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Installing VisualBoyAdvance on Linux

Getting a GBA emulator on a Linux operating system is fairly simple and with the help of VisualBoyAdvance we can easily setup, install and play Game Boy Advance games on Linux.

When it comes to getting Visual Boy Advance running on Linux, there are two ways you can go about it: using the terminal or downloading off the Software Store. For the purpose of this guide, we will be illustrating the setup on Ubuntu (22.04.1 LTS) version.

Requirements

Command Line / Terminal

Ubuntu Software Store

Setup via Terminal

Our team will be utilizing Snaps to securely install VisualBoyAdvance through the Terminal. If you are running Ubuntu 16.04 or newer, then snap is already installed on your device by default. But don’t worry – users with a different Linux distribution can also easily install VBA using the snap method; simply select your operating system and follow the instructions outlined on their official wiki guide!

Note Snaps are applications packaged with all their dependencies to run on all popular Linux distributions from a single build. They update automatically and roll back gracefully.

To install VisualBoyAdvance via command line, open up your terminal and type in;

sudo apt-get update (to update your OS)
sudo apt-get upgrade -y (to upgrade installed files)
sudo snap install visualboyadvance-m --beta (this command installs VisualBoyAdvance)

After the install completed we can run VisualBoyAdvance via terminal by typing in;

visualboyadvance-m

Or by going to “show applications” and searching for VBA-M.

Whichever method you choose, once launched, VBA will popup with a black screen and you are ready to play some Game Boy Advance games on your Linux machine.

Setup via Ubuntu Software Store

The Visual Boy Advance (VBA) team have gone above and beyond in ensuring that all platforms are fully supported, including Linux. With the snap package, users can now quickly and easily find VisualBoyAdvance on the Ubuntu store and enjoy a convenient 1-click install or uninstall option.

For smooth installation of VBA via the Ubuntu Software store, simply open up the App store and search for it. Tap ‘install’, grant all permissions as required, then launch the application from your Linux ‘show applications’ section.

Note When searching on the Ubuntu App store, you will notice there are more than one version. Make sure to install the VisualBoyAdvance-M version.

With Visual Boy Advance (GBA) Emulator successfully installed on your Linux distribution we can now download and load ROM games.

How to Load ROMs

It’s easy to launch your favorite Game Boy, Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance games. Just follow the steps outlined in our Knowledge Base’s How To Load Roms section for additional details.

First, download your desired game files. Then, open up the File menu and select one of these options based on your ROM type: Open for GBA (Gameboy Advance) roms; Open GB for classic games; or Open GBC for GameBoy Color titles. Lastly, locate the ROM file you just downloaded and voila! The game is now ready to play.

Additional Options and Features

At Visual Boy Advance, our Knowledge Base is full of useful information and helpful tips to ensure you get the most out of VBA. Our manual includes guidance that can help you on your journey, and if you ever have any issues, our troubleshooting page is your go-to source for help.

To stay informed about all the amazing updates from the Game Boy community, be sure to follow us on social media! We post a variety of helpful content so you don’t miss anything important!

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