Emulators on Nintendo Switch

Revision as of 09:32, 1 September 2026 by 162.158.120.251 (talk) (Nintendo 3DS: new releases)
Nintendo Switch
Top: Console in "Handheld mode" with Joy-Con attached
Bottom: Console in "TV mode" with Joy-Con attached to a grip and the main unit docked
Developer Nintendo PTD
Manufacturer Foxconn, Hosiden
Type Hybrid video game console
Generation Eighth / Ninth
Release date Original: March 3, 2017
Lite: September 20, 2019
OLED: October 10, 2021
Discontinued EU: February 2027
Predecessor Nintendo 3DS
Wii U
Successor Nintendo Switch 2
Emulated
For software that emulates the Nintendo Switch, see Nintendo Switch emulators.

Since the Nintendo Switch was hacked early in its launch, there has been a lot of interest for emulators due to the Switch's portability. These emulators will only work on Switches with CFW on them, i.e. Switch consoles susceptible to the Tegra hardware exploit. For more information and guides on how to homebrew your Switch, or if you even can, visit r/SwitchHacks.

Alternative operating systems

Name Latest version License Active Recommended
Lakka 6.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Switchroot Android 17.1 GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Switchroot Linux Various GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Lakka

Lakka is a lightweight Linux distribution, based on LibreELEC, designed for emulation. It comes with a customized RetroArch whose cores may perform better than those of the standard RetroArch for switch, depending on multiple factors like the existence of a dynarec or the use of vulkan graphics. There are other cores in Lakka, the most interesting being Yabasanshiro (for good Saturn emulation) and Dolphin (which is playable for many Gamecube games if you underclock to 50-60% the emulated system and, for some games, overclock a little the real switch).

Switchroot Android

A build of Android 10 "Q" for the Switch, based on Lineage OS 17.1. Since it shares the same Nvidia Tegra X1 system-on-chip, the build is based off the Nvidia Shield TV build of LineageOS. Its most notable feature is the ability to work both in handheld and docked mode and using the Joycons as a Bluetooth controller (though not all apps may detect them correctly). There is also another build that lets the Switch function as an Android TV box. Many emulators and Android software can run, including DraStic, Dolphin, and Citra.

Switchroot Linux

Many GNU/Linux distributions are available, including Ubuntu Bionic and Focal, Fedora, and Gentoo. With these, it is possible to run many emulators and software for GNU/Linux on these systems. Play! has had some success with playing PS2 games on Ubuntu, albeit at around 10 FPS.

Emulators (multi-system)

Arcade

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Arcade Archives N/A High Proprietary
pFBN
(based on FinalBurn Neo)
git Mid Non-commercial
MAME-NX
(based on MAME 0.72)
git Mid MAME license (Non-commercial) ~ ~
SuperModel-NX
(Sega Model 3 emulator based on SuperModel, for L4T ubuntu linux only)
2021 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~
RetroNX
(early 1.7.4 Retroarch port)
git Low-Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft)

