Emulators on macOS: Difference between revisions

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{{NEL}}
{{NEL}}


: ''This page is about emulators that run on macOS (previously Mac OS X).''
: This page is about emulators that run on macOS (previously Mac OS X).
 
{{for|software that emulates macOS on other hardware|macOS emulators}}
{{for|software that emulates macOS on other hardware|macOS emulators}}
{{for|emulators that run on Classic Mac OS|Emulators on Legacy systems#Classic Mac OS}}
{{for|emulators that run on Classic Mac OS|Emulators on Legacy systems#Classic Mac OS}}
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; Operating System - Classic Mac OS | macOS
; Operating System - Classic Mac OS | macOS


The Mac has had two main operating systems over its history: The "Classic" Mac OS versions 1 through 9, and Mac OS X (Ten, not pronouced as "Ex") which is now referred to simply as macOS. Classic was a closed-source proprietary OS, whereas macOS is based on an open-source Unix variant called Darwin. This Unix base helps with Linux compatibility.
The Mac has had two main operating systems over its history: The "Classic" Mac OS versions 1 through 9, and Mac OS X (Ten, not pronounced as "Ex") which is now referred to simply as macOS. Classic was a closed-source proprietary OS, whereas macOS is based on an open-source Unix variant called Darwin. This Unix base helps with Linux compatibility.


The first several releases of macOS up to 10.4 Tiger contained support for Classic applications, but this was later dropped.
The first several releases of macOS up to 10.4 Tiger contained support for Classic applications, but this was later dropped.
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; CPU Architecture - PowerPC | x86 | x64 | ARM64
; CPU Architecture - PowerPC | x86 | x64 | ARM64


macOS has supported three major cpu architecture changes: IBM PowerPC (PPC), Intel x86/x64 and most recently Apple Silicon (ARM64). There have also been minor architectural changes such as moving from 32-bit PPC processors to the 64-bit PPC G5, or from Intel's 32-bit x86 to 64-bit x64. Each time there was a hardware transition, Apple provided ways to continue to support older software on the new systems.
macOS has supported three major CPU architecture changes: IBM PowerPC (PPC), Intel x86/x64 and most recently Apple Silicon (ARM64). There have also been minor architectural changes such as moving from 32-bit PPC processors to the 64-bit PPC G5, or from Intel's 32-bit x86 to 64-bit x64. Each time there was a hardware transition, Apple provided ways to continue to support older software on the new systems.


