Side by side
FCEUX vs Mesen
Both stand on emulator software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Choose FCEUX for free emulation of its supported systems, especially if you want debugging, scripting, or movie tools. Look elsewhere if network play is a requirement, since it is not functional in the Win32 and SDL ports and the project has no plans to fix it.
Visit FCEUX Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Mesen covers a broad list of systems across three desktop operating systems at no cost. Check the SDL2 and Gatekeeper requirements for your setup before installing.
Visit MesenThe facts
| FCEUX | Mesen | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | fceux.com | mesen.ca |
| On emulator software | #14 of 39 | #22 of 39 |
FCEUX: what it does well
- Emulates NES, Famicom, Famicom Disk System, and Dendy.
- Supports NTSC, PAL, and NTSC-PAL Hybrid video modes.
- Includes debugging, ROM hacking, map making, and Lua scripting tools.
- Qt/SDL includes a TAS Editor and movie recording.
- Free and open source.
What to know first
- Network play in the Win32 and SDL ports is not functional.
- The project says it has no plans to fix network play.
- Building the Qt/SDL port requires several dependencies and CMake.
Mesen: what it does well
- Supports multiple Nintendo, Sega, and other systems.
- Available for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Free and licensed under GPL version 3 or later.
- Development builds include Linux ARM64 and Apple Silicon.
- Link cable support connects two Game Boy systems.
What to know first
- Windows requires Windows 10 or later.
- Linux and macOS builds require SDL2.
- macOS builds need Gatekeeper approval to run.