Updated: GBA4iOS
Classic Gameboy Advance emulator GBA4iOS has been updated for MFi controller support, and can be installed without jailbreaking.
This site generally doesn’t cover jailbreak information, emulators, or anything like that, but this particular app is kind of a big deal. It can be installed over-the-air on any iOS7 device, no jailbreak required. It appears to have been signed by a Chinese website of questionable origin – proceed with caution. I can confirm it seems to work well enough, but I have no idea what is happening behind the scenes.
The GBA lends itself particularly well to emulation on iOS. The games run fast, don’t require too many buttons, were mobile-focused, had great graphics – lots to love about that system. Many games that originally debuted on the GBA have subsequently received enhanced iOS ports, but many others have never been rereleased outside of this system. Now, they can be played on the iPhone – the best portable console ever made – and they feel better than ever.
I’m torn on how to recommend this. Emulation is a controversial subject, even today. The ability to preserve old consoles is important, not just to players, but to historians. But some people view emulation as a slippery slope towards piracy. Before you press install on this app, ask yourself where you fall on this topic.