Rosetta was a software emulation layer that helped PPC applications to run on x86/x64 Macs. It was built into 10.4.4 Tiger, but was an optional install in macOS 10.6 Snow Leopard and not available at all for 10.7 Lion. Rosetta 2 currently facilitates x64 software to run on ARM Macs. While Rosetta performs very respectably for most software, it adds extra overhead which can reduce performance on demanding games and emulators.
Rosetta was a software emulation layer that helped PPC applications to run on x86/x64 Macs. It was built into 10.4.4 Tiger, but was an optional install in macOS 10.6 Snow Leopard and not available at all for 10.7 Lion. Rosetta 2 currently facilitates x64 software to run on ARM Macs. While Rosetta performs very respectably for most software, it adds extra overhead which can reduce performance on demanding games and emulators.
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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}<ref group="note" name=command-line>Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.</ref>
| {{Ya}}<ref name="command-line" group="note">Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.</ref>
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Hypseus Singe]]
|[[Hypseus Singe]]
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| {{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| {{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}<ref group="note" name=compile>Must compile from source.</ref>
| {{Na}}<ref name="compile" group="note">Must compile from source.</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Nestopia]]
|[[Nestopia]]
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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Na}}<ref group="note" name=compile>Must compile from source.</ref>
| {{Na}}<ref name="compile" group="note">Must compile from source.</ref>
|-
|-
|SwiftNES
|SwiftNES
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| {{R}}
| {{R}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}<ref group="note" name=compile>Must compile from source.</ref>
| {{Na}}<ref name="compile" group="note">Must compile from source.</ref>
|-
|-
|[https://nin.nax.io Nin]
|[https://nin.nax.io Nin]
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|-
|-
|[[bsnes]]
|[[bsnes]]
<small>(Official)</small>
(Official)
|[https://github.com/bsnes-emu/bsnes/releases/latest {{bsnesVer}}]||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/bsnes-emu/bsnes/releases/latest {{bsnesVer}}]||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
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|-
|-
|[[Bsnes#List of forks|bsnes-hd]]
|[[Bsnes#List of forks|bsnes-hd]]
<small>(forked bsnes)</small>
(forked bsnes)
|[https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/releases/latest {{Bsnes-hdVer}}]||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/DerKoun/bsnes-hd/releases/latest {{Bsnes-hdVer}}]||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Snes9x]]
|[[Snes9x]]
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|-
|-
|[[Dolphin]]
|[[Dolphin]]
|[https://dolphin-emu.org/download/?ref=btn {{DolphinVer}}]<ref name="dolphin">The last Dolphin release to support macOS 10.15 Catalina is [https://dolphin-emu.org/download/release/2503a/ 2503a], and the last development build is [https://dolphin-emu.org/download/dev/afee9a56e96766d4622b1694398704e4c8d57b25/ 2503-270].[https://dolphin-emu.org/blog/2025/06/04/dolphin-progress-report-release-2506/#macos-minimum-version-bumped-to-macos-11-big-sur]</ref>||{{Na}}
|[https://dolphin-emu.org/download/?ref=btn {{DolphinVer}}]<ref name="dolphin" group="note">The last Dolphin release to support macOS 10.15 Catalina is [https://dolphin-emu.org/download/release/2503a/ 2503a], and the last development build is [https://dolphin-emu.org/blog/2025/06/04/dolphin-progress-report-release-2506/#macos-minimum-version-bumped-to-macos-11-big-sur 2503-270].</ref>||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
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|-
|-
|[[Dolphin]]
|[[Dolphin]]
|[https://dolphin-emu.org/download {{DolphinVer}}]<ref name="dolphin" />||{{Na}}
|[https://dolphin-emu.org/download {{DolphinVer}}]<ref name="dolphin" group="note" />||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
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| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=cemu>ARM support and the Metal renderer are in the nightly builds, but are not included in a major release yet.</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="cemu" group="note">ARM support and the Metal renderer are in the nightly builds but are not included in a major release yet.</ref>
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=cemu>ARM support and the Metal renderer are in the nightly builds, but are not included in a major release yet.</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="cemu" group="note">ARM support and the Metal renderer are in the nightly builds but are not included in a major release yet.</ref>
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Green}} {{License|MPL2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|MPL2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
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|-
|-
|Ryubing
|Ryubing
([[Ryujinx]] Fork)<ref>This fork has merged LDN and other previously incomplete features. Mostly focused on maintenance, crash fixes and QoL improvements.</ref>
([[Ryujinx]] Fork)<ref group="note">This fork has merged LDN and other previously incomplete features. Mostly focused on maintenance, crash fixes and QoL improvements.</ref>
|[https://git.ryujinx.app/projects/Ryubing/releases/latest {{RyubingVer}}]
|[https://git.ryujinx.app/projects/Ryubing/releases/latest {{RyubingVer}}]
[https://git.ryujinx.app/Ryubing/Canary/releases/latest Canary]
[https://git.ryujinx.app/Ryubing/Canary/releases/latest Canary]
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|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=ryujinx-x86>While the builds are currently universal, x86 is unsupported and will be removed in future releases</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="ryujinx-x86" group="note">While the builds are currently universal, x86 is unsupported and will be removed in future releases</ref>
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
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|-
|-
|Astris
|Astris
(Ryubing with SwiftUI)<ref>This fork is based on Ryubing, but has a complete SwiftUI overhaul</ref>
(Ryubing with SwiftUI)<ref group="note">This fork is based on Ryubing, but has a complete SwiftUI overhaul</ref>
|[https://github.com/V380-Ori/Astris.Binaries/releases/latest {{AstrisVer}}]||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/V380-Ori/Astris.Binaries/releases/latest {{AstrisVer}}]||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
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| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=ryujinx-x86>While the builds are currently universal, x86 is unsupported and will be removed in future releases</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="ryujinx-x86" group="note">While the builds are currently universal, x86 is unsupported and will be removed in future releases</ref>
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
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(Yuzu fork)
(Yuzu fork)
|[https://git.eden-emu.dev/eden-emu/eden/releases {{EdenVer}}]
|[https://git.eden-emu.dev/eden-emu/eden/releases {{EdenVer}}]
[https://github.com/Eden-CI/Master/releases Nightlies]
[https://git.eden-emu.dev/eden-ci/nightly/releases/latest Nightlies]
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{~}}
| {{~}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Gearboy]]
|[[Gearboy]]
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| {{Ya}}  
| {{Ya}}  
|-
|-
|[[VisualBoy Advance|VisualBoy Advance-M (VBA-M)]]
|[[VisualBoy Advance|VisualBoy Advance-M]] (VBA-M)
|[https://github.com/visualboyadvance-m/visualboyadvance-m/releases/latest {{VBAMVer}}]
|[https://github.com/visualboyadvance-m/visualboyadvance-m/releases/latest {{VBAMVer}}]
[https://nightly.visualboyadvance-m.org Nightlies]
[https://nightly.visualboyadvance-m.org Nightlies]
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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{~}}
| {{~}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Gearboy]]
|[[Gearboy]]
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| {{R}}
| {{R}}
|-
|-
|[[VisualBoy Advance|VisualBoy Advance-M (VBA-M)]]
|[[VisualBoy Advance|VisualBoy Advance-M]] (VBA-M)
|[https://github.com/visualboyadvance-m/visualboyadvance-m/releases/latest {{VBAMVer}}]
|[https://github.com/visualboyadvance-m/visualboyadvance-m/releases/latest {{VBAMVer}}]
[https://nightly.visualboyadvance-m.org Nightlies]
[https://nightly.visualboyadvance-m.org Nightlies]
Line 1,361: Line 1,362:
![[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]
![[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]
|-
|-
|Azahar<ref name="azahar">This project is a continuation of PabloMK7's Citra and Lime3DS</ref>
|Azahar<ref name="azahar" group="note">This project is a continuation of PabloMK7's Citra and Lime3DS</ref>
|[https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases/latest {{AzaharVer}}]||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar/releases/latest {{AzaharVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
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|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
|-
|Mandarine<ref name="mandarine">This project is a fork of Citra</ref>
|Mandarine<ref name="mandarine" group="note">This project is a fork of Citra</ref>
|[https://github.com/mandarine3ds/mandarine/releases/latest {{MandarineVer}}]||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/mandarine3ds/mandarine/releases/latest {{MandarineVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
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|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}<ref group="note" name=panda-backend>Available on the SDL build only. Not available on the Qt build.</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="panda-backend" group="note">Available on the SDL build only. Not available on the Qt build.</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
Line 1,424: Line 1,425:
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}  
|{{Ya}}  
|{{Na}}<ref group="note" name=borked>This is an experimental Citra fork. Changes made here might be merged into [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar Azahar]</ref>
|{{Na}}<ref name="borked" group="note">This is an experimental Citra fork. Changes made here might be merged into [https://github.com/azahar-emu/azahar Azahar]</ref>
|-
|-
|[[3Beans]]
|[[3Beans]]
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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|-
|-
|Genesis Plus
|Genesis Plus
Line 1,659: Line 1,660:
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{~}}<ref name="ymir-metal" group="note">[https://github.com/StrikerX3/Ymir/actions/workflows/nightly-release.yaml?query=branch%3Amain Nightly releases] have Metal support</ref>
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|-
| erings
|[https://github.com/user-none/erings/releases/latest {{eringsVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{R}}
|-
|-
|[[Mednafen]]
|[[Mednafen]]
Line 1,762: Line 1,777:
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})  
|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})  
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Yabause]]
|[[Yabause]]
Line 1,818: Line 1,833:
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|-
|-
|[[nullDC]]
|[[nullDC]]
Line 1,833: Line 1,848:
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}<ref group="note" name=command-line>Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.</ref>
|{{Na}}<ref name="command-line" group="note">Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.</ref>
|}
|}


