Skip to content

Console Emulators List

Emulators Table

Console Emulator 1 (Most Popular) Emulator 2 Emulator 3
Game Boy / Color SameBoy (GitHub) BGB Gambatte (GitHub)
Game Boy Advance mGBA (GitHub) VBA-M (GitHub) Boycott Advance
Nintendo 64 Project64 mupen64plus (GitHub) RetroArch (GitHub)
GameCube / Wii Dolphin (GitHub) Ishiiruka PrimeHack
Wii U Cemu Decaf -
PlayStation 1 DuckStation (GitHub) ePSXe PCSXR (GitHub)
PlayStation 2 PCSX2 (GitHub) Play! (GitHub) AetherSX2 (GitHub)
PlayStation 3 RPCS3 (GitHub) - -
PSP PPSSPP (GitHub) RetroArch (GitHub) JPCSP (GitHub)
PlayStation Vita Vita3K (GitHub) - -
Nintendo DS melonDS (GitHub) DeSmuME (GitHub) NO$GBA
Nintendo 3DS Lime3ds (GitHub) RetroArch (GitHub) PabloMK7 Citra Fork (GitHub)
Xbox Xemu (GitHub) Cxbx-Reloaded (GitHub) -
Xbox 360 Xenia (GitHub) - -
Sega Dreamcast Flycast (GitHub) Redream RetroArch (GitHub)

Notes for Console Emulators / Emulation

  1. Standalone vs RetroArch:
    Many systems (like PSP or Nintendo 3DS) have the option to use RetroArch, which provides cores based on popular emulators. However, standalone versions of emulators are generally better for performance, compatibility, and advanced features.

  2. Omissions:
    For emulators that only have one or two active projects in development, the third column in the table is left blank.

  3. Active Development:
    This list focuses on emulators with a strong development presence as of 2023. Some older, inactive emulators (e.g., NO$GBA for certain systems) may still work but are no longer receiving regular updates.

  4. Ishiiruka:
    Ishiiruka is a highly specialized Dolphin fork. It focuses on performance optimizations and enhancements for specific settings or use cases, such as older PCs.

  5. PrimeHack:
    PrimeHack is a modified version of Dolphin designed specifically for playing Metroid Prime games. It offers custom control schemes and optimizations for a better experience.

  6. Multi-Platform Emulator:
    RetroArch is a multi-platform emulator that supports a wide range of systems by running "cores" for specific emulators. While it's versatile, it may not offer the same fine-tuned performance as standalone emulators for specific systems. RetroArch is noted where relevant.

  7. Popularity Ranking:
    Emulators are ranked based on popularity and community engagement. Popularity metrics include download frequency, community size, and general recommendations from emulator users.

  8. Open Source:
    Most emulators listed here (such as PCSX2, Citra, and RPCS3) are open source, hosted on platforms such as GitHub. This enables frequent updates, bug fixes, and community-driven improvements.

Emulator Information and Details

Game Boy / Game Boy Color

  1. SameBoy (GitHub):
    SameBoy is a highly accurate Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulator designed for developers and retro enthusiasts. Its emphasis on accuracy ensures authentic emulation, and its debugging tools are excellent for ROM developers.

  2. BGB:
    BGB is a lightweight, highly compatible Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulator for Windows. It features a responsive user interface, debugger support, and excellent performance, making it great for casual gamers as well as developers.

  3. Gambatte (GitHub):
    Gambatte prioritizes accuracy and efficiency, providing excellent emulation across Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles. It integrates well with multi-emulator platforms like RetroArch and is great for gamers wanting reliability.

Game Boy Advance

  1. mGBA (GitHub):
    mGBA is one of the top Game Boy Advance emulators, known for its high performance, wide compatibility, and active development. It includes support for cheats, ROM hacking tools, and link-cable emulation, making it ideal for gamers and developers alike.

  2. VBA-M (GitHub):
    VBA-M is a continued development of the VisualBoyAdvance project, supporting GBA and Game Boy games. It's a solid choice for gamers due to its ease of use and broad compatibility.

  3. Boycott Advance:
    Boycott Advance is a straightforward and lightweight Game Boy Advance emulator. Although less feature-rich than mGBA or VBA-M, it's ideal for gamers seeking simplicity.

Nintendo 64

  1. Project64:
    Project64 is one of the most user-friendly and widely used Nintendo 64 emulators. It’s highly compatible with most N64 games and supports various enhancements like HD resolutions and texture packs.

  2. mupen64plus (GitHub):
    mupen64plus is a highly accurate multi-platform N64 emulator with active development. It focuses on stability, modular plugins, and cross-platform support, making it great for users on operating systems beyond Windows.

  3. RetroArch (GitHub):
    RetroArch, using the Mupen and Parallel cores, offers N64 emulation as part of its multi-system platform. It's a good option for players looking for consistent UI across multiple emulators.

GameCube / Wii

  1. Dolphin (GitHub):
    Dolphin is the go-to emulator for GameCube and Wii titles, offering excellent performance, graphical enhancements (like 4K resolution), and strong multiplayer support. It's ideal for both casual and competitive players.

