Game imports: .gba
Both single-file import and folder scanning look for the .gba extension, without requiring a particular letter case. Single-file imports also check that the file is readable, non-empty, and passes the native GBA header check.
- .gba
- Game Boy Advance game files. Add them through Import ROM or Add Games Folder.
- .zip / .7z
- Not supported as direct game imports by the current app. Select the actual legally obtained .gba file, not the archive.
- Other consoles
- The current importer is for .gba games. Do not rename another console’s file to .gba.
See How to add games for the storage and access differences between file and folder imports.
Game Saves: compatible .sav data
Use the game’s Saves → Import Save or Export Save actions. The importer checks that data can be read, is non-empty, and is no larger than 256 KiB. These structural checks do not prove that the save matches your game.
Use a save intended for the same game and compatible version or patch. Emulator snapshots and Timeline state files are separate from Game Saves; changing their extension to .sav does not convert them. Follow the save guide for a normal restart after import.
Patches: IPS, BPS, and UPS
The patching tool accepts IPS, BPS, and UPS data, identified from file contents. It needs a separate base .gba game and creates a new output.
BPS and UPS include source and output integrity checks in the implemented flow; IPS does not provide the same source checksum validation. The patch input and output ceilings are 64 MiB. See patching errors for how those safeguards are reported.
A format is not a compatibility guarantee
A recognized extension or a completed patch operation cannot establish that every game, modification, or transferred save works correctly. Check the actual file and its version when diagnosing a failure.
GBA Play does not include commercial ROMs or a proprietary GBA BIOS. Use files you are legally entitled to use. This reference describes file handling and does not supply game downloads.