Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

RetroArch VS Kawaks

Compare RetroArch VS Kawaks and see what are their differences

RetroArch logo RetroArch

RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.

Kawaks logo Kawaks

Winkawaks Emulator Official Website,Latest version of Winkawaks,Best Neo Geo Emulators,and Neo Geo Game Roms Download, The King of Fighters Download.
  • RetroArch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-22
  • Kawaks Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-19

RetroArch features and specs

  • Versatility
    RetroArch supports a wide range of gaming platforms and can emulate many different system cores, making it highly versatile for users who want to play games from various consoles.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    RetroArch is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, enabling users to have a consistent experience across different devices.
  • High Customizability
    Users can customize keybindings, video, and audio settings extensively. There are numerous shaders and overlays that can be applied to enhance the gaming experience.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Features like save states, netplay, rewind, and achievements add a modern twist to retro gaming and are robustly implemented in RetroArch.
  • Active Development Community
    An active development community continually updates RetroArch with new features, bug fixes, and emulation cores, ensuring ongoing improvements and support.

Possible disadvantages of RetroArch

  • Complex Setup
    The setup process for RetroArch can be complex, especially for newcomers. Configuring cores, bios files, and controller setups might require a steep learning curve.
  • Performance Issues
    Some cores may not run smoothly or may have compatibility issues depending on the user's hardware or the specific game being emulated.
  • User Interface
    The user interface, while powerful and feature-rich, can be daunting and unintuitive for those not familiar with emulation software.
  • Legal Concerns
    Users must be cautious about the legality of ROMs and BIOS files, as downloading them without owning the original game or system is illegal in many jurisdictions.
  • Resource Intensive
    RetroArch can be resource-intensive, potentially causing lag or crashes on older or less powerful hardware, especially when using advanced features like shaders.

Kawaks features and specs

  • High compatibility
    Kawaks offers excellent compatibility with a wide range of classic arcade games, providing a seamless emulation experience for fans of various titles.
  • Performance
    The emulator is optimized for smooth performance, running games efficiently even on older hardware, making it accessible for users with different system configurations.
  • User-friendly interface
    Kawaks has a straightforward and intuitive user interface, which makes it easy for both beginners and experienced users to navigate and configure settings.
  • Customization options
    It offers a wide array of customization options, including video and audio settings, allowing users to tailor their gaming experience to their preferences.
  • Netplay support
    Kawaks supports netplay, enabling users to play multiplayer games with friends over the internet, thus enhancing the multiplayer experience.

Possible disadvantages of Kawaks

  • Limited platform support
    Kawaks is primarily designed for Windows, which limits its accessibility for users on other operating systems like macOS and Linux without additional setup.
  • Outdated updates
    The emulator does not receive frequent updates, which may result in limited support for newer gaming features or lack of improvements in certain areas.
  • Limited documentation
    There is limited official documentation available, which can be a challenge for new users trying to configure or troubleshoot complex settings.
  • Smaller community
    Compared to other emulators, Kawaks has a smaller user community, which might limit the availability of user-generated content and community support.

Analysis of RetroArch

Overall verdict

  • Yes, RetroArch is generally considered a good platform for emulating and playing retro games.

Why this product is good

  • RetroArch is a powerful, open-source front-end for emulators, game engines, and media players. It offers a unified interface and a wide range of features such as real-time rewind, run-ahead input latency reduction, and dynamic rate control to reduce audio stuttering. It also supports advanced configurations and has a vibrant community that contributes to its continuous development and wide-ranging emulator core support.

Recommended for

  • Gamers who enjoy retro and classic video games
  • Users looking for an all-in-one emulator solution
  • Customization enthusiasts who want extensive configuration options
  • Individuals interested in multi-platform support, as RetroArch runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and more

RetroArch videos

RetroArch - Getting Started! Your Ultimate Retro Gaming PC! [Setup and Demonstration]

More videos:

Kawaks videos

Review - WinKawaks [Arcade บน PC]

More videos:

  • Tutorial - WinKawaks 1.65 Emulator - How to play [ CPS2 ] - Capcom play system 2 game on PC
  • Review - Review - WinKawaks [Arcade บน PC]

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to RetroArch and Kawaks)
Gaming
94 94%
6% 6
Emulators
94 94%
6% 6
Gaming Tools
92 92%
8% 8
Media Player
94 94%
6% 6

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare RetroArch and Kawaks

RetroArch Reviews

Best DS Emulator: Are These Emulators Safe And Legal To Use?
RetroArch also supports a wide range of controller types, making it a great choice for gamers who want to use their favorite controller.
Source: appletoo.us
5 Best Nintendo DS Emulators for PC
It has highlights like RetroArch are shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, run ahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and much more.
Best emulators for Android in 2023
RetroArch is a popular open-source front-end for emulators. If you’re into playing retro games, RetroArch is your one-stop shop for all your emulating needs. It's not an emulator by itself but instead allows you to add "cores" that act as the backend to emulate several legacy consoles. While most of its most popular emulators are already covered here by dedicated apps, it...
5 of the Best GameBoy Advance (GBA) Emulators for Android
RetroArch is a poster child worldwide of emulation, specifically due to the fact that it’s not precisely an emulator. The retroArch is best refer to as a solitary, unified application where you can communicate with other emulators.
4 Free Open Source Game Emulators For Windows PC, Linux, and macOS
In addition to this, you are able to run original game discs (CDs) from RetroArch. RetroArch has advanced features like shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, runahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and more! What systems does it play?

Kawaks Reviews

We have no reviews of Kawaks yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, RetroArch seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 20 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

RetroArch mentions (20)

  • RetroArch cannot be found on the PlayStore, the first result is a copycat. It is just me?
    No, isn't just you. Every 64-bit phone haves the Play Store Retroarch available, the 32-bits no. But you can still download the 32-bit version on the Retroarch website. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Cause of the intrusion has been found and isolated. Sites are operational again.
    It was only the download links on retroarch.com on the Platforms page that got (briefly) redirected for a few hours. That should all be safe now. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Malicious download links?
    Yes, only the retroarch.com and libretro.com websites were affected. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Recent update from supposed hackers
    I went to retroarch.com and it said "discord.gg/evaderz is big haxors" its unrespectable. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Latest RetroArch on Xiaomi Mi box
    I've got installed RetroArch Plus from Google Play on my Xiaomi Mi box 4k and I want to update it to the latest version. I downloaded apk from retroarch.com but when I use apk installer to update it say is not compatible. I removed version from Google Play but fresh install 1.15.0 is not compatible too. I tried 32 and 64 version. What I'm doing wrong? Is any other AndroidTV version? Source: about 2 years ago
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Kawaks mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Kawaks yet. Tracking of Kawaks recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing RetroArch and Kawaks, you can also consider the following products

OpenEmu - Console and Arcade video game emulator for macOS.

Mame - MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator.

LaunchBox - LaunchBox is a portable, box-art-based games database and launcher for DOSBox, emulators, arcade cabinets, and PC Games. Download it free!

FB Alpha - FB Alpha or FBA as it is commonly known is an emulator of arcade games, that is, it takes the...

Batocera.linux - Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer/nano computer into a gaming console during a game or permanently.

Nebula - Nebula is an arcade emulator.