Recommended emulators
So, you're looking around the wiki, found some good games to play for the older consoles, but you don't actually have it. And you're not willing to buy a new console just to play it, or as a result of time passing, dem bricks have jacked up their price tags on eBay beyond your budget. So what do you do? Use the emulator. This page has the best emulators for each console, along with it's features.
Note: Emulators aren't perfect. Depending on the game, you might get some glitches. Few of these should be game-breaking, though. Also, some games may flat-out not work, so you may want to check compatibility lists. Emulation of newer systems like PS4 and Switch is still in a very rough stage, buying and modding the system may be your best choice.
There's another wiki that is better maintained: Emulation General
Admin note: Don't link to ROMs or any .exe direct-install links. (This note is just to cover the site's collective ass, and I apologize for the need of it.) - Derpiko
Home Consoles
[edit | edit source]| Logo | Title | Emulated system | Host system | Description | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Bigpemu icon.png | BigPEmu | Jaguar Jaguar CD |
Windows Linux macOS iOS |
This is the same emulator used in the "Atari 50" compilation. Not only it's very accurate, it runs at full speed even on modest PCs.
(Yes, that is the icon. It's the programmer's daughter.) |
Link |
| File:Bsnes icon.png | bsnes | SNES | Windows Linux macOS |
The most accurate SNES emulator out there, so it's very demanding. If your machine can't handle it, use Snes9x instead. bsnes is a subset of multi-system emulator higan, although the standalone version has better performance and a different interface.
Alternatively, get the bsnes-hd fork that can render Mode 7 graphics in high resolution and widescreen. F-Zero and Pilotwings look fantastic with it! |
Link |
| File:Cemu icon.png | Cemu | Wii U | Windows | Hey, kid. Wanna play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at 1080p resolution and with 60 frames-per-second? This emulator right here should do the trick. Remember to download Cemuhook and get some shader caches here to reduce slowdown. Oh, and while you're at it, grab some graphic packs as well. Needs a high-end PC (NVidia cards are recommended) to run things smoothly. |
Link |
| File:Demul icon v2.png | Demul | Dreamcast | Windows | One of the best DC emulators. This one may have higher accuracy than NullDC/reicast, but at a performance cost, and it's UI is a bit too cryptic for some, so it isn't recommended for casuals, but there are guides (albeit outdated) for it (ex: 123). It supports Naomi, Hikaru, and Atomiswave arcade games, but it's also the only that support Windows CE, albeit not too well (Makaron is dead, so it doesn't count), hence why it's on the list. |
Link |
| File:Dolphin icon.png | Dolphin | Gamecube Wii |
Windows Linux macOS Android |
Notable for being the only emulator out there to play Wii games, which is a godsend for Be sure to download the development version, as stable releases lag years behind. Also note that Dolphin has some steep requirements. If your computer can barely cut it, try the Ishiiruka build with its Async shader compilation. |
Link |
|
DuckStation | PlayStation | Windows Linux macOS Android |
As PCSX development is basically dead, it's time for an alternative. DuckStation is designed from the ground up for great performance, accuracy, portability, and is much less tricky to set up. | Link |
| File:Flycast icon.png | Flycast | Dreamcast | Windows Linux Android |
Another DC emulator, except it's a fork of reicast, an open-source emulator based on NullDC (made by the same team too) and has seen some improvements over the years, though compatibility isn't as great as Demul (granted some compatibility lists are outdated as hell), but it isn't a resource hog and can still emulate Naomi and Atomiswave games, so it's a pretty excellent choice overall. | Link |
| File:Kega Fusion icon.png | Kega Fusion | MegaDrive Sega CD 32X Pico Master System Game Gear |
Windows Linux macOS |
The other Sega multi-emulator. Hasn't been updated in ages, but it still runs almost everything perfect, supports netplay, and the interface is nice. For the edge cases it can't handle (such as super rare Surgical Strike on the 32X-CD), try the PicoDrive-libretro core instead.
(If you're on Windows 8 or 10, be sure to get the framerate fixer file as well.) |
Link |
| File:Mesen icon.png | Mesen | NES FDS |
Windows Linux |
Mesen is a recent NES emulator designed with the goal of perfect accuracy. It supports over 290 mappers, netplay, 4 players, FDS games, mouse for Zapper games, and even custom HD textures. It also includes a debugger, handy if you're coding NES games. Also available as a Libretro core.