Stable

Nightly

GitHub

Switch RetroArch Cores

RetroArch BIOS/ROMs

Available cores (as of Retroarch 1.22.1 stable)
Cores Game/System list Recommended Working?
2048 2048 TBD
CrocoDS Amstrad - CPC
Caprice32 Amstrad - CPC/GX4000
Anarch Anarch TBD
DICE Arcade TBD
FB Alpha 2012
FB Alpha 2012 CPS-1 TBD
FB Alpha 2012 CPS-2 TBD
FB Alpha 2012 Neo Geo TBD
FinalBurn Neo TBD
MAME 2000
MAME 2003
MAME 2003-Plus
Arduous Arduboy TBD
Ardens TBD
Stella 2023 Atari - 2600
Stella 2014 TBD
a5200 Atari - 5200 TBD
Atari800 TBD
ProSystem Atari - 7800
Virtual Jaguar Atari - Jaguar
Beetle Lynx Atari - Lynx TBD
Handy
TamaLIBretro Bandai - Tamagotchi P1 TBD
Beetle Cygne Bandai - WonderSwan/Color
GAM4980 BBK Longman A4980 TBD
Cannonball Cannonball
NXEngine Cave Story
ChaiLove ChaiLove TBD
JAXE CHIP-8/S-CHIP/XO-CHIP TBD
Gearcoleco Coleco - ColecoVision TBD
PUAE Commodore - Amiga
PUAE 2021 TBD
VICE x128 Commodore - C128 TBD
Frodo Commodore - C64 TBD
VICE x64, fast
VICE x64sc, accurate TBD
VICE xscpu64 Commodore - C64 SuperCPU TBD
VICE xpet Commodore - PET TBD
VICE xplus4 Commodore - PLUS/4 TBD
VICE xvic Commodore - VIC-20 TBD
Dinothawr Dinothawr TBD
PrBoom Doom
boom3 Doom 3
boom 3 xp Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil TBD
DOSBox-Pure DOS
DOSBox-SVN TBD
bk Elektronika - BK-0010/BK-0011(M) TBD
FreeChaF Fairchild ChannelF TBD
REminiscence Flashback
Game Music Emu Game Music Emu TBD
vecx GCE - Vectrex
Gong Gong TBD
GW Handheld Electronic
SquirrelJME Java ME TBD
Jump 'n Bump Jump 'n Bump TBD
LowRes NX LowRes NX TBD
Lutro Lua Engine TBD
minivmac Mac II TBD
O2EM Magnavox - Odyssey2 / Philips Videopac+
FreeIntv Mattel - Intellivision
SameDuck Mega Duck / Cougar Boy TBD
fMSX Microsoft - MSX
Bomberman Mr.Boom TBD
blueMSX MSX/SVI/ColecoVision/SG-1000 TBD
Beetle PCE FAST NEC - PC Engine / CD
Beetle PCE NEC - PC Engine / SuperGrafx / CD TBD
Geargrafx TBD
Beetle SuperGrafx NEC - PC Engine SuperGrafx
QUASI88 NEC - PC-8000 / PC-8800 series TBD
Neko Project II Kai NEC - PC-98
Beetle PC-FX NEC - PC-FX
DeSmuME Nintendo - DS ~
melonDS ~
DoubleCherryGB Nintendo - Game Boy / Color TBD
Gambatte
Gearboy
SameBoy TBD
TGB Dual
gpSP Nintendo - Game Boy Advance TBD
mGBA
VBA Next
VBA-M TBD
FCEUmm Nintendo - NES / Famicom
Mesen
Nestopia UE
QuickNES
Mupen64Plus-Next Nintendo - Nintendo 64
PokeMini Nintendo - Pokemon Mini
bsnes Nintendo - SNES / SFC
bsnes-hd beta TBD
Snes9x TBD
Snes9x 2010
Mesen-S Nintendo - SNES / SFC / Game Boy / Color
Beetle VB Nintendo - Virtual Boy
Mu Palm OS TBD
Retro8 Pico-8 TBD
PocketCDG PocketCDG TBD
TyrQuake Quake
vitaQuake 2 [Rogue] Quake II - Ground Zero TBD
vitaQuake 2 [Xatrix] Quake II - The Reckoning TBD
vitaQuake 2 [Zaero] Quake II - Zaero TBD
vitaQuake 2 Quake II TBD
vitaQuake 3 Quake III: Arena TBD
XRick Rick Dangerous
ScummVM ScummVM
Flycast Sega - Dreamcast/Naomi
Clownacy Sega - MD/CD TBD
SMS Plus GX Sega - MS/GG TBD
Genesis Plus GX Sega - MS/GG/MD/CD
Genesis Plus GX Wide
PicoDrive Sega - MS/GG/MD/CD/32X
Gearsystem Sega - MS/GG/SG-1000
Yabause Sega - Saturn
PX68k Sharp - X68000
X Millennium Sharp X1 TBD
EightyOne Sinclair - ZX 81
Fuse Sinclair - ZX Spectrum
NeoCD SNK - Neo Geo CD
Beetle NeoPop SNK - Neo Geo Pocket / Color
RACE TBD
PCSX ReARMed Sony - PlayStation
PPSSPP Sony - PlayStation Portable
Super Bros War Super Bros War TBD
Numero Texas Instruments TI-83 TBD
Opera The 3DO Company - 3DO
Theodore Thomson - MO/TO
TIC-80 TIC-80 TBD
Uzem Uzebox TBD
VaporSpec VaporSpec TBD
Vircon32 Vircon32 TBD
WASM-4 WASM-4 TBD
Potator Watara - Supervision TBD
ECWolf Wolfenstein 3D TBD

Read below for some other cores not present in the standard distribution: Citra, GooseStation, Play!, SAME_CDI

Emulators (single system)

Atari

Atari 130 / 800 / 5200

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Atari800-switch git Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)

This atari800 port disappeared around 2021 without leaving any trace.

