Side by side
jgenesis vs MAME
Both stand on turbografx-16 emulators. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxWebWindows
Pick jgenesis if you want a free emulator covering many 8-bit and 16-bit consoles, with flexible graphics and playback controls. Look elsewhere if you need PC Engine CD-ROM support or your computer does not meet the published CPU and graphics requirements.
Visit jgenesis Free plan AndroidLinuxMac+1
MAME combines broad system emulation with tools for examining and developing vintage software. Users should account for the absence of most BIOS and copyrighted software files, and for varying emulation fidelity.
Visit MAMEThe facts
| jgenesis | MAME | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Web, Windows | Android, Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | Free or on request |
| Plans published | None | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | mamedev.org |
| On turbografx-16 emulators | #12 of 33 | #8 of 33 |
jgenesis: what it does well
- Supports 11 console systems across multiple generations.
- Includes save states, fast forward, and rewind.
- GPU renderer offers prescaling, aspect ratio, and shader options.
- Works with keyboards and DirectInput gamepads.
- Free to use under the repository's stated licenses.
What to know first
- PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 CD-ROM support is unavailable.
- Requires a 64-bit x86 CPU with SSE4.2.
- Requires Vulkan graphics support or DirectX 12 on Windows 10 and later.
- Development builds may contain bugs and may not be well tested.
MAME: what it does well
- Emulates over 32,000 systems
- Includes an interactive low-level debugger
- Can save states and record inputs
- Supports Lua plugins
- Free under the listed plan
What to know first
- BIOS dumps and copyrighted software are generally not included
- Lua API may change without notice
- Some systems may not emulate perfectly or at full speed
- Windows binaries require Windows 10 or later
Alternatives to jgenesis Alternatives to MAME The whole list