Game Boy family emulation in Rust, written from scratch. GBA first.
  • Rust 97.7%
  • Python 2.3%
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0xrsydn 663b25e5d1 feat(memory): retain IWRAM lane effects across DMA
Update existing Thumb IWRAM continuation lanes from successful DMA reads and writes before the resumed PC+4 snapshot. Keep channel halfword duplication separate from actual lane accesses. Preserve atomic errors, cold-entry diagnostics, IRQ invalidation, and nominal timing.

Add original DMA matrices and resume regressions; update prior invalidation expectations. Record pinned ares and jgenesis evidence and explicit limits for cross-state history, general open bus, and sub-instruction arbitration.

Validated on Darwin arm64: 939 workspace and 870 core/demo tests per debug/release profile, 39 Python tests, native ROM windows, ten window smoke modes, fmt, clippy, and rustdoc. Public ARM/Thumb/memory/BIOS reports remain identical to the previous results.
2026-10-06 02:39:17 +07:00
crates feat(memory): retain IWRAM lane effects across DMA 2026-10-06 02:39:17 +07:00
docs feat(memory): retain IWRAM lane effects across DMA 2026-10-06 02:39:17 +07:00
tools test(bios): integrate pinned BIOS read-protection baseline 2026-10-05 21:31:04 +07:00
.envrc chore(dev): bootstrap Rust and Nix environments for Darwin 2026-10-05 12:58:37 +07:00
.gitignore feat(testing): pin public ARM fixture and document compatibility baseline 2026-10-05 20:01:08 +07:00
AGENTS.md test(bios): integrate pinned BIOS read-protection baseline 2026-10-05 21:31:04 +07:00
Cargo.lock feat(testing): add bounded headless ROM suites and JSON reports 2026-10-05 19:41:40 +07:00
Cargo.toml refactor: split into gameboy-rust workspace with core, demos, and desktop crates 2026-10-05 16:09:46 +07:00
CLAUDE.md docs: split README into docs/ and add AGENTS.md 2026-10-05 16:20:18 +07:00
flake.lock chore(dev): bootstrap Rust and Nix environments for Darwin 2026-10-05 12:58:37 +07:00
flake.nix feat(testing): pin public ARM fixture and document compatibility baseline 2026-10-05 20:01:08 +07:00
README.md fix(bios): preserve documented protected-read words at firmware exits 2026-10-06 00:45:28 +07:00

gameboy-rust

Game Boy family emulation in Rust, written from scratch. The Game Boy Advance (GBA) is the first and currently only system.

This cannot run Pokémon Emerald or other commercial games yet. It is an emulator foundation: an ARM7TDMI interpreter, memory bus, timers, DMA, Mode 0–5 video, and an original BIOS replacement. The included demos run original ARM test programs through the emulated hardware. Raw ROM files can run in terminal sessions or a window with keyboard input. Audio and saves are not implemented.

Layout

Crate Purpose
crates/gba-core Platform-independent GBA emulator. No external Rust dependencies.
crates/gba-demos Original test programs that drive the core.
crates/desktop Native window frontend on minifb. Builds the gameboy-rust executable.

Quick start

macOS on Apple Silicon is the verified platform. Install Nix (with flakes) and direnv, then:

direnv allow .
direnv exec . cargo run --locked --release -- --tile-demo
direnv exec . cargo test --locked

Arrows scroll, Q rotates, W zooms, Z flips, X changes priority, Enter resets, and Escape exits. Run direnv exec . cargo run --locked -- --help to list all modes. For original ROM files, use --rom path/to/original.gba --window, or --steps 100000 instead of --window for terminal diagnostics. See cartridge loading for limits and report meanings. Use --test-suite suite.json for repeatable headless ROM assertions.

Documentation

Document Contents
docs/status.md What works today, deliberate limits, and next steps
docs/demos.md Every demo, its command, and its controls
docs/development.md Nix, direnv, and macOS build notes
docs/testing.md Validation commands and what the test suites cover
docs/rom-tests.md Headless ROM suites, completion checks, assertions, and JSON reports
docs/public-arm-tests.md Pinned public ARM test, preparation command, results, and limits
docs/public-thumb-tests.md Pinned public Thumb test, result protocol, and compatibility baseline
docs/public-memory-tests.md Pinned public memory test, results, and video-byte coverage limits
docs/public-bios-tests.md Pinned BIOS read-protection result and firmware limits
docs/architecture.md Crate boundaries and a file-by-file map
docs/hardware/cpu.md ARM/Thumb execution rules, modes, exceptions, and timing
docs/hardware/cartridge.md ROM loading, window/input controls, original ROM generator, and diagnostics
docs/hardware/bios.md The original BIOS replacement and each supported service
docs/hardware/timers-irq.md Timers, interrupt registers, HALT/STOP, and power control
docs/hardware/dma.md DMA channels, triggers, and timing
docs/hardware/display-timing.md Display clock, status, IRQs, and scanline capture
docs/hardware/video.md Backgrounds, sprites, mosaic, windows, color effects, and input
docs/references.md External hardware references and emulator sources consulted

Coding agents should start with AGENTS.md.

All demo content and the BIOS replacement are original. No Nintendo code or assets are included. Only use game ROMs that you may lawfully use. Do not commit game ROMs, BIOS files, or game assets.