Bandai

Bandai Tamagotchi P1

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Tamatool-NX NX 1.0.0 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~

Commodore

Amiga

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
UAE4All2 git Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Microsoft

DOS

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DOSBox-switch git Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~

Nintendo

Nintendo 64

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
GlideN64 (old RetroArch core) 3.0 Mid Proprietary
Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online
(splitted in "standard" and "mature")
N/A Low Proprietary ~
rokuyon rolling Low GPLv3 (Copyleft) (WIP, slow)

Nintendo DS

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active DSi Recommended
DeSmuME-NX 0.0.3 Low GPLv2 (Copyleft)
DeSmuME-NX
(with jit)
2019 Low GPLv2 (Copyleft)
DrasticDS_nx 1.1.0 Mid Proprietary
melonDSi(fork of melonDS) 7.2 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~ ~
NooDS rolling Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) (WIP)

melonDS standalone includes a JIT compiler so it's generally faster than its retroarch counterpart

Nintendo 3DS

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Citra
(Retroarch core)
20260121 0a4cabd1a-dirty (Patreon) Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~
Dekopon
(Azahar port)
v2.2.3-RC1 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Raika Azahar (Raikopon)
(Dekopon fork)
v2.5.0 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Nintendo Game Boy / Color

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Game Boy - Nintendo Switch Online N/A Low Proprietary
GameLadNX 1 Low MIT (Permissive)
khedgb Update 7 Low Proprietary
mGBA 0.10.5git Mid MPL 2.0 (Copyleft)
pGBA (based on MGBA) git Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft)
PlutoBoy git Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft)
UltraGB Overlay git Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~

Nintendo Game Boy Advance

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
44VBA
(forked from libretro vba-next)
v20220417 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~ ~
Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Switch Online N/A High Proprietary
gdkGBA git Low Unlicense (Public domain equivalent)
mGBA 0.10.5git Mid MPL 2.0 (Copyleft)
NooDS
(Loads gba games from the emulated nds slot-2)
rolling Low-Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~ (WIP)
pGBA (based on MGBA) git Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft)
Switch-gba 1.0.2 Low ?
VBA-M NX git Low GPLv2 (Copyleft)
VBA-Next 0.7 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)

Nintendo Game & Watch

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
MADrigal Switch
(includes RetroArch 1.8.5, the gw-libretro core version 1.6.3 and all 59 games)
10-05-2020 Mid Proprietary ~ ~

Any recent RetroaArch release includes direct G&W support through the handheld-electronic core which should be a better choice. You can even download the games with the online updater on retroarch itself.

Nintendo Entertainment System / Family Computer Disk System

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
LaiNES git Mid BSD-2-Clause (Permissive)
NESalizer 2018 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)
NESwitch git Mid ?
Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online 2.3.0 Mid Proprietary
NoiES git Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft)
pNES (based on Nestopia) git Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft)

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
pSNES (based on snes9x) git Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft)
snesnx2005 0.0.1-alpha1 Mid Non-commercial ~
Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online 3.4.0 Mid Proprietary

Virtual Boy

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Virtual Boy - Nintendo Classics 1.0.0 ? Proprietary

Wii

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
dolphin-nx 1.0.4 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~

Wii U

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Cemu-nx 1.1.3 Mid MPL 2.0 (Copyleft) ~

Philips

CD-i

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
SAME_CDI
(Retroarch core)
git Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~ ~

Sega

Dreamcast

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Flycast CI Buildsgit Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)
reicast Alpha Low-Mid Proprietary

Genesis / Mega Drive

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
pGEN (based on Genesis Plus GX) git Mid Non-commercial
SEGA Genesis - Nintendo Switch Online N/A High Proprietary

Saturn

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Yaba Sanshiro (Yaba三四郎)
(based on Lakka)
2.2.0 Mid Proprietary ~ ~

Sony

PlayStation

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
DuckStation git Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft)
GooseStation
(Retroarch core)
git Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~
PCSX-ReARMed v0.0.2 Low GPLv2 (Copyleft)

PlayStation 2

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
ARMSX2-NX 3.0.0 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~
NetherSX2_nx 1.2.4 Mid Non-commercial
MIT
~
Play!
(Retroarch core)
git Low BSD-2-Clause (Permissive) ~

PlayStation Portable

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
PPSSPP 1.17.x Mid-High GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~

PlayStation Vita

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Vita2hos git Low-Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~
Vita3K-nx 1.0.0 Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~

SNK

Neo Geo MVS / AES

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Arcade Archives
ACA NEOGEO
N/A High Proprietary

Neo Geo Pocket / Color

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Neopop-SDL v0.2 Mid ?

x86 CPUs

Name Latest Version 8086*¹ 286 386*² 486*³ Pentium*⁴ Pentium II*⁵ Celeron*⁶ Pentium III*⁷ Pentium 4*⁸ License Active Recommended
switch-bochs git ? ? ? ? LGPLv2.1 (Copyleft) ~
UniPCemu itch.io GPLv3 (Copyleft) ?

*¹8086 emulation includes the 8088 CPU. *²386 emulation includes the SX and SL. *³486 emulation includes variants. *⁴Pentium emulation includes variants. *⁵Pentium II emulation includes variants. *⁶Celeron emulation includes variants. *⁷Pentium III emulation includes variants. *⁸Pentium 4 emulation includes variants.

Fantasy computers

CHIP-8

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
AXChip8 1.0 Mid ?
Chip8-NX 0.3 Mid ?
Swip8 1.0.0 Mid Proprietary

Pico-8

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Fake-08 v0.0.2.20 High MIT (Permissive)
Switch-P8 v0.5.0 Medium MIT (Permissive)

Vapor Spec

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
VaporSpec-Switch 1.3 High MIT (Permissive)

Source ports

Multi-game engine

Name Latest version License Libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Commander Genius 2.6.3.1 Non-commercial Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons, Commander Keen in Keen Dreams, Commander Keen in Goodbye Galaxy, Commander Keen in Aliens Ate My Babysitter
CPyMO v1.1.9 AGPLv3 (Copyleft) ? PyMO Visual Novel / AVG Game Engine
EasyRPG 0.8.1.1 GPLv3 (Copyleft) RPG Maker 2000/2003 games
LÖVE Potion 3.0.1 MIT (Permissive) Love2D LUA engine
MegaZeux 2.93d GPLv2 (Copyleft) Caverns of Megazeux and multiple ZZT style ascii games
OpenBOR git BSD-3-Clause (Permissive) Pak mods
ResidualVM 0.4.0 GPLv2 (Copyleft) Grim Fandango, Escape from Monkey Island, Myst III, The Longest Journey. Recently merged into the main scummvm project.
ScummVM 2026.3.0 GPLv2 (Copyleft) Adventure games and RPGs (LucasArts, Sierra, Activision, Humongous & more. Over 250 games.)
VNDS-LOVE v0.0.13 MIT (Permissive) Visual Novel Dual-Screen port for NX based on LovePotion

Single game engine

Name Latest version License Libretro Active Recommended Supported game(s)
Action-adventure
Ship of Harkinian 8.0.6
Nighty build
git
? The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time + Master Quest (any PAL version)[N 1]
Zelda3 git MIT (Permissive) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Pinball
SpaceCadetPinball git MIT (Permissive) ? 3D Pinball for Windows – Space Cadet
Platformer
Cave Story Engine 2 Website
git[N 2]
removed due to DMCA take down [N 2] ? Cave Story
NXEngine-evo git GPLv3 (Copyleft) ? Cave Story
RVM Sonic CD git ? ? ? Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011)[N 3]
Sonic 1 and 2 (2013) git Non-commercial ? ? Sonic the Hedgehog 1 (2013)[N 3], Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2013)[N 3]
Sonic 3 A.I.R. (Angel Island Revisited) Website Proprietary ? ? Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles
Sonic CD (2011) git Non-commercial ? ? Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011)[N 3]
Sonic Robo Blast 2 v2.2.11 GPLv2 (Copyleft) Sonic Robo Blast 2
smw git MIT (Permissive) Super Mario World
TheXTech git GPLv3 (Copyleft) Super Mario Bros. X (SMBX) and derivatives
Racing
SRB2Kart git GPLv2 (Copyleft) ? ? Sonic Robo Blast 2 Kart
RPG
DevilutionX git Sustainable Use License Diablo
OpenMW (unofficial) git GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~ The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Sim - City-building
Julius
Augustus (gameplay changes)
git
git
AGPLv3 (Copyleft) Caesar III
TBS
Fheroes2 git GPLv2 (Copyleft) ~ Heroes of Might and Magic II
Visual Novel
ONScripter-jh git GPLv2 (Copyleft) Visual Novel
  1. As of v8.0.0 MacReady Alfa, Ship of Harkinian supports any PAL ROM of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (including Master Quest versions) for Nintendo 64 or GameCube (SoH Compatibility Checker to check if your ROM is supported). While NTSC ROMs are supported in v9.0.0 Blair Alfa and newer, the Switch and Wii U versions have not been updated to v9.0 yet. Launch the PC version of the same version number and locate the ROM to generate an oot.otr file to place in the soh Switch app folder. Additionally and optionally, you can load the PAL version of the Master Quest version in the PC version to create an oot-mq.otr to add another game mode.
  2. 2.0 2.1 There is also an official Nintendo Switch remake called Cave Story+ with 3D graphics and the most features out of any other existing version (making it the "definitive version") that may be more recommendable depending on the user's preference. Cave Story Engine 2, or CSE2 for short, is a source port of the classic Cave Story by Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya. CSE2 came with a portable version and an enhanced version of the original freeware but in November 2020, the CSE2 source port has received a DMCA cease and desist notice from Nicalis, the current IP owner of Cave Story, and the unofficial Switch port received a DMCA cease and desist as well.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Sega Forever classics version on Android or iOS can also be used.

Streaming

Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
LibNXbox 0.9.0-beta Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft)
Moonlight-NX 1.2.0 Mid GPLv3 (Copyleft) ~ ~

See also

Emulators on consoles(edit)