AgentIndex icon
AgentIndex
Gearboy logo
Gearboy
★ 1.2k
vs
Gearcoleco logo
Gearcoleco
★ 143

Gearboy vs Gearcoleco

Gearboy: Gearboy is a cross-platform Game Boy / Game Boy Color emulator written in C++. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, and RetroArch, and includes an embedded MCP server for debugging and tooling. The emulator supports many cartridge types, accurate LCD emulation, save states, cheats, and a full debugger.; Gearcoleco: Gearcoleco is a highly accurate, cross-platform ColecoVision emulator built in C++, supporting various operating systems and RetroArch. It includes an embedded MCP server, enabling advanced debugging features and AI-assisted tooling for game development and reverse engineering.

01

TL;DR

Gearboy logo
GearboyDev Tooling · ★ 1.2k

Playing and testing Game Boy and Game Boy Color games

Read Gearboy full review →
Gearcoleco logo
GearcolecoDev Tooling · ★ 143

Playing ColecoVision games on modern operating systems and RetroArch with enhanced features.

Read Gearcoleco full review →
02

Side-by-Side Comparison

Field
Gearboy logoGearboy
Gearcoleco logoGearcoleco
Category
Dev Tooling
Dev Tooling
Stars
★ 1.2k
★ 143
License
GPL-3.0
GPL-3.0
Install Command
brew install --cask drhelius/geardome/gearboy
brew install --cask drhelius/geardome/gearcoleco
Updated
1d ago
1d ago
Open Source
Yes
Yes
Website
↗ Visit
↗ Visit
GitHub
↗ GitHub
↗ GitHub
Tags
bsd, emulation, emulator
Emulator, ColecoVision, Cross-platform
03

Features

Gearboy logoGearboy
01Accurate LCD controller emulation with correct timings and mid-scanline effects
02Game Boy Color support
03Battery-powered RAM save support and save states
04Game Genie and GameShark cheat support
05Full debugger with disassembler, breakpoints, memory editor, and VRAM viewer
Gearcoleco logoGearcoleco
01Very accurate Z80 core, TMS9918 VDP, SN76489 PSG and AY-3-8910 SGM emulation.
02Full debugger with just-in-time disassembler, CPU breakpoints, memory access breakpoints, code navigation, debug symbols, memory editor, trace logger, IO inspector and VRAM viewer.
03MCP server for AI-assisted debugging with GitHub Copilot, Claude, Codex and similar, exposing tools for execution control, memory inspection, hardware status, rewind and more.
04Support for ColecoVision Super Game Module (SGM) and MegaCart ROMs, as well as Super Action Controller (SAC), Wheel Controller and Roller Controller.
05Save states with preview and rewind support, run-ahead support to reduce input latency, and compressed ROM support (ZIP).
04

Use Cases

Gearboy logoGearboy
↳Playing and testing Game Boy and Game Boy Color games
↳Debugging and reverse engineering ROMs
↳AI-assisted debugging via MCP server for code analysis and inspection
Gearcoleco logoGearcoleco
↳Playing ColecoVision games on modern operating systems and RetroArch with enhanced features.
↳Advanced debugging and analysis of ColecoVision game code and hardware behavior.
↳Developing AI-assisted tools for retro game development, reverse engineering, and modding.
↳Romhacking tasks suchs as cheat creation, memory searching, and game translation.
FAQ

FAQ

What is the difference between Gearboy and Gearcoleco?
Both Gearboy and Gearcoleco are in the Dev Tooling category. Gearboy has 1.2k stars, while Gearcoleco has 143 stars.
Which is better, Gearboy or Gearcoleco?
The best choice depends on your use case. Choose Gearboy if Playing and testing Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, and Gearcoleco if Playing ColecoVision games on modern operating systems and RetroArch with enhanced features..
Is Gearboy free or open source?
Yes, Gearboy is open source on GitHub (GPL-3.0).
Is Gearcoleco free or open source?
Yes, Gearcoleco is open source on GitHub (GPL-3.0).
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Related

Alternatives to Gearboy →Alternatives to Gearcoleco →Gearboy details →Gearcoleco details →