include commercial games?

No. Users must provide compatible commercial game backups themselves.

Can it play Nintendo DS games?

No. Retra targets Game Boy Advance and rejects .nds files.

Where can I get it?

The listed Android APK releases are sideload test builds from its GitHub repository, not Play Store releases.

Facts from Retra's own pages

Account linking
The product overview describes a private local profile with optional Google account linking for identity personalization. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Build status
The maker's known-issues page says an Android SDK/NDK was unavailable in its environment, leaving Gradle and Compose APK compilation unverified there. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Built-in game
A fresh install imports Retra Drift, an original 64 KiB GBA homebrew mini-game. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Cloud sync
The project says cloud synchronization and cross-device conflict resolution are not release-ready, and recommends local backup/export. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Commercial ROMs
Retra says it does not include commercial ROMs and that users must provide compatible commercial game backups themselves. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Controls
Retra supports touch, keyboard or gamepad input, per-game launch profiles, and analog/dead-zone calibration. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Developer
The repository identifies Prashant Chataut as Retra's developer. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Distribution
The listed Android APK releases are described as personal or open-source sideload test builds, not Play Store releases. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Emulation
Retra uses a native mGBA libretro core for Game Boy Advance emulation. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Format limit
Retra targets Game Boy Advance and intentionally rejects Nintendo DS .nds files. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Game library
The library supports grid and list views, search, and filters for continue, favorites, patches, homebrew, and unplayed games. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Game requirement
Commercial games are not included and users must provide compatible game backups they are entitled to use. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Homebrew
The app includes Retra Drift, an original 64 KiB GBA homebrew mini-game, and a creator-first Homebrew Hub. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Imports and patches
Retra lists support for importing .gba, .zip, .ups, .ips, and .bps files, and rejects Nintendo DS .nds files. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Library
Its library supports artwork-oriented grid and list views, search, and filters for favorites, patches, homebrew, and unplayed games. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Local privacy
The product overview says ROMs, battery saves, save states, screenshots, and settings stay on the device. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Patch support
It supports UPS, IPS, and BPS patches applied to user-provided compatible base files. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Privacy
The product overview says ROMs, battery saves, save states, screenshots, and settings stay local on the device. · github.com, 2 Oct 2026
Product
Retra is a privacy-first Android Game Boy Advance emulator, patch workspace, save vault, and personal game archive. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026
Save tools
Features include local saves, automatic backups, Save Timeline, Save Health, screenshots, and rewind. · github.com, 3 Oct 2026

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