Line 2,022: Line 2,037:
| {{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| {{Green}} {{License|MIT}} ({{License|Permissive}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Na}}
|-
|[[ePSXe]]
|[https://www.epsxe.com/download.php {{EpsxeMacVer}}]||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}  
| {{Na}}  
|-
|-
Line 2,035: Line 2,063:
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|}
|}


Line 2,146: Line 2,174:
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=rpcs3-KK>There is an experimental KosmicKrisp PR [https://github.com/RPCS3/rpcs3/pull/17902 here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="rpcs3-KK" group="note">There is an experimental KosmicKrisp PR [https://github.com/RPCS3/rpcs3/pull/17902 here]</ref>
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}<ref group="note" name=rpcs3-compat>Always download the compatibility database and use it to create a custom config for each game</ref>
| {{Ya}}<ref name="rpcs3-compat" group="note">Always download the compatibility database and use it to create a custom config for each game</ref>
|-
|-
|[https://chonkystation.com ChonkyStation3]
|[https://chonkystation.com ChonkyStation3]
Line 2,190: Line 2,218:
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}<ref group="note" name=arm-only>Only ARM Macs running Rosetta are supported</ref>
| {{Ya}}<ref name="arm-only" group="note">Only ARM Macs running Rosetta are supported</ref>
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
Line 2,236: Line 2,264:
|[https://github.com/sharpemu/sharpemu/releases/latest {{SharpEmuVer}}]||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/sharpemu/sharpemu/releases/latest {{SharpEmuVer}}]||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}<ref group="note" name=arm-only>Only ARM Macs running Rosetta are supported</ref>
| {{Ya}}<ref name="arm-only" group="note">Only ARM Macs running Rosetta are supported</ref>
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
Line 2,298: Line 2,326:
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=vita3k>Experimental ARM build available. Has major issues on some titles. Updater will automatically update to the x86 version</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="vita3k" group="note">Experimental ARM build available. Has major issues on some titles. Updater will automatically update to the x86 version</ref>
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
Line 2,305: Line 2,333:
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}<ref group="note" name=compat>Compatibility varies greatly depending on the title</ref>
| {{Ya}}<ref name="compat" group="note">Compatibility varies greatly depending on the title</ref>
|}
|}


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|-
|-
|[http://boxerapp.com Boxer]
|[http://boxerapp.com Boxer]
|[https://github.com/MaddTheSane/Boxer/releases/latest Fork]<ref name="boxer">The fork of Boxer supports x64 and ARM</ref>||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/MaddTheSane/Boxer/releases/latest Fork]<ref name="boxer" group="note">The fork of Boxer supports x64 and ARM</ref>||{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}  
|{{Ya}}  
Line 2,470: Line 2,498:
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=compile-arm>No official ARM build. Needs to be built from source</ref>  
| {{~}}<ref name="compile-arm" group="note">No official ARM build. Needs to be built from source</ref>  
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
Line 2,490: Line 2,518:
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|-
|-
|[[RetroVM]]
|[[RetroVM]]
Line 2,559: Line 2,587:
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Na}}<ref group="note" name=dukex>Fork of Xemu. Early in development and does not work properly at time of writing</ref>
| {{Na}}<ref name="dukex" group="note">Fork of Xemu. Early in development and does not work properly at time of writing</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=shareware>Shareware. Requires license to unlock full version.</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="shareware" group="note">Shareware. Requires license to unlock full version.</ref>
|}
|}