As of October 5th of 2020, the emulator has been retired, leaving puNES as the only cycle-accurate NES emulator that's still active. Note: despite lower accuracy, Nestopia UE and FCEUX may be better choices in some cases, as both are lighter on hardware requirements; the latter also supports even the most obscure bootlegs, and has TAS features and Lua scripting. |
Link |
| File:Parallel Launcher icon.png | Parallel Launcher | Nintendo 64 | Windows Linux macOS |
ParallelN64 is a new emulation core aimed at bringing more accuracy to the N64 scene. Which may not be ideal for everyone as it needs a high-end CPU, but give it a try. This launcher will let you use it without having to deal with RetroArch's abstruse interface. Alternatively, use 1964GEPD to play GoldenEye and Perfect Dark. | Link |
| File:PCSX2 icon.png | PCSX2 | PlayStation 2 | Windows Linux macOS |
A frequently updated PS2 emulator. The compatibility is quite amazing excluding a few problem games. The audio rarely has problems even with speedhacks enabled. It supports hardware and software rendering, deinterlacing, custom resolutions, MSAA, and texture filtering. What else could you want? Well, plenty of games have fairly high requirements, and it's unlikely that certain games will ever become playable. Do keep in mind that when it comes to multi-platform games (excluding those with PC-ports), Dolphin (the GameCube/Wii emulator) can run GC/Wii versions of certain games better than their PS2 versions via PCSX2, despite the platforms being more powerful than the PS2, so it's advised to run those on Dolphin instead. The official compatibility list isn't updated too often, so you may have to refer to the forums or wiki on occasion. Dev Builds / Forums / Wiki |
Link |
| File:Redream icon.png | Redream | Dreamcast | Windows Linux macOS Android |
A new option to emulate the Dreamcast. This one is proprietary, and only the paid version can render in higher resolution. But the compatibility and performance seem to be very good, it does not require an official BIOS file, the interface is pretty easy to use, and development is active. | Link |
| File:RPCS3 icon.png | RPCS3 | PlayStation 3 | Windows Linux |
One of the oldest PS3 emulators out there, and the only one that's still active thanks to Patreon, and because of that, as of October 2020, over 1800 games are playable! It even has Reshade built into it, so that fuckin' cool. It does require a beefy PC to run at full speed. |
Link |
| File:Snes9x icon.png | Snes9x | SNES | Windows Linux macOS PSP Android iOS others |
The ideal middle ground for SNES emulation: far more accurate than ZSNES (seriously, put that thing out to pasture, it's not the '90s anymore), but not resource-intensive like higan/bsnes. Meaning it can run almost every game perfectly (even those that use co-processors) on modest machines. | Link |
| File:Stella icon.png | Stella | Atari 2600 | Multi-Platform | Help grandpa relive his first gaming memories! And play with him, because the 2600 actually had a bunch of very fun games. Stella is probably the most accurate 2600 emulator out there and actually worth a damn. | Link |
| File:Xemu icon.png | Xemu | Xbox | Windows Linux macOS |
Yes, og Xbox games on your PC. Compatibility has been improving fast, so now almost 90% of the games are playable. | Link |
| File:Xenia icon.png | Xenia | Xbox 360 | Windows Linux |
Can you believe it, 360 emulation is real. Keep in mind, compatibility is still limited and it demands a beefy rig. | Link |
| File:Yaba Sanshiro icon.png | Yaba Sanshiro | Saturn | Windows Linux macOS Android iOS |
Also known as uoYabause. Probably the best standalone Sega Saturn emulator since it implemented high-res VDP2 plane. Huge visual improvement to games that use that feature. But if you have a low-end PC, use SSF instead. | Link |
Handheld Consoles
[edit | edit source]| Logo | Title | Emulated system | Host system | Description | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Azahar icon.png | Azahar | 3DS | Windows Linux macOS Android |
A fork/continuation of Citra, which was shut down by a lawsuit from Nintendo. | Link |
| File:Desmume icon.png | DeSmuME | DS | Windows macOS Linux |
The most popular DS emulator. Requirements range from fairly low to moderately high. Games may rarely need a stronger CPU than general PS2/Gamecube emulation, though most games should be fine. It's highly compatible and supports microphone, dual-slots, lua scripting, and a fairly large amount of customization.
Alternatively, MelonDS is a new option aimed at better optimization, but it's still a bit raw. Or if you're stuck with a truly weak machine, try NO$GBA. Be sure to download nightly builds, as stable builds are years behind, just like the next emulator below... |
Link |
| File:Mgba icon.png | mGBA | Game Boy GB Color GB Advance |
Windows Linux macOS 3DS Wii Switch PS Vita |
This spot was originally reserved for VisualBoy Advance, but in recent years, mGBA came out of the wood-work and blew VBA away with its accuracy, functionality, portability, performance, and higher compatibility (from WarioWare: Twisted!'s rumble and tilt sensor to Boktai's solar sensor). Also included for RetroArch.
Higan's GBA core is also good, but less speedier than mGBA's. |
Link |
| File:PPSSPP icon.png | PPSSPP | PSP | Windows Linux macOS iOS Android Blackberry Symbian Meego |
The BEST PSP emulator out there, no questions asked! It features moderately low requirements, built-in shaders, up to 10x internal resolution (that's 4800x2720), the superb xBRZ texture filter, a fantastic UI with automatic update checks, and large compatibility. Stable releases have become infrequent, though dev builds are released daily.
The downsides are the barely noticeable input delay and inability to play PSOne titles. Ad-hoc support is in the early stages, but a handful of games work flawlessly. Setup/networking tutorials and general info for ad-hoc can be found here. Via CWCheats, many games have been given 60fps patches. Has a Gold version, but it's the same as the regular version, only made to support the dev team by purchase. |
Link |
| File:Sameboy icon.png | Sameboy | Game Boy GB Color |
Windows macOS |
Originally Gambatte was the most accurate GB/C emulator, but it hasn't been developed since 2014 (although its libretro core is still in active development), so about a year later Sameboy entered the foray. Years down the line and Sameboy is hands down the most accurate Game Boy and Game Boy Color out there thanks to years worth of extensive hardware tests. It has the essentials that come with every modern emulator such as save states but it doesn't support game linking, as if that matters unless you're actually curious (in that case, use BGB). The UI is a little primitive and takes some getting used to. If you don't like it, it's available on RetroArch. Even though Sameboy is said to be the best and most accurate, Gambatte is still worth looking at also, living on through RetroArch. |
Link |
Computers
[edit | edit source]| Logo | Title | Emulated system | Host system | Description | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Dosbox icon v3.png | DOSBox | DOS | Windows Linux macOS Others |
For the gray-bearded PC patriarchs, this baby can run pretty much any old MS-DOS program. Oregon Trail? Commander Keen? VisiCalc? You got it! A very complex and text-only emulator, so be sure to read the wiki - especially the lists of SVNs (for the latest builds) and frontends (for a graphical interface). Alternatively, 86Box is more accurate, but also trickier to set up. |
Link |
| File:FUSE icon.png | FUSE | ZX Spectrum | Windows Linux macOS |
One of the best ZED-ex emulators out there, and a favorite among British gamers for good reasons; It's accurate and is more user-friendly. It's even on RetroArch! |
Link |
| File:OpenMSX icon.png | OpenMSX | MSX | Window macOS Android |
A Do keep in mind that it may take a while to get used to it, though thankfully its author(s) was kind enough to include documents and guides for it. Just remember to use its Catapult frontend for ease-of-use. |
Stable Dev build |
| File:Sheepshaver icon.png | SheepShaver | Macintosh (classic) |
Windows Linux macOS |
Do you want to give good old Mac OS a try? Here is a convenient package with hard drive images of the system and tons of programs preinstalled. | Link |
| File:Amiga boing ball.png | UAE | Amiga | Windows Linux macOS others |
This is pretty much the go-to software for Amiga emulation. There's two versions of UAE: WinUAE is for Windows and is more user-friendly, and FS-UAE is best used on Unix systems. Both require some hands-on configuration to emulate some of the more obscure Amiga systems. | WinUAE FS-UAE |
| File:Vice icon.png | VICE | PET VIC 20 CBM-II C=64 C=128 C=264 |
Windows Linux macOS others |
The most cycle-accurate emulator of pretty much all Commodore 8-bit computers, it's amazing how it's able to function on legacy software (as of v3.2). Note: be sure to use x64sc for higher accuracy. If x64sc is too slow on your machine, x64 is still a very good (but less accurate) option. |
Link |
