Top 4 iOS Emulation Apps: Where Do You Start?

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Delta
DolphiniOS
PPSSPP
RetroArch

Modern mobile games are fun, but retro console games are even better if you grew up playing them. Emulators let you play thousands of retro games without worrying about ads or microtransactions. Here are the best emulators you can install on your iPhone.

Although using emulators to play games is within legal bounds, downloading ISOs for games you don’t own is strictly illegal.

1 Delta

Raghav Sethi/MakeUseOf

Delta is your best bet if you’re looking to emulate classic Nintendo titles on your iPhone . It’s the successor to the hugely popular GBA4iOS emulator, and you can download it directly from the App Store.

Delta supports a huge range of Nintendo consoles, such as:

Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance
NES and SNES
N64
Nintendo DS

It offers several fantastic features, including the ability to speed up gameplay to breeze through tedious sections, the option to save your progress manually at any point, and full support for controllers and keyboards. If you’re looking to play all the classic Pokémon games on your iPhone , look no further than Delta.

You can also customize the emulator skins that appear on your iPhone screen and choose buttons for Delta to hold down, so you don’t need to keep pressing certain buttons as you play.

Delta also integrates really well with AirPlay, meaning you can wirelessly connect your iPhone to a TV while using your iPhone as a controller. The app even supports local multiplayer.

Download: Delta (Free)

2 DolphiniOS

Raghav Sethi/MakeUseOf

DolphiniOS lets you play GameCube and Wii games on your iPhone or iPad. With DolphiniOS, you can enjoy classics like Super Mario Sunshine, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Pikmin, and more.

DolphiniOS also allows you to upscale the resolution of your games, and some Wii games actually look like proper modern titles after this visual upgrade.

Unfortunately, DolphiniOS is not available on the App Store, meaning you will have to sideload the app using AltStore , which can be a bit of a hassle. On top of this, if you have an older device, you should note that your experience might not be great since Wii emulation can be pretty demanding on the hardware front.

Once you install DolphiniOS, you can take your gaming experience to the next level by taking advantage of its support for cheats and save states.

Download: DolphiniOS (Free)

3 PPSSPP

Raghav Sethi/MakeUseOf

PPSSPP is dedicated to emulating PlayStation Portable (PSP) games across various platforms, including your iPhone and iPad. While it should be able to run any PSP game on your device, older iPhones might not run the games at full speed.

Perhaps one of the best features of PPSSPP is that it lets you transfer existing saves from your real PSP. This means you can pick up where you left off in games like GTA: Vice City and Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines.

I highly recommend connecting a controller to your iPhone when using PPSSPP to emulate games . The touch controls aren’t great, especially since the PSP has two shoulder buttons that don’t fit well on a touchscreen.

One drawback of PPSSPP is its lack of proper support for cloud saves, making it a bit challenging to switch between multiple devices while playing games.

Download: PPSSPP (Free)

4 RetroArch

Raghav Sethi/MakeUseOf

If you’ve ever tried emulating games on other platforms before, you may have heard about RetroArch. It’s the most extensive all-in-one emulator available for your iPhone and is regarded as the go-to emulator within the retro gaming community.

Besides PlayStation, Game Boy, and SNES emulators, RetroArch also supports older platforms, such as:

Atari
DOS
MSX
Neo Geo Pocket
PC Engine
Sega Genesis

RetroArch uses the same gamepad for all the different emulators included. This makes it easy to get comfortable with the touchscreen layout no matter which game you’re playing, which is possible because of RetroArch’s wide support.

RetroArch’s Netplay feature allows you to connect to other players for multiplayer sessions. This works across multiple platforms, so you can even play with Android or PC users as well.

Unfortunately, setting up RetroArch can be complicated due to its extensive customization options. However, it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for a multipurpose emulator.

Download: RetroArch (Free)

Emulators offer a fantastic way to relive your favorite retro games on your iPhone. Whether you’re a fan of Nintendo classics, PlayStation hits, or games from other platforms, there’s an emulator that fits your needs.

While setting up some of these emulators may require some effort, the reward of having a vast library of ad-free games at your fingertips is well worth it. So, explore these options, find your favorite, and dive into the world of retro gaming on your iPhone!

Games Able

Top 4 iOS Emulation Apps: Where Do You Start?