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![[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]
![[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]
|-
|-
|VirtualC64
|[[VirtualC64]]
|[https://github.com/dirkwhoffmann/virtualc64/releases/latest {{VirtualC64Ver}}]||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/dirkwhoffmann/virtualc64/releases/latest {{VirtualC64Ver}}]||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
Line 2,681: Line 2,709:
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
|-
|-
|Denise
|[[Denise]]
|[https://sourceforge.net/projects/deniseemu/ {{DeniseVer}}]||{{Na}}
|[https://sourceforge.net/projects/deniseemu/ {{DeniseVer}}]||{{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
Line 2,705: Line 2,733:
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|-
|-
|[[VICE]]
|[[VICE]]
Line 2,731: Line 2,759:
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=shareware>Shareware. Requires license to unlock full version.</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="shareware" group="note">Shareware. Requires license to unlock full version.</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Red}} {{License|Custom}} ({{License|SA}})
| {{Red}} {{License|Custom}} ({{License|SA}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Handy]]
|[[Handy]]
Line 3,004: Line 3,032:
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}}<br>{{License|BSD3}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|-
|-
|Neopocott
|Neopocott
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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Gearcoleco]]
|[[Gearcoleco]]
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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|-
|-
|Oswan
|Oswan
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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=openemu>Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="openemu" group="note">Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available [https://github.com/nickybmon/OpenEmu-Silicon/releases/latest here]</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Mesen]]
|[[Mesen]]
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| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Na}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|{{Na}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|-
|-
|[[FUSE]]
|[[FUSE]]
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| {{?}}  
| {{?}}  
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{~}}<ref group="note" name=command-line>Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="command-line" group="note">Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}
| {{Ya}}<ref group="note" name=compile>Must compile from source.</ref>
| {{Ya}}<ref name="compile" group="note">Must compile from source.</ref>
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
| {{Na}}
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|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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|-
|-
|RPCEmu
|RPCEmu
|[https://github.com/Septercius/rpcemu-dev/releases/latest 0.9.4a]||{{Na}}
|[https://github.com/Septercius/rpcemu-dev/releases/latest {{RPCEmuVer}}]||{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Na}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
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|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Red}} {{License|Proprietary}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{Ya}}
|{{~}}<ref group="note" name=paid>Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|{{~}}<ref name="paid" group="note">Requires paid version to access extra emulation features</ref>
|}
|}


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| {{~}}<ref name="command-line" group="note">Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.</ref>
| {{~}}<ref name="command-line" group="note">Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.</ref>
|}
|}
== See also ==
{{Emulators on other systems‎‎}}


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
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{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{Emulators on other systems‎‎}}
[[Category:macOS| ]]
[[Category:macOS| ]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:macOS emulation software]]
[[Category:Shareware emulators]]
[[Category:Shareware emulators]]

Latest revision as of 12:03, 23 August 2026

macOS
Developer Apple
Initial release March 24, 2001
Latest release 26.6.2 / August 17, 2026
Preceded by Classic Mac OS, NeXTSTEP
Emulated ~
This page is about emulators that run on macOS (previously Mac OS X).
For software that emulates macOS on other hardware, see macOS emulators.
For emulators that run on Classic Mac OS, see Emulators on Legacy systems#Classic Mac OS.

The Mac has changed considerably over the years, both in terms of hardware and software. It is important to understand these changes so you can choose the best emulators for your Mac.

Operating System - Classic Mac OS | macOS

The Mac has had two main operating systems over its history: The "Classic" Mac OS versions 1 through 9, and Mac OS X (Ten, not pronounced as "Ex") which is now referred to simply as macOS. Classic was a closed-source proprietary OS, whereas macOS is based on an open-source Unix variant called Darwin. This Unix base helps with Linux compatibility.

The first several releases of macOS up to 10.4 Tiger contained support for Classic applications, but this was later dropped.

CPU Architecture - PowerPC | x86 | x64 | ARM64

macOS has supported three major CPU architecture changes: IBM PowerPC (PPC), Intel x86/x64 and most recently Apple Silicon (ARM64). There have also been minor architectural changes such as moving from 32-bit PPC processors to the 64-bit PPC G5, or from Intel's 32-bit x86 to 64-bit x64. Each time there was a hardware transition, Apple provided ways to continue to support older software on the new systems.

Rosetta was a software emulation layer that helped PPC applications to run on x86/x64 Macs. It was built into 10.4.4 Tiger, but was an optional install in macOS 10.6 Snow Leopard and not available at all for 10.7 Lion. Rosetta 2 currently facilitates x64 software to run on ARM Macs. While Rosetta performs very respectably for most software, it adds extra overhead which can reduce performance on demanding games and emulators.

