# Install zboy with Homebrew GameBoy emulator. Version 0.71 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-18. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:zboy ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install zboy ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:zboy - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.71 - **Source summary:** GameBoy emulator - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-18T02:29:03-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - zboy (cli) - zboy (alias) ## Dependencies - sdl2-compat ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.71 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-18 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://zboy.sourceforge.net/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage zBoy is Mateusz Viste's open-source emulator for the original monochrome Game Boy Classic, focused on portability and extra play conveniences rather than Game Boy Color or Advance emulation. ### Project history The project site carries copyright years 2010-2020 and SourceForge lists the project as registered in July 2013. Its public identity is deliberately old-school: a small emulator distributed from SourceForge, available for Linux, DOS, and Windows, and written for the classic DMG Game Boy. ### Adoption history zBoy appears to have remained a niche emulator rather than a flagship retro-gaming platform. Its durable adoption signal is portability across older desktop and DOS-like environments, plus packaging by Unix-style distributions for users who collect lightweight emulators. ### How it is used Users run zBoy with their own Game Boy ROMs and play with keyboard or joypad input. The emulator provides load/save support, PCX screenshots, battery-backed save emulation, graphics scaling filters, high-score preservation for some games, and LAN-based two-player link emulation. ### Why package nerds care zBoy is interesting as a compact retro-emulation package: narrow target hardware, simple local execution, uncommon DOS support, and a feature set that preserves link-cable and battery-save behaviors usually hidden behind larger emulator front ends. ### Timeline - 2010: Project site copyright range begins. - 2013-07: SourceForge project registration date. - 2023-11: SourceForge project page records a later activity update. ### Related projects - VisualBoyAdvance: broader Game Boy and Game Boy Advance emulator listed by SourceForge as a related project. - gnuboy: another portable Game Boy emulator in the same retro-emulation niche. ### Sources - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** zboy - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Game and emulation packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/game-emulation-tools/) - Matched game or emulation metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [sdl2-compat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sdl2-compat/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [fs-uae](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fs-uae/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulator, games, retro-gaming. - [openmsx](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openmsx/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulator, games. - [pc6001vx](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pc6001vx/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulator, games. - [blastem](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/blastem/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulator, games, retro-gaming. - [dosbox-staging](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dosbox-staging/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cross-platform, emulator, games. - [dosbox-x](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dosbox-x/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, cross-platform, emulator, games. - [mednafen](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mednafen/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulator, games, retro-gaming. - [mgba](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mgba/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, emulator, game-boy, games. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/zboy.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/zboy.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - cross-ecosystem install command graph