VBA Next Switch

VBA-next
General
Author	RSDuck
Type	Handheld
Version	0.7
License	GPL-2.0
Last Updated	2018/07/14
Links
Download
Website
Source

VBA-next switch is a port of the Game Boy Advance emulator VBA-M for Switch. It's based off the libretro version of VBA-M (VBA-next) but is completely detached from libretro. The GUI is based of 3DSGBA, which was heavily refactored.

Because it's based of VBA-M the compability is very high and almost all games run at fullspeed.

Note: This project is no longer maintained. Use mgba (standalone or libretro) or the vba-next libretro core instead, it is regularly updated and features more options.

Features

• Quite high combability (haven't tried many games).
• Save games and save states.
• Frameskip.

User guide

Speed Hack

Note: Some of the information presented below may be outdated or inaccurate.

The emulator experienced frequent slowdowns before the implementation of the "speed hack." Although the following discoveries were made independently, they may be common knowledge among emulator developers. The two factors that were found to contribute to the emulator's sluggish performance were: the thread/core it was running on, and the use of VSync.

To address the first issue, the entire emulator was shifted to a second thread with high priority and pinned to a core not currently in use by the system.

Eliminating the wait for vertical synchronization caused visual artifacts, so the emulator was restricted to the second thread and locked at 60 Hz using sleep thread. Meanwhile, the main thread was locked by the VSync, receiving the framebuffer and sending input while leaving the audio in the emulator thread.

However, this led to the issue of both threads, despite being locked at 60 Hz, occasionally running out of sync. Consequently, the input or the graphics of a frame may be skipped or sometimes out of sync.

Screenshots

Media

HOMEBREW Nintendo Switch (NEW GAME BOY ADVANCE EMULATOR) (VBA NEXT) VERY IMPRESSED (Part 1) (MrHomebrew)

Known issues

• In rare occasions the audio has problems.
• Video and Input not frame accurate(see Speed hack).

Changelog

0.7

• Cheat support. They can be directly entered from the emulator, just enter the cheats menu from the pause menu..
• Fullscreen UI in docked mode(though the implementation isn't optimal, also currently not tested).
• Some minor improvements and adjustments, seriously.

0.6

• Complete UI overhaul. Now it looks almost native.
• Setting to offset the real time clock.

0.5

• UI improvements.
• Fast forward is now on the R button.
• There's an option to swap the function of the L and R buttons with ZL and ZR's function.
• Some minor adjustments and bug fixes.

0.4

• Reduced lag from emulator and main thread image synchronisation.
• Increased filename buffer.
• Filenames are sorted alphabetically.

0.3

• Better audio in almost all situations.
• More robust string and path handling.
• Added autosaving.
• Added settings menu (press Minus to open it).
• Added screen scaling (Options: Nearest Integer, Nearest Fullscreen, Bilinear Fullscreen. The last one is a bit slow so I don't recommend it).
• Added RTC support.
• Fixed #8 (analog sticks can be disabled via the settings).

0.2

• fix audio.

0.1

• First Release.

Credits

• jakibaki and dene- who helped massively with their Pull Requests.
• BernardoGiordano for the great keyboard in Checkpoint.
• VBA-M and libretro devs.
• shinyquagsire23 and Steveice10 for 3DSGBA.
• libnx devs.

External links

• GitHub - https://github.com/RSDuck/vba-next-switch
• GBAtemp - https://gbatemp.net/threads/vba-next-for-switch-works-4-1.504947/
• ForTheUsers - https://apps.fortheusers.org/switch/VBA_NEXT