Apple also introduced Universal Binaries that bundle software for different architectures into a single app bundle. For example, Universal 2 app bundles contain x64 and ARM versions of software in one app. This is very useful for portability, or for people who don't know or care about their Mac's specs. If you know what CPU your Mac has, the advantage of getting the specific version for your CPU is that it will have a smaller file size than the universal binary. However the size difference is usually tiny, so just using the universal binary is usually the way to go.

Graphical Backend - OpenGL | MoltenVK | KosmicKrisp | Metal

Another aspect to consider is the graphical backend of the emulator. For many years OpenGL was the main cross-platform standard for developing graphical software. However in recent times this has changed. More modern backends such as Vulkan and Metal are superseding it. OpenGL on macOS is deprecated, meaning it is stuck on the older OGL 4.1. It doesn't receive any support or bug fixes and will someday be removed from macOS completely. Apple recommends for developers to create native Metal backends for their apps.

One issue with this is that a lot of emulators are cross-platform, and Metal is only for Apple's platforms. The Vulkan backend for Windows and Linux is similar to Metal, but does not have support on macOS. So, many emulators will develop a Vulkan backend and use a translation layer, like MoltenVK or KosmicKrisp, which will take Vulkan instructions and convert them into their respective Metal equivalent. However not every Vulkan instruction has a Metal version, so either workarounds have to be designed, or some features cannot be supported at all. There are two Vulkan-to-Metal translation layers: MoltenVK and KosmicKrisp. MoltenVK is older and was originally developed when Macs were still using Intel CPUs. KosmicKrisp is newer, and is targeting ARM chips and Metal 4 which is a closer match to Vulkan. KosmicKrisp is still in early development but has the potential to be superior to MoltenVK, with the drawback of dropping support for Intel Macs.

Using one of these backends is not mandatory, of course. Some emulators may use a different backend or handle graphics themselves.

Before diving in;
  • Remember that emulators can have different levels of completion or compatibility. If a game you are trying to run does not work properly with a recommended emulator, try a different one. All this means that to find an emulator that works well for your Mac you should understand its specs first. Choose an emulator that supports your CPU architecture natively where possible. The emulators shown here will indicate the processor architecture it supports. Generally you should choose an emulator that supports Metal where available if you are on a modern Mac. MoltenVK should be more performant than OpenGL, although there may be compatibility issues. KosmicKrisp should be more compatible and performant than MoltenVK. OpenGL may work, but some emulators need to use a version newer than OGL 4.1 that macOS doesn't support. In cases like this the emulator will be marked as not having OpenGL support. This list shows the latest versions of the emulator software. If you have an older CPU and the latest version does not support it, some emulators will keep archives of older versions that might, check out their website.
  • See each Wiki Category Consoles, Computers and Arcade for individual dedicated system pages to see provided up-to-date listings and in-depth information on specific aspects like hardware features, peripheral support, compatibility and also enhancements features etc.
  • Some games have native Source ports on macOS, which can be better than playing through an emulator. Also see Game engine recreations and source ports page for a list for all platforms.

Frontends

[edit | edit source]

A frontend is a graphical user interface (GUI) that uses one or more emulator cores under the hood. They could replace the GUI of the official emulator, or they could provide a GUI for command-line-only emulators like MAME or Mednafen. They are also very useful for consolidating games into a single library.

There are two types of frontends:

- Desktop frontends are designed to be navigated with a mouse and keyboard. These can give a Mac-native user interface to command-line or cross-platform emulators

- Fullscreen frontends are designed to be navigated with a game controller. These are very useful if you want to connect your Mac to a TV (or mirror your screen to an AppleTV) and use it as a mini-console

OpenEmu

[edit | edit source]

OpenEmu is an excellent desktop frontend designed for macOS that provides a clean iTunes-like interface. The systems emulated are listed here. It supports shaders that can improve many 2D games, but some advanced features such as upscaling for 3D games are generally not available.

OpenEmu has not been actively developed for several years, and there has never been an official ARM release. However, there is an actively developed fork called OpenEmu-Silicon that is a Universal Binary and has added several more cores and features such as cloud sync, retro-achievements and alternate cover-art sources.

EmulationStation

[edit | edit source]

EmulationStation Desktop Edition is a fullscreen frontend that integrates many emulators, including both command-line and standalone apps. To work properly with standalone apps they usually need to be configured to enter fullscreen automatically on launch.

RetroArch

[edit | edit source]

RetroArch is fullscreen frontend that supports many cores. It is popular but the UI is poor, it is not user-friendly and many of the cores are not updated.

Attract-Mode

[edit | edit source]

Attract-Mode is a fullscreen frontend that supports many cores. There is only an x64 build available on the website. It currently cannot be built from source as the macOS source code has not been maintained.

There is a fork called Attract-Mode Plus that is in active development and has Apple Silicon builds, though as of writing the most recent release does not launch correctly.

Fightcade

[edit | edit source]

Fightcade is a desktop matchmaking frontend for playing many arcade fighting games online with other players. There is currently no ARM build.

Ample

[edit | edit source]

Ample is a frontend for MAME specifically for emulating the Apple II.

