The simulator repo in question, GitHub - lvgl/lv_port_pc_eclipse: PC simulator project for LVGL embedded GUI Library. Recommended on Linux and Mac., provides separate branches corresponding to each release version. Therefore, if using LVGL release/8.2, one should also checkout the particular simulator port for release/8.2 FROM THE SIMULATOR REPO.
Incidentally, that branch more or less does what I did above using the lv_drivers repo.