| File:XM6 icon.png | XM6 | X68000 | Windows | A really kick-ass X68000 emulator, and definitely the one for those interested in old Japanese gaming computers. There are two versions that you should take a look at: Pro-68k is recommended for general usage (it's in English as well), while Type-G is more accurate, has good peripheral/expansion support and will run just about any game you throw at it, though it's not in English and hasn't been active after 2016. Alternatively, use the px68k-libretro core on RetroArch. |
Pro-68k Type-G |
Multisystem
[edit | edit source]| Logo | Title | Emulated system | Host system | Description | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:ARCADE icon v2.png | ARCADE | Arcade | Windows | ARCADE is a variant of MAME (see below) that cuts off all the junk that came from the MESS merger. It will not emulate computers, consoles, pinballs, or goddamn slot machines. This is as the name says: nothing but arcade games. Also, it inherits the cool user interface from MAMEUIFX. | Link |
| File:Ares icon.png | Ares | Various | Windows Linux macOS |
A fork of higan. Accurate emulation of several retro consoles, and a nice user interface. Comes with a crapton of built-in pixel shaders. | Link |
| File:Bizhawk icon.png | BizHawk | Various | Windows Linux |
Ever tried to use RetroArch and just couldn't wrap your head around the horrible non-PC-like interface? Say no more, Bizhawk is what you need! It is just as well a multi-system emulator (and even supports several Libretro cores), only this one won't make you want to strangle someone. It also has a bunch of TAS-related features. | Link |
| File:MAME icon.png | MAME | Various | Windows Linux macOS others |
MAME is an epic multi-system emulator that can run pretty much any arcade up to the early 2000s. And since the merge with MESS in 2015, it can also emulate dozens of consoles and computers, including some very obscure stuff. Got room for a nearly 500 GB full set? Note 1: When downloading, pay attention to whatever version of sets they're from, as they require some updates every now and then. Note 2: Some games are better emulated with specific emulators rather than MAME: CPS and Neo Geo on FinalBurn Neo, Playstation/Namco-based hardware on ZiNc, NAOMI and Atomiswave on Demul or reicast; Nebula also has additional optimization for SNK, Capcom, Konami and PolyGameMaster systems, as well as the Sega Model 2 Emulator, but they haven't been updated in years. For Model 3 games, Supermodel 3 is the only that can do it (for now). For most PC-based arcade games, use Teknoparrot. |
Link |
| File:Mednafen icon.png | Mednafen | Various | Windows Linux |
If you're asking yourself, "What the fuck kind of name is 'mednafen'?", it stands for "My Emulator Doesn't Need A Frickin' Excellent Name".
Anyway, mednafen is a multi-system emulator, comprising of several emulators that were likely modified from older versions. However, its own original emulators for Virtual Boy, Turbografx-16/PC-FX, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn are the ones you should look at, as they have a high degree of accuracy. Of course, there's also cores for the Neo Geo Pocket, Wonderswan, and the Atari Lynx that are forks from abandoned emulators, but they are all improved on, and are also highly recommended to use over every other emulator for those systems, especially the emulators they were based from. |
Link |
| File:Phoenix icon.png | Phoenix | 3DO Jaguar ColecoVision Master System |
Windows Linux macOS Android |
This emulator was created by a long time FreeDO contributor who was unhappy with its lack of progress, therefore he made it his mission to create what is possibly the best 3DO/Jaguar emulator out there. Although you're gonna need a computer that's powerful enough to run it. Since the emulator's in Russian, you're gonna need an English patch for this (registration required). Phoenix's cores are separate releases on Android, where they are known as Real3DOPlayer for 3DO, IrataJaguar for Jaguar, NumPadPlayer for ColecoVision, and GearMasterPlayer for Sega Master System. |
Link |
| File:Retroarch icon.png | RetroArch | Various | Windows Linux macOS Android others |
A multi-system emulator frontend for open source emulator libraries in format called "libretro". Allows you to play from Atari 2600 to PSP, Arcades, and DOS, using the same settings and interface. It also has extensive support for pixel shaders in both .cg and bSNES XML format, which are similar to the filters in other emulators except they run on the GPU instead of the CPU and allow you to do more complex effects without slowing down the emulator (such as this shader that simulates a CRT TV screen). Guides to using RetroArch can be found here and here, and shader files can be found here (.cgp) and here (.glsl). PC-Engine CD, Playstation, and Saturn require BIOS files to be placed in "system" directory you define in Settings > General. If you're installing from Steam, use this guide to get all the cores. | Link |