Game-specific emulators

[edit | edit source]

Some emulators target specific games rather than emulating whole systems, with ScummVM alone supporting over 300 games from various systems and more being added all the time.

Other projects are more considered source ports rather than emulators. See Source ports on macOS

Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Games List Recommended
ScummVM 2026.3.0 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ List ✓
DREAMM 4.0.0

Beta Releases

✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✓ List ✓

Arcade

[edit | edit source]

Most arcade cabinets

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
MAME 0.289 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause 		✓ ~[note 1]

Atomiswave

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Flycast 2.7 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
MAME 0.289 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause 		✓ ~[note 1]

Sega Model 3

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Supermodel 0.3a ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓[note 2] ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
MAME 0.289 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause 		✓ ~[note 1]

NAOMI

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Flycast 2.7 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
MAME 0.289 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause 		✓ ~[note 1]

Triforce

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Dolphin 2606a[1] ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓

Neo Geo MVS/AES

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
FinalBurn Neo 1.0.0.2 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✗ Non-commercial ~ ~
MAME 0.289 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause 		✓ ~[note 1]

LaserDisc

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
MAME 0.289 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause 		✓ ~[note 1]
Hypseus Singe 3.0.2 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗

Nintendo

[edit | edit source]

NES/Famicom

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
GoNES 0.2.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! Apache 2.0 (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
TetaNES 0.17.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
MetalNES git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ MIT (Permissive) ✗ ✗[note 3]
Nestopia 1.99.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗[note 3]
SwiftNES git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ! ✗ ✗[note 3]
Nin git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ! ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ~

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
bsnes

(Official)

v115 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
SUPER ZSNES 0.300 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ! ! ✓ ! ✓ ✓
bsnes-hd

(forked bsnes)

beta 10.6 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✗ ✓
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Mednafen 1.32.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 1]
Snes9x 1.63 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ Non-commercial ✓ ~

Nintendo 64

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Mupen64Plus 2.6.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 4]
Gopher64 1.1.34 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ !
simple64 v2021.5.30 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗
Rokuyon Releases ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗

Nintendo GameCube

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Dolphin 2606a[note 5] ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Lazuli 2026/07/10 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ! ! ! ! GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
Gecko Release

Nightly

✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ! ! ! ! GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗

Wii

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Dolphin 2606a[note 5] ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Gecko Release

Nightly

✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ! ! ! ! GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗

Wii U

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Cemu 2.6

Nightlies

✗ ✗ ✓ ~[note 6] ✗ ✓ ~[note 6] ✓ MPL 2.0 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓

Nintendo Switch

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK KosmicKrisp Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Ryubing

(Ryujinx Fork)[note 7]

1.3.3

Canary

git

✗ ✗ ~[note 8] ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Astris

(Ryubing with SwiftUI)[note 9]

1.0.27 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ (UI only) Proprietary ✓ ✓
Kenji-NX

(KeatonTheBot's Ryujinx Fork)

2.0.5

git

✗ ✗ ~[note 8] ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Hydra 0.4.2 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
Eden

(Yuzu fork)

0.2.1

Nightlies

✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗

Game Boy (Color)

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Game Link Support Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
SameBoy 1.0.3 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
SkyEmu v5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ! ! ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
mGBA 0.10.5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MPL 2.0 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
KiGB 2.09 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ ~ Proprietary ~ ~[note 10]
Gearboy 3.8.15 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ! ! ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ !
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
VisualBoy Advance-M (VBA-M) 2.2.3

Nightlies

✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~
Swift-plays-Pokemon git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ MPL 2.0 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗[note 11]
Gambatte r571 ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ! ! ! ✗ ! GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗

Game Boy Advance

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Game Link Support Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
SkyEmu v5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ! ! ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
NanoBoyAdvance 1.8.3 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Hades 1.1.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! ! GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ !
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
mGBA 0.10.5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MPL 2.0 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Boycott Advance 0.4.4 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ~ ~[note 10]
Gearboy 3.8.15 ✗ ! ✓ ✓ ! ! ! ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ !
VisualBoy Advance-M (VBA-M) 2.2.3

Nightlies

✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ !

Nintendo DS

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
DeSmuME 0.9.13 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
MelonDS 1.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
NooDS Releases ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ~
Dust WIP ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
Medusa Beta ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MPL 2.0 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗

Nintendo 3DS

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Azahar[note 12] 2126.1.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Mandarine[note 13] 1.3.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
Panda3DS 0.9 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ~[note 14] ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
Tanuki3DS 0.5.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
Borked3DS git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗[note 15]
3Beans git ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗

Sega

[edit | edit source]

SG-1000

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
RetroVM 2.1.20 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ Proprietary ✓ ✓
Gearsystem 3.9.18 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
ZEsarUX 13.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPL (Copyleft) ✓ !

Master System

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
RetroVM 2.1.20 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ Proprietary ✓ ~
Gearsystem 3.9.18 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
ZEsarUX 13.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPL (Copyleft) ✓ !

