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Advanced Configuration Guide

This guide covers advanced configuration options in mGBA, including emulation accuracy settings, performance tuning, and optimization techniques for specific use cases.

Emulation Accuracy Settings

CPU Accuracy

mGBA offers two CPU accuracy modes:

  • Normal Mode: Balanced accuracy and performance (default). Suitable for most games and general use. Provides excellent compatibility while maintaining good performance.
  • Accurate Mode: Maximum accuracy with cycle-accurate timing. Perfect for speedruns, professional testing, and accuracy-critical applications. May have slightly higher CPU usage.

Memory Timing

Configure memory bus timing accuracy:

  • Normal Timing: Approximate memory timing (faster, good for most games)
  • Precise Timing: Cycle-accurate memory timing (slower, more accurate)

DMA Timing

DMA (Direct Memory Access) transfer timing:

  • Normal DMA: Approximate DMA timing
  • Accurate DMA: Cycle-accurate DMA timing

Performance Configuration

Frame Skipping

Configure frame skipping to maintain performance on slower hardware:

  • None: Render every frame (60 FPS)
  • Manual: Manual frame skip control
  • Automatic: Automatic frame skipping when performance drops
  • Max Frames: Maximum frames to skip (0-10)

Fast Forward

Configure fast forward settings:

  • Speed: Fast forward multiplier (1x to 10x)
  • Unbounded: Allow unlimited fast forward speed
  • Hotkey: Configure fast forward hotkey (default: Tab)

CPU Overclocking

Adjust emulated CPU speed:

  • Speed: CPU speed multiplier (0.5x to 10x)
  • 1x: Normal speed (default)
  • 2x: Double speed (useful for testing)
  • 0.5x: Half speed (for debugging)
Warning: CPU overclocking may cause timing issues and game incompatibilities. Use with caution.

Video Configuration

Advanced Rendering Options

  • VSync: Vertical synchronization (on/off)
  • Threaded Video: Run video rendering in separate thread (improves performance)
  • Hardware Accelerated Scaling: Use GPU for scaling operations
  • Anti-Aliasing: Anti-aliasing level (0-4x MSAA)

Custom Shaders

Load custom GLSL shaders for advanced visual effects:

  1. Create or download a GLSL shader file (.frag or .glsl)
  2. Go to Settings β†’ Video β†’ Shader
  3. Select "Load Shader"
  4. Choose your shader file
  5. Adjust shader parameters if available

Audio Configuration

Audio Quality Settings

  • Sample Rate: Audio sample rate (8kHz to 48kHz, default: 44.1kHz)
  • Buffer Size: Audio buffer size (512 to 8192 samples, default: 2048)
  • Resampling Quality: Low, Medium, High quality audio resampling
  • Volume Control: Master volume (0% to 200%)

Audio Backends

Select audio backend based on your platform:

  • SDL: Cross-platform audio (default on desktop)
  • OpenAL: Advanced audio library
  • CoreAudio: macOS/iOS native audio
  • DirectSound: Windows native audio

Input Configuration

Advanced Input Options

  • Input Polling: Polling method for input (immediate, on-frame)
  • Analog Input: Enable analog stick support for compatible controllers
  • Input Remapping: Save and load input configurations
  • Multiple Profiles: Create different input profiles for different games

Save State Configuration

Save State Options

  • Auto-Save: Automatically save state at intervals
  • Auto-Save Interval: Time between auto-saves (seconds)
  • Save State Format: Compression level for save states
  • Save State Location: Custom directory for save states

BIOS Configuration

Using Real BIOS

To use a real Game Boy Advance BIOS:

  1. Obtain a legal Game Boy Advance BIOS dump
  2. Go to Settings β†’ Emulation β†’ BIOS
  3. Select "Use BIOS"
  4. Browse to your BIOS file
  5. Enable "Skip BIOS" to skip intro sequence (optional)
Legal Note: You must own a Game Boy Advance to legally dump and use a BIOS file. Sharing or distributing BIOS files may violate copyright laws.

Rewind Feature

mGBA supports a rewind feature that allows you to "undo" gameplay:

  • Enable Rewind: Enable rewind functionality
  • Rewind Buffer Size: Number of frames to store in rewind buffer
  • Rewind Hotkey: Configure hotkey for rewinding
  • Rewind Speed: Speed of rewinding (1x to 10x)

Advanced Features

Frame Advance

Frame advance allows you to step through gameplay frame-by-frame:

  • Enable Frame Advance: Enable frame advance mode
  • Frame Advance Hotkey: Configure hotkey for advancing frames
  • Frame Skip: Number of frames to advance per keypress

Cheat Codes

Advanced cheat code management:

  • Cheat Code Formats: GameShark, Action Replay, CodeBreaker support
  • Cheat Categories: Organize cheats by category
  • Cheat Import/Export: Import cheats from files or export to files
  • Cheat Auto-Load: Automatically load cheats when ROM loads

Optimization Tips

For Low-End Hardware

  • Use software rendering if hardware acceleration is unavailable
  • Reduce resolution scaling (1x or 2x)
  • Enable frame skipping to maintain playable framerate
  • Reduce audio buffer size
  • Disable unnecessary visual effects

For High-End Hardware

  • Use hardware acceleration (Vulkan, Direct3D 11, Metal)
  • Increase resolution scaling (3x or 4x)
  • Enable threaded rendering for better performance
  • Use high-quality audio settings
  • Enable advanced visual effects and shaders

Configuration Profiles

mGBA supports configuration profiles for different games or use cases:

  • Create Profile: Save current settings as a profile
  • Load Profile: Load a saved configuration profile
  • Profile Management: Create, rename, delete profiles
  • Game-Specific Profiles: Automatically load profile for specific games
Tip: Create different profiles for speedrunning (accurate mode) and casual play (normal mode with performance optimizations) to easily switch between configurations.

Related Articles

For more information about mGBA configuration and optimization: