

The best game emulators for Android

The best game emulators for Android

Tired of waiting for a mobile port of your favorite classic console game that might never come? Worry not! Emulators are here to help solve this dilemma. We've compiled a list of the best emulators for Android for (almost) all gaming platforms. 


Our smartphones are technological wonders, more than capable of leaving the classic consoles of yesteryear in the dust. But you might need a little help to get your phone to play your favorite game. First, we recommend to check if the classic game you're looking for already exists on the Play Store. Then you might want to quickly read up on the legal status of emulators and ROMs

Now that you know the score, you can find the best emulator for the games you want to play in our list:

Is it legal to download ROMS? And what about emulators?

This is a tricky subject. There's a lot of false information floating around the Internet and depending on who you ask, you'll end up with a different interpretation of the law. In addition to this, depending on where you live, different laws and regulations might apply.

So let's start off with the easy question: Are emulators legal? The short answer is yes. The longer explanation is yes, emulators are legal as they are just a piece of software which can emulate (in this case) a game system. As long as they don't contain any third-party software or proprietary code, then it's all good.

What about downloading ROMs?

The short answer here is: in most cases it's illegal. ROMs tend to almost always be illegal copies of copyright-protected games. But what about fair use? Well, this is a question of interpretation. Nintendo states on its website:

Can I download a Nintendo ROM from the internet if I already own the authentic game?


But some legal experts have a different view on this topic, offering several arguments which see the fair use law being applied. Either way - downloading software that you don't own, just like sharing said software is illegal. Making a “security copy” of a game lies in a hotly contested grey zone. There are quite a few resources online, where you can legally download free and paid game ROMs, and we highly suggest that you check those out.

What are the best game emulators for Android?

Most emulators on Android do what they are supposed to do, i.e. they allow you to launch a game coming from another platform. They all tend to work the same, the only thing that might vary between emulators is how their controls and navigation are set up. Some might also have additional features like multiplayer modes via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Best Atari emulator for Android: Hataroid

Hataroid helps you go back truly old school when it comes to gaming on your Android smartphone. The app works well - it's stable and easy to use and you can emulate every game that ran on the Atari ST, STE and Falcon back in the day. Be aware, you do need a BIOS (TOS for Atari) to run ROMs though. If you really want the Atari experience, you can even display a QWERTY keyboard and mouse.

hataroid atari st emulator
Get the Atari feeling on your Android. / © Play Store

Best DOS emulator for Android: Magic Dosbox Free

Dosbox is the emulator for those who have a fond memory of their DOS gaming days. Magic Dosbox Free brings you back to the nostalgic 90s with its ability to emulate games like Prince of Persia  or Risky Woods.

If you download the free version, you can only load one game at a time, if you choose to shell out $3.49 for the paid version, this restriction is removed.

Remember Prince of Persia? / © AndroidPIT

Best NES emulator for Android: NES.emu

If you want to get your favorite retro games from the classic Nintendo console then the NES.emu emulator is a great start. You can quickly get started on playing titles Super Mario Bros, Battle City, Zelda, Bomberman and many more. 

If you're new to emulators, NES, emu an easy way to get started on immediately playing your favorites on NES. That's because it has a very simple interface that's intuitive to use. You just need download it and you can search through your files quickly and find your ROMs.

NES.emu gives you multi-touch controls that are easy to configure. The gameplay is crisp and works well on nearly every Android device. There are no ROMs included with the app and you must have them downloaded to use it. 

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NES.emu gets you started on playing your favorite NES games. / © AndroidPIT

Best PlayStation emulator for Android: PPSSPP for Android

If you want to get into the classic disc gaming console then jump into the PPSSPP emulator you'll get started on the thrills of Grand Theft Auto or the adventures of Final Fantasy: Crisis Core and many more. 

Not only can you play your favorite titles of PSP games from your device but you can download some homebrewed games from the app. Some of the games take a while to install and you have to do it twice before they load. But overall they are interesting and fun.

You can use PPSSPP for free but it does have ads. There is a paid version of this and other PSP emulators if you are interested in an ad-free experience. The Settings do give you plenty of options but sometimes can be confusing. Overall, the interface is clean and the gameplay is customizable.

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Dive into some retro PSP games with PPSSPP.  / © AndroidPIT

Best multi-platform emulator for Android: RetroArch

RetroArch is an emulator for just about everything: Xbox 1 and 360, Nintendo (NES, SNES, Game Boy Color, etc.) Sega Master System, Saturn, Playstation, etc.  It can also be used with controllers like the Sony Dualshock or the XBOX 1 and 360.

RetroArch is clearly one of the most inclusive emulators on Android. If you are a bit of a “hacker”, you'll appreciate this app but if you're more of a gamer who just wants to play, you're better off picking one of the other dedicated emulators mentioned above.

RetroArch is the most comprehensive game emulator for Android. / © AndroidPIT

Have you tried using an emulator to play classic games on Android? Which are your favorites?

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