Mega Drive/Genesis

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Generator 0.4.8 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]
Genesis Plus 1.3.5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

Sega CD

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓

32X

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓

Sega Saturn

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Ymir 0.3.3 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ~[note 16] ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
erings 0.4.3 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ !
Mednafen 1.32.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 1]
Yabause 0.9.15 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗

Dreamcast

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Flycast 2.7 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Redream 1.5.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]
nullDC 2.0.0-pre

git

✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✗[note 2]

VMU

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
DreamPotato v0.3.1 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ? ? ? ? MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓

Game Gear

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Gearsystem 3.9.18 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗

Sony

[edit | edit source]

PlayStation

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
DuckStation Rolling Release

Preview

✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 ✓ ✓
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ~
PCSX-R git

PPC 1.6.0

Intel 1.9.93

✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✗ ✓
PCSX-Redux git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~
StarPSX 0.8.3 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
psxe 0.10.5-alpha ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✗
ePSXe 2.0.5 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✗ ✗
Mednafen 1.32.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 1]

PlayStation 2

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
PCSX2 2.8.2 ✗ ~[note 17] ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
AetherSX2 1.5-3939 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ Proprietary[note 18] ✗ ✓[note 19]
ARMSX2 2.6.2

Nightly

✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Play! 0.77 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ BSD-2-Clause (Permissive) ✓ ✗
Iris 0.20-alpha ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✗

PlayStation 3

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK KosmicKrisp Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
RPCS3 0.0.42 Alpha ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ~[note 20] ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓[note 21]
ChonkyStation3 git ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗

PlayStation 4

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK KosmicKrisp Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
shadPS4 0.18.0

WIP

✗ ✗ ✓[note 22] ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 23]
Obliteration github ✗ ✗ ✓ ~[note 24] ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ LGPLv2.1 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗[note 25]

PlayStation 5

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK KosmicKrisp Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
SharpEmu 0.0.3 ✗ ✗ ✓[note 22] ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ! GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗[note 26]

PlayStation Portable

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
PPSSPP 1.20.4 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓

PlayStation Vita

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Vita3K 0.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ~[note 27] ✗ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓[note 28]

Microsoft

[edit | edit source]

MS-DOS

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
Boxer Fork[note 29] ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~ ✓
86Box 6.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
DOSBox Staging 0.83.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
DOSBox-X 2026.08.02 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
DOSBox 0.74-3

SVN

✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ! ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~
Dapplegrey 9.9.2 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ! ✓ ✗
PCem git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~ ✗
MartyPC v0.4.1 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✗

MSX(2)

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
CocoaMSX git ✗ ✗ ✓ ~[note 30] ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ BSD-3-Clause
GPLv2 		✗ ~
fMSX 6.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]
RetroVM 2.1.20 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ Proprietary ✓ ✓
ZEsarUX 13.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPL (Copyleft) ✓ !

Xbox

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Xemu 0.8.136 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
DukeX 1.0.2 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗[note 31]

Xbox 360

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Xenia-Edge

(Xenia Canary Fork)

Rolling Releases ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ BSD-3-Clause ✓ ~
XeniOS

(macOS/iOS focused Xenia-Edge fork)

2.0.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ BSD-3-Clause ✓ ~

Commodore

[edit | edit source]

VIC-20

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Power20 4.9.5 ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✗ ~[note 32]

Commodore 64

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
VirtualC64 6.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Denise 2.8 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Frodo 4.4.4 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 10]
VICE 3.10 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
Power64 4.9.5 ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✗ ~[note 32]

Amiga

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
vAmiga 4.4 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ GPLv3
MPL 2.0
MIT 		✓ ✓
FS-UAE 3.2.35 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ✓
Denise 2.8 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ! ✓ ✓
Amiberry 8.3.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ~
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✗

Atari

[edit | edit source]

Atari 8-bit

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Rainbow 1.6.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

Atari 2600

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Stella 7.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ !

Atari 5200

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Jum52 1.1.4 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Custom (Source-available) ✓ ~[note 10]

Atari ST

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Hatari 2.6.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓

Atari Lynx

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Mednafen 1.32.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 1]
Handy 0.9.11 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

SNK

[edit | edit source]

Neo Geo CD

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
FinalBurn Neo 1.0.0.2 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✗ Non-commercial ✓ ~
MAME 0.289 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause 		✓ ~[note 1]

Neo Geo Pocket (Color)

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Mednafen 1.32.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 1]
Neopocott 0.5.5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

Coleco

[edit | edit source]

ColecoVision

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Mugrat 0.5.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]
Gearcoleco 1.7.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗
ZEsarUX 13.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! GPL (Copyleft) ✓ !

Bandai

[edit | edit source]

WonderSwan (Color)

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Mednafen 1.32.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 1]
Oswan 0.8.6 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ~ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

Apple

[edit | edit source]

Apple I/II/III

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
OpenEmulator 1.1.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~ ✓
KEGS 1.38 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ !
Sara 0.5.1 ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✗ !
GSplus 0.14 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ !
GSport 0.31 ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ !
MAME 0.289 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ GPLv2
BSD-3-Clause 		✓ ✗

Apple Lisa

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
LisaEm 1.2.7 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ !

Classic Mac OS (68k)

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Snow 0.1.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ MIT (Permissive) ✓ !
Basilisk II Download

git

✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ !
Mini vMac 36.04 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ !

