Did you know that the Visual Boy Advance, or VBA, has been around for 20 years? That’s very impressive, but of course, older console emulators have existed longer.
The VBA was always the go-to emulator for GBA games. In the 20-year span that it has had, it has still been getting updates.
That being said, do you know how to make Visual Boy Advance look better? It’s possible to do it with the latest versions of the VBA! You can make your games look a bit different or better than what they normally look like.
We’ll teach you how to change the look of your VBA games with the following steps.
Other how-to topics to check out:
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- Visual Boy Advance (VBA) Review for GBC and GBA
- How to Play Pokemon FireRed on Android
Download the Latest Version of VBA
It is important to download the current and latest version of the VBA emulator. Right now, the latest version is 2.2.2.
There’s not much of a difference whether you download the 32-bit or 64-bit. Whatever works for your device, just download the right version. That’s because the new version will have all the features we need to make your VBA gaming experience better.
The Audio Quality
Let’s start with the sound and audio quality, because that can be a factor in making your VBA look and feel better. This is more about sound, and if you check the Audio option, there are factors that you can change.
However, based on our tests, there isn’t really that much of a difference when it comes to the audio output.
You can try checking the different options, and maybe you’ll see a difference. Maybe you’ll find something different, and this feature is free.
How to Make Visual Boy Advance Look Better
If you take a look at the two images below, they will be the reference for the changes that we will do to make the VBA look better. The games are Pokemon Emerald for the GBA sample and Pokemon Crystal for the GBC/GB samples.
These images give a raw look of those games. Basically, when you played these games on the GBA handhelds, this is what they looked like. There are no alterations to them, so they look a bit pixelated, which was always the case.
1. Using Retain the Aspect Ratio
The “Retain the Aspect Ratio” feature is most useful for GB and GBC games. When you use the emulator, the games are launched in a way where the game is stretched on the screen.
For GBA games, this is fine, since the screens for the games look the same. For GB and GBC games, this may make the game look a bit dull.
What you can do is go to the options and click on the video. Select the “Retain the Aspect Ratio” feature. Now, the GB and GBC games will have those black bars on the side. This makes the game look better because it’s not stretched.
Even when you go full screen, the black bars will be there. GBA games will have the black bars only when they are in full-screen.
2. The Bilinear Filter
Look back at the sample images above, and you will see the pixel look of the game. Going to the options and video section, press the “Bilinear Filter.”
When you choose this feature, the game looks like it has a minor blur to it. The pixel look has been decreased, and it looks cleaner. This can be turned on or off anytime you want.
3. Change Interframe Blending
This feature is a bit less noticeable. That is because these games are mostly in 2D, so you can’t really see the changes in the frames that much.
It’s not like in 3D games when features like motion blur are very noticeable. Nevertheless, you can test it out and see if you can see any difference.
4. Change Pixel Filter Feature
This is the big one and the one you may want to tinker with a lot. By going to the options and then video and clicking on “Change Pixel Filter,” you can really alter the look of your game to a certain degree.
There are a lot of filters, and we’ll showcase a few below for both the GBA and GBC games.
To make your life better, simply click CTRL + G to change the filter anytime, without the need to open the options. Different filters have certain effects, but some of them are barely noticeable. Feel free to check out which ones are good or are to your liking.
GBA Pixel Filter Samples
GBC Pixel Filter Samples
FAQs
Can you combine some VBA filters?
Yes, you can combine some of them. For the Pixel Filter, you can only have one in use at a time. However, you can also turn on the Bilinear Filter and Interframe Blending at the same time with the Pixel Filter.
What are the best combinations of filters?
We can recommend some, but feel free to find what you like.
Go for a Bilinear Filter with the Pixel Filter “TV MODE.” It gives you that retro look as if you’re playing a GBA game on the TV.
Another good combo is the Pixel Filter “xBRZ 2x.” You can turn on the Bilinear Filter or not; either way, the game looks smooth and almost like a watercolor painting. The black edges are thickened, and the sprites don’t look pixelated.
In Closing
Now that you know how to make Visual Boy Advance look better, what are you waiting for?
Go and test out some good combinations to make your games look better, or at least to your liking. We’re not sure which versions have these features.
Many of the older VBA emulators do not have the filters and other features that you need. The recent version is available for download for free, so that’s good.
Do you have your own desired filter combos? Let us know in the comments so others can try them out.