  2. Ishiiruka:
    Ishiiruka is a fork of Dolphin aimed at enhancing performance on older hardware and adding custom graphical settings. It's perfect for users with dated PCs or specific performance needs.

  3. PrimeHack:
    PrimeHack is a specialized fork of Dolphin optimized for the Metroid Prime series, providing keyboard/mouse controls and custom enhancements tailored for these games.

Wii U

  1. Cemu:
    Cemu is the premier Wii U emulator, focused on providing excellent compatibility and performance for Wii U titles, including high-profile games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It's ideal for Wii U gaming on PC.

  2. Decaf:
    Decaf is an experimental Wii U emulator with a focus on accuracy and modularity. Although it supports fewer features than Cemu, it’s useful for developers exploring Wii U hardware.

PlayStation 1

  1. DuckStation (GitHub):
    DuckStation focuses on accuracy and performance for PlayStation 1 games, offering enhanced graphics, widescreen support, achievements, and an intuitive interface. It’s highly recommended for both accuracy enthusiasts and casual gamers.

  2. ePSXe:
    ePSXe is a long-standing PS1 emulator designed for simplicity and compatibility. It supports features like save states and graphical plugins but has seen slower development in recent years.

  3. PCSXR (GitHub):
    An open-source Playstation emulator and evolution of PCSX, PCSXR focuses on compatibility and plugin support. It’s a solid option for running older titles reliably.

PlayStation 2

  1. PCSX2 (GitHub):
    PCSX2 is the leading PlayStation 2 emulator, with excellent performance and compatibility across a large range of PS2 games. It supports upscaling, cheats, and save states, making it ideal for enjoying the PS2 library on modern systems.

  2. Play! (GitHub):
    Play! is an experimental and cross-platform PS2 emulator with a focus on simplicity. While it lacks the broad compatibility of PCSX2, it’s improving rapidly and suitable for testing PS2 emulation on non-PC platforms.

  3. AetherSX2 (GitHub):
    Built for Android, AetherSX2 brings robust PS2 emulation to mobile devices while maintaining great compatibility, making it perfect for emulators on the go.

PlayStation 3

  1. RPCS3 (GitHub):
    RPCS3 is the only functional PlayStation 3 emulator, with outstanding performance for thousands of titles. It’s perfect for revisiting the PS3 library or enhancing games with better graphics and frame rates.

PSP

  1. PPSSPP (GitHub):
    PPSSPP is the top PSP emulator, offering excellent compatibility, upscaling options, and save states. It works across many devices, including PCs, Android, and iOS.

  2. RetroArch (GitHub):
    RetroArch with the PPSSPP core provides PSP emulation built into its multi-system UI. It’s useful for players wanting a unified emulator experience.

  3. JPCSP (GitHub):
    A Java-based PSP emulator, JPCSP focuses on accuracy and testing. It’s a solid choice for developers and seasoned emulator users.

PlayStation Vita

  1. Vita3K (GitHub):
    Vita3K is the only PlayStation Vita emulator in active development. It’s experimental but continues to grow in compatibility, making it an ideal starting point for developers.

Nintendo DS

  1. melonDS (GitHub):
    melonDS prioritizes accuracy and connectivity, offering both Wi-Fi emulation and plug-and-play usability for the Nintendo DS library.

  2. DeSmuME (GitHub):
    DeSmuME emphasizes compatibility and ease of use, with features like cheat support and game-specific optimizations. Perfect for casual DS players.

  3. NO$GBA:
    NO$GBA is a lightweight DS emulator that also doubles as a GBA emulator. It’s known for its debugging focus, making it great for developers.

Nintendo 3DS

  1. Citra (GitHub):
    Citra is the dedicated 3DS emulator, offering excellent performance, graphical enhancements, and multiplayer support for a large portion of the 3DS library.

  2. RetroArch (GitHub):
    Citra is available as a core in RetroArch for players who want a multi-system emulator with unified settings.

Xbox

  1. Xemu (GitHub):
    Xemu is the leading original Xbox emulator, known for its accuracy and growing compatibility, perfect for players wanting to relive the Xbox classics.

  2. Cxbx-Reloaded (GitHub):
    Cxbx-Reloaded focuses on translating Xbox games directly into high-level language for better performance. While less accurate than Xemu, it’s ideal for games with partial support.

Xbox 360

  1. Xenia (GitHub):
    Xenia is the only functional Xbox 360 emulator, offering growing compatibility and high performance for playable titles. It’s cutting-edge and actively developed.

Sega Dreamcast

  1. Flycast (GitHub):
    Flycast is the most capable Dreamcast emulator, with strong compatibility, netplay functionality, and versatile platform support across Windows, Linux, and Android.

  2. Redream:
    Redream focuses on simplicity, graphical enhancements, and good performance. It’s perfect for gamers looking for a polished "plug-and-play" Dreamcast experience.

  3. RetroArch (GitHub):
    RetroArch offers the Flycast core for Dreamcast emulation, merging Dreamcast support into its multi-system ecosystem. ```