Classic Mac OS (PowerPC)

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
UTM site 4.7.5 ✗ ✗ ~ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ Apache 2.0 (Permissive) ✓ ✓
SheepShaver 2.5

git

✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ !

NEC

[edit | edit source]

PC-98

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
SL9821 Website ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ~ ✓
Neko Project II (猫Project II) Website ✓ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✗ ✗

PC Engine/TurboGrafx/SuperGrafx

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Mednafen 1.32.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ~[note 1]
Mesen 2.2.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Geargrafx 1.7.22 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ !
TGEmu 0.3.8 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ! ! Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

Fujitsu

[edit | edit source]

FM Towns

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal Gamepad Support License Active Recommended
Tsugaru (津軽) 20260522 ✗ ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ BSD-3-Clause (Permissive) ✓ !

Sinclair

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ZX Spectrum

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Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
ares v148 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✓ ISC (Permissive) ✓ ✓
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
ZEsarUX 13.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPL (Copyleft) ✓ !
Spectral 1.16 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ MIT (Permissive) ✓ !
RetroVM 2.1.20 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✓ !
Fuzzbug 0.0.5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✓ ✗[note 10]
FUSE Releases ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ✗

Sinclair QL

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Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
sQLux 1.1.2 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ? ✓ ~[note 2]

Tandy

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TRS-80

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Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
TRS80GP Website ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ! ✓ ✓
SDLTRS2 git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓[note 3] ✗ ✗ ✗ BSD-2-Clause (Permissive) ✓ ✗

Dragon Data

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Dragon 32/64

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
XRoar git ✗ ✗ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ !

Oric

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Oric 1 / Atmos

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓

Amstrad

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Amstrad CPC

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓
Retro Virtual Machine 2.1.20 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✓ !
ACE-DL 20260914 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ ! ✓ !
ZEsarUX 13.0 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPL (Copyleft) ✓ !

Acorn

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Electron

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
CLK 2026-07-23 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ MIT (Permissive) ✓ ✓

BBC Micro

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Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
b2 20260322 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✓ GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓
Horizon 2.1.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

RISC PC

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
RPCEmu 0.9.5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ~

Thompson

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MO5

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
MO5 2.6.7 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

TO7

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Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
Thom 1.6.5 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

TO8

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
TEO 1.8.7 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ! ✗ ✗ Proprietary ✓ ~[note 10]

VTech

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V.Smile

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
veesem 0.1 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ ISC (Permissive) ✓ !

Commander X16

[edit | edit source]
Name Latest Version PPC x86 x64 ARM OpenGL MoltenVK Metal License Active Recommended
X16 Emulator r48 ✗ ✗ ✓ ✓ ✗ ✗ ✗ BSD-2-Clause (Permissive) ✓ ~[note 2]

Notes

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  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Command-line application. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available here
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Command-line only application. No app bundle provided.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Must compile from source.
  4. ↑ Only available as a core. Best played using OpenEmu. ARM builds of OpenEmu and cores available here
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The last Dolphin release to support macOS 10.15 Catalina is 2503a, and the last development build is 2503-270.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 ARM support and the Metal renderer are in the nightly builds but are not included in a major release yet.
  7. ↑ This fork has merged LDN and other previously incomplete features. Mostly focused on maintenance, crash fixes and QoL improvements.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 While the builds are currently universal, x86 is unsupported and will be removed in future releases
  9. ↑ This fork is based on Ryubing, but has a complete SwiftUI overhaul
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 10.18 Requires paid version to access extra emulation features
  11. ↑ No Audio. Must compile from source and run from command line.
  12. ↑ This project is a continuation of PabloMK7's Citra and Lime3DS
  13. ↑ This project is a fork of Citra
  14. ↑ Available on the SDL build only. Not available on the Qt build.
  15. ↑ This is an experimental Citra fork. Changes made here might be merged into Azahar
  16. ↑ Nightly releases have Metal support
  17. ↑ Unofficial 32-bit builds and builds for older versions of macOS are available here. Compatible with macOS 10.9 Mavericks to 10.14 Mojave.
  18. ↑ Based on PCSX2, so it is partially Open-source. The ARM parts are Proprietary.
  19. ↑ Recommended on Apple Silicon except for where there are game-specific bugs that are fixed in PCSX2.
  20. ↑ There is an experimental KosmicKrisp PR here
  21. ↑ Always download the compatibility database and use it to create a custom config for each game
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Only ARM Macs running Rosetta are supported
  23. ↑ Very early in development. Currently has low compatibility.
  24. ↑ There is an ARM build available but there is no x86->ARM recompiler yet
  25. ↑ Very early in development. There is currently no graphics backend.
  26. ↑ Very early in development
  27. ↑ Experimental ARM build available. Has major issues on some titles. Updater will automatically update to the x86 version
  28. ↑ Compatibility varies greatly depending on the title
  29. ↑ The fork of Boxer supports x64 and ARM
  30. ↑ No official ARM build. Needs to be built from source
  31. ↑ Fork of Xemu. Early in development and does not work properly at time of writing
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Shareware. Requires license to unlock full version.

References

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  1. ↑ Information about the Triforce can be found here

Emulators on other systems(edit)

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