Game Boy

Nintendo’s original Game Boy launched in 1989 and went on to become one of the best-selling consoles of all time. With Provenance, you can play the full Game Boy library — including Game Boy Color titles — on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. Tetris, Pokémon Red and Blue, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Kirby’s Dream Land: all of it, in your pocket again.

Provenance is free, open-source, and available directly from the App Store with no jailbreak needed.

Supported File Formats

Provenance supports both original Game Boy and Game Boy Color ROM formats:

• .gb — Standard Game Boy ROM format, covering the original gray-cartridge library
• .gbc — Game Boy Color ROMs, including titles that require the GBC and those with enhanced color support on GBC hardware

The same emulator handles both formats seamlessly. If a game has GBC enhancements, Provenance will render them correctly.

Features

Playing Game Boy and Game Boy Color games in Provenance gives you access to the full suite of emulator features:

• Save States — Save at any point, not just at in-game save prompts; essential for the original Game Boy’s battery-save limitations
• Controller Support — Full MFi, Xbox, and PlayStation controller compatibility; on-screen touch controls also available
• Shader Support — Apply a classic green-tinted DMG palette filter or CRT-style effects to nail the original handheld aesthetic
• Cheat Codes — Game Genie and GameShark code support for Game Boy titles
• Fast Forward — Speed through slow text sequences or random encounters
• On-Screen Controls — Customizable touch overlay for playing without a physical controller

iCloud Sync with Provenance Plus

Provenance Plus adds iCloud sync for your Game Boy save states and game library. Your Pokémon save files and Link’s Awakening progress stay backed up and available across all your devices automatically.

How to Get Started

1. Download Provenance from the App Store — it’s free.
2. Add your Game Boy ROM files to Provenance using iTunes File Sharing, the Files app, or a web server import.
3. Start playing — Provenance detects your Game Boy and GBC titles automatically.

For detailed setup instructions, visit the Provenance wiki.