R36S Game Boy Emulation: GB, GBC & Pocket Games Guide
Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulation on the R36S is essentially perfect — every game runs flawlessly. The interesting part is getting the display settings right: choosing the correct palette for original Game Boy games, setting up borders, and deciding whether to use integer scaling or fill the full screen.
Which Core to Use for Game Boy
The R36S handles both GB and GBC emulation effortlessly. The main choice is between accuracy and features:
| Core | Systems | Accuracy | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gambatte | GB, GBC | Excellent | Best all-around choice |
| SameBoy | GB, GBC | Highest | Cycle-accurate, border support |
| mGBA | GB, GBC, GBA | Very Good | Single core for all GB variants |
| TGB Dual | GB, GBC | Good | Link cable emulation (trading, battles) |
✅ Recommended Cores
Use Gambatte for most GB and GBC games — it's fast, accurate, and well-maintained. Use SameBoy if you want Super Game Boy borders or the highest possible accuracy. Use TGB Dual specifically for games that require link cable emulation (Pokémon trading/battles).
BIOS Files for Game Boy
GB and GBC emulation works without BIOS files, but using the actual boot ROM BIOS provides:
- Correct boot animation (the classic Game Boy logo scroll)
- Slightly better game compatibility in edge cases
- Accurate GBC palette assignment for GB games
BIOS file names expected by RetroArch:
| System | BIOS Filename | Location on SD Card |
|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | gb_bios.bin | /roms/BIOS/ |
| Game Boy Color | gbc_bios.bin | /roms/BIOS/ |
| Super Game Boy | SGB_BIOS.smc | /roms/BIOS/ |
Gambatte Core Options
Open Quick Menu → Core Options while running a GB/GBC game.
Game Boy Color Palette (for Original GB Games)
When playing original Game Boy games on GBC or GBA hardware (emulated or real), a color palette is applied. Gambatte offers many options:
| Palette Option | Description |
|---|---|
| DMG (Greenscale) | Original Game Boy greenish tint — authentic experience |
| GBC (Game-Specific) | Uses GBC's built-in palette for each game — colorized look |
| SGB | Super Game Boy palettes — warm, earthy tones |
| Game Boy Pocket-style neutral grey tones |
💡 Pro Tip
For original Game Boy games, the "Pocket" palette (neutral grey tones) looks cleanest on the R36S's backlit IPS screen. The classic "DMG Green" palette is more authentic but the green tint can feel dated. Try both and pick your preference.
Key Gambatte Settings
| Setting | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Up/Down Allowed | Off | Prevents glitches from pressing opposing directions simultaneously |
| Turbo Speed | Off | Enable for faster grinding in RPGs if desired |
| Interframe Blending | LCD Ghosting (ON) | Reduces flickering in games that use alternating-frame sprite tricks |
| Color Correction | GBC Only | Adjusts GBC color output to match real hardware display |
Display Settings for Game Boy
Aspect Ratio
The original Game Boy screen was 160×144 pixels. On the R36S 640×480 display:
- Integer Scale 4x: 640×576 — slightly crops vertically but pixel-perfect
- Integer Scale 3x: 480×432 — smaller but perfectly crisp, centered
- Core Provided: Correct 10:9 aspect ratio, fills width sensibly
- Stretched to fill: 640×480 — fills screen but distorts pixels slightly
✅ Recommended Display Setting
Use Integer Scale at 3x for the cleanest image with no distortion. 480×432 fits nicely centered on the 640×480 screen with black bars on the sides. This gives you the authentic Game Boy proportion with perfectly square pixels.
Game Boy DMG Shader (Optional)
If you want the authentic reflective LCD look:
- Quick Menu → Shaders → Load Preset
- Find
handheld/dot-matrix-green.glslporgb-shader.glslp - This simulates the original DMG screen grid pattern
SameBoy: Super Game Boy Borders
SameBoy supports Super Game Boy mode, which displays decorative borders around GB games — exactly as the SGB accessory did on SNES.
Enabling SGB Borders
- Set Core to SameBoy
- Core Options → System → Emulated Model → Super Game Boy
- Make sure the
SGB_BIOS.smcBIOS file is in your BIOS folder - Launch a GB game — if it has SGB support, the game-specific border will appear
Games with notable Super Game Boy support: Kirby's Dreamland 2, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, and most Nintendo first-party GB games.
Link Cable Emulation (Pokémon Trading)
The TGB Dual core allows emulating two Game Boys connected by a link cable — useful for Pokémon trades and battles without needing a second device.
Using TGB Dual for Pokémon
- Load the core: TGB Dual
- Load the ROM — TGB Dual opens two Game Boy windows simultaneously
- Both "handhelds" are controlled via the same controller, switching between them
- In-game, enter a trade center or battle room on both games to initiate link cable actions
⚠️ Important
TGB Dual requires two separate save files for the same game. Don't overwrite your primary save. Set up a dedicated save file specifically for trade purposes, and back up both saves before using TGB Dual.
Best Game Boy & GBC Games for R36S
| Game | System | Why It's Great on R36S |
|---|---|---|
| Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow | GB | Perfect emulation, use link cable core for trades |
| Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal | GBC | Gorgeous colors on the IPS screen |
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | GBC | Vibrant GBC colors, complete classic adventure |
| Tetris | GB | DMG green palette looks perfect for this one |
| Kirby's Dream Land | GB | Clean visuals, SGB border support |
| Metal Gear Solid | GBC | Impressive GBC title, runs flawlessly |
| Dragon Warrior Monsters | GBC | Addictive RPG, long battery sessions |
| Wario Land 3 | GBC | Great platformer with excellent GBC colors |