List of recommended emulators
List of recommended emulators is a condensed list of the top few recommended emulators for several systems.
- Companies
Atari
Atari 2600
- Main article: Atari 2600 emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86 | ||||||||||
| Stella |    
|
7.0 libretro core | ||||||||
| ARM | ||||||||||
| stella_libretro |   
|
libretro core | ||||||||
Jaguar
- Main article: Atari Jaguar emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86 | ||||||||||
| BigPEmu |
|
1.221 | ||||||||
| ARM | ||||||||||
| BigPEmu | 
|
1.221 | ||||||||
| Virtual Jaguar virtualjaguar_libretro |
|
libretro core 1.01git | ||||||||
Nintendo
Nintendo Entertainment System
- Main article: Nintendo Entertainment System emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86 | ||||||||||
| Mesen |
|
Dev builds libretro core 2023-09-11 (Mesen X) 0.9.9 (Mesen 1) | ||||||||
| puNES |
|
WIP builds 0.111 | ||||||||
| Nestopia UE | 
|
libretro core 1.99.0 Nestopia JG git | ||||||||
| ares |
|
git Artifacts v148 | ||||||||
| ARM | ||||||||||
| Nestopia_libretro |
|
libretro core | ||||||||
| FCEUmm_libretro |
|
libretro core | ||||||||
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Main article: Super Nintendo Entertainment System emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86 | ||||||||||
| ares |
|
git Artifacts v148 | ||||||||
| bsnes libretro cores |
|
nightly libretro cores beta 10.6 (bsnes-hd) 1.3.4 (bsnes-mt) git (bsnes-classic) | ||||||||
| Mesen[1] |
|
2.2.1 Mesen S[1] Mesen S libretro[1] Mesen SX[1] | ||||||||
| Snes9x |
|
nightly 1.63 | ||||||||
| ARM | ||||||||||
| Snes9x libretro cores |
|
libretro core | ||||||||
| Snes9x EX+ | 
|
1.5.85git 1.5.46.02 Pyra | ||||||||
Nintendo 64
- Main article: Nintendo 64 emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86 | ||||||||||
| ares |
|
git Artifacts v148 | ||||||||
| simple64 |
|
2024.12.1 GLideN64 | ||||||||
| ARM | ||||||||||
| Mupen64Plus-Next |
|
libretro core | ||||||||
| Mupen64Plus FZ |
|
3.0.322 (beta) git | ||||||||
GameCube
- Main article: GameCube emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Dolphin |
|
Dev 2606a |
Wii
- Main article: Wii emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Dolphin |
|
Dev 2606a |
Wii U
- Main article: Wii U emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Cemu |
|
Artifacts 2.6 Flathub |
Nintendo Switch
- Main article: Nintendo Switch emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Ryujinx |
|
1.1.1403‡ ryujinx-mirror builds GreemDev fork LDN builds‡ custom build for revived SMB35 |
| Citron |
|
2026.02.1 |
Game Boy (Color)
- Main article: Game Boy/Game Boy Color emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| SameBoy |
|
1.0.3 |
| BGB |
|
1.6.6 |
| Emulicious |
|
2026-03-19 |
Game Boy Advance
- Main article: Game Boy Advance emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| mGBA |
|
Dev builds 0.10.5 |
Nintendo DS
- Main article: Nintendo DS emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| melonDS |
|
Dev Builds[N 1] |
| melonDS DS |
|
git |
| DeSmuME |
|
0.9.13/Nightly |
Nintendo 3DS
- Main article: Nintendo 3DS emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Citra (PabloMK7 fork) |
|
git |
| Lime3DS |
|
Template:Lime3DSVer |
Sega
Master System
- Main article: Master System emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis Plus GX |
|
libretro core |
| Snepulator |
|
git |
| MAME |
|
0.289 libretro core |
| ares |
|
git Artifacts v148 |
| Emulicious |
|
2026-03-19 |
Mega Drive/Genesis
- Main article: Sega Genesis emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis Plus GX |
|
libretro core Cyclone libretro core |
| ares |
|
git Artifacts v148 |
| PicoDrive |
|
libretro core 2.05 |
| BlastEm |
|
Nightly builds 1.0.0 |
32X and CD add-ons
- Main article: Sega Genesis emulators#Hardware features and accessories
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| ares |
|
git Artifacts v148 |
| PicoDrive |
|
libretro core 2.05 |
Saturn
- Main article: Sega Saturn emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Mednafen Beetle Saturn |
|
1.32.1 libretro core |
Dreamcast
- Main article: Dreamcast emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Flycast |
|
CI Builds |
| redream |
|
Dev Builds 1.5.0 (Windows, Linux, macOS) 1.2.12[N 2] |
Sony
PlayStation
- Main article: PlayStation emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| DuckStation |
|
Preview Latest Older builds for obsolete hardware |
| Mednafen |
|
1.32.1 Beetle/Beetle HW |
PlayStation 2
- Main article: PlayStation 2 emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| PCSX2 |
|
2.8.2 (Stable) and Nightly builds paraLLEl-GS build: Win, Linux shandonb's fork for libretro Older builds for obsolete hardware |
PlayStation 3
- Main article: PlayStation 3 emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| RPCS3 |
|
Nightly 0.0.42 Alpha Older builds for obsolete hardware |
PlayStation 4
- Main article: PlayStation 4 emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| shadPS4 |
|
0.18.0 |
| fpPS4 |
|
Nightly GUI Temmie's Launcher GUI Temmie's Launcher (Proto) |
PlayStation Portable
- Main article: PlayStation Portable emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86 | |||||||||
| PPSSPP |
|
Dev Builds Dev Builds (Artifacts) libretro core[N 3] 1.20.4 | |||||||
| ARM | |||||||||
| PPSSPP |   
|
Dev Builds Dev Builds (Artifacts) 1.20.4 0.1 Pyra libretro core[N 3] | |||||||
PlayStation Vita
- Main article: PlayStation Vita emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86 | |||||||||
| Vita3K |
|
git | |||||||
| ARM | |||||||||
| Vita3K |
|
0.2.0-12 | |||||||
Microsoft
Xbox
- Main article: Xbox emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| xemu |
|
0.8.136 |
Xbox 360
- Main article: Xbox 360 emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Xenia |
|
Xenia Manager Canary Netplay (recommended) Canary v1.0.2844 (master) Canary Nukernel (obsolete) |
PC Emulators
- Main article: PC Emulator Comparisons
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86 | ||||||||
| 86Box |
|
Dev 6.0 PCBox fork | ||||||
| PCem |
|
v17 git git (macos) | ||||||
| DOSBox and forks |
|
2026.08.02 (DOSBox-X) 0.83.0 (DOSBox Staging) 1.0 preview 6 (DOSBox Pure) git (DOSBox-core) 0.74-3 (DOSBox) | ||||||
| ARM | ||||||||
| DOSBox Pure |
|
libretro core | ||||||
Multi-system
- Main article: Multi-system emulators
| Name | Platform(s) | Latest version |
|---|---|---|
| Mednafen |   
|
1.32.1 Wii PS3 GCW Zero |
| ares |
|
git Artifacts v148 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Mesen libretro core doesn't support SNES emulation. On the other hand Mesen S libretro core supports it but it's obsolete and superseded by Mesen standalone (with version 2.0)
- ↑ Windows, Ubuntu, macOS-universal
- ↑ CI/Dev builds are a better choice for almost all users; the stable version should only be used if you have a specific need for them.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 This build using upstream repo for libretro from now on. But, similar to Citra and melonDS libretro cores, the standalone version of PPSSPP is highly recommended over the libretro core as the libretro core version can be slow and unstable.