Official emulators
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Official emulators are emulators released by their console manufacturer, used for either backward compatibility or debugging.
Sony
[edit | edit source]PlayStation One Portable Station (POPS):
- PS1 emulator for PSP, for playing PS1 Classics off the PS Store.
PlayStation Pocket:
- PS1 emulator bundled with the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. It is not compatible with other phone models, because it partially depends on hardware emulation. It was meant to only work with select titles sold on the official web store, but it took less than a year for an injector to emerge. The emulation accuracy is mid-tier at best and the injector only works with single-track games, although multi-track games are theoretically possible.
PSP Emulator (Internally named "Pspemu"):
- Originally used to play digital releases of PSP games from the PS Store. The NoPspEmuDrm plugin can be used on a PS Vita with HENkaku in order to bypass the DRM of the stock emulator, which allows you to play EBOOT.PBP backups from PSN on the system's home menu without a PS Store license. Software like ARK-4 and VHBL can also allow you to boot homebrew and UMD backups in the official PSP emulator with a custom menu. With Adrenaline, it's possible to boot to PSP XMB and run the majority of PSP games/homebrew, in addition to patching many more features to the PSP emulator. Partially depends on hardware-based emulation, which allows the emulation to be near perfect.
PlayStation One Portable Station (POPS-Vita):
- PS1 emulator on the Vita used for playing PS1 Classics off the PS Store. This seems to be a port of PSP's POPS loader, even using some POPS modules with PSP mode.[1]
PlayStation One Portable Station (SLBB-00001):
- PS1 emulator for PS2 internal and USB HDD. Install POPStarter on FreeMcBoot to use. Developed by SCEI, it was published by Konami as DLC for BB Unit owners, and came with (and locked to only play) the game ビシバシスペシャル3.[2]
Compatibility Lists
PlayStation
[edit | edit source]| Emulator | Release | Use |
|---|---|---|
| ps1_emu | FW 1.00 | Emulator for running PS1 discs. |
| ps1_netemu | FW 1.70 | Emulator for PS1 Classic downloads off PS Store. |
| ps1_newemu | FW 2.10 | For PSP remote play. |
Compatibility Lists
- Official lists: JP
- PSDevWiki's PS1 Classics Emulator Compatibility List
More info: PS3 Developer Wiki
PlayStation 2
[edit | edit source]| Emulator | Release | Last Update | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ps2_emu | FW 1.00 | FW 4.78 | For CECHA and CECHB, doesn't emulate Emotion Engine or Graphics Synthesizer. Instead relies on the actual EE and GS inside model CECHA/CECHB. |
| ps2_gxemu | FW 1.50 | FW 4.78 | For models CECHC and CECHE, doesn't emulate Graphics Synthesizer. Instead relies on the actual GS inside model CECHA/CECHE. |
| ps2_softemu | FW 1.90 | FW 3.72 | First iteration of full software emulator. It had disc support that was never enabled. Could be tested in factory test mode, but the accuracy is terrible. |
| ps2_netemu | FW 3.73 | FW 4.78 | Emulator for PS2 Classics downloads off PS Store and CFW. No disc support, only eboots packed in .pkg. |
Compatibility Lists (Software)
Compatibility Lists (Hardware)
More info: PS3 Developer Wiki, PSDevWiki's PS2 Classics Emulator Compatibility List
PlayStation Portable
[edit | edit source]| Emulator | Release | Use |
|---|---|---|
| psp_emulator | FW 3.15 | For playing games off the PSN store, and 'HD Remakes' of PSP games. |
| psp_translator | FW 3.15 | Unknown. |
Compatibility Lists
- PSDevWiki PSP Emulator on PS3 Compatibility List
- PShomeBREW PSP On PS3 Compatibility List
- Cobra Dongle Compatibility List
- PS3Hax Thread
- More info: PS3 Developer Wiki
- Recommended to use PSP-Launcher.
External Links
All these emulators do run in PS5 through PS4's backward compatibility mode.
But the emulators were a bit of a disaster[3] and the platform holder eventually pulled support. In 2024, thanks to the work of Implicit Conversions, a retro-focused porting company that has recently been working with Sony to add PS1 support to its multi-platform Syrup Engine announced newer emulator for both PS4 and PS5, with new "up-rendering" designed for the 4K-capable PS5 could make these 3D titles look "sharper" on modern TVs. And other new features like "rewind, quick save, and custom video filters" promise nice improvements over the relatively bare-bones PSX, PS2 and PSP emulation previously available on these consoles. [4] This new emulator, however, still faces criticism.
DF Clips: PlayStation 2 Emulation on PS5 Tested... And We've Got Issues
PlayStation
[edit | edit source]| Emulator | Release | Use |
|---|---|---|
| ps1hd | Not included in firmware, but in game pkg | For playing PS1 re-releases from the PS store |
PS4 Developer Wiki Compatibility List
PlayStation 2
[edit | edit source]| Emulator | Release | Use |
|---|---|---|
| ps2_netemu variant | Not included in firmware, but in game pkg | For playing PS2 re-releases from the PSN store (e.g. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas) |
PS4 Developer Wiki Compatibility List
- Digital Foundry: Hands-On With PS2 Emulation On PlayStation 4, PS2 Emulation for PlayStation 4: Frame-Rate Test
PlayStation Portable
[edit | edit source]| Emulator | Release | Use |
|---|---|---|
| PSPHD | Not included in firmware, but in game pkg | For playing HD remasters of PSP games (e.g. PaRappa the Rapper Remastered) |
PS4 Developer Wiki Compatibility List
Emulators on PS5
[edit | edit source]- Console Archives: A spin-off in the Arcade Archives series, it emulates the original PlayStation (alongside NES on the same day). Sources claims that the emulator that it is used to run Cool Boarders are better than the emulator used on PlayStation 4 available on PlayStation Store, which also affects PlayStation 5.
- RedoEngine: A collective of PlayStation hardware emulators for the PlayStation 5, it gained notoriety for being the first commercial PlayStation 3 emulator, in this case, being used on an indie game called Cloudberry Kingdom.
Nintendo
[edit | edit source]Multi-System
[edit | edit source]- Main article: Virtual Console
- L-CLASSICS - NES and SNES emulator used for Nintendo Classics.
- threeb - Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and NES emulator used for 3DS Virtual Console titles. For GBA, it should not be confused with AGB_FIRM.
NES
[edit | edit source]- Kachikachi - Emulator used for the NES Classic Edition and Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition for the Nintendo Switch.
- flog - Emulator included in the Nintendo Switch firmware until v4.0.0. Plays only one game (Golf).
- Heritage - Emulator used in the NES Remix series of games.
SNES
[edit | edit source]- Canoe - Emulator used for the SNES Classic Edition.
Nintendo 64
[edit | edit source]- (unknown codename) - Emulator used for N64 titles on Wii Virtual Console. Made by NST.
- VESSEL - Emulator used for N64 titles on Wii U Virtual Console. Made by iQue.
- Hovercraft - Emulator used for the Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Classics app and its respective "+17/+18" variants; also used in Super Mario 3D All-Stars (for Mario 64). Made jointly by NERD and iQue, originally as a fork of VESSEL.
GameCube / Wii
[edit | edit source]- Dolphin - GameCube emulator intended for debugging. Does not run commercial games. Not to be confused with the unofficial Dolphin emulator.
- Hagi - Emulator used for re-releases of GameCube and Wii games on Nintendo Switch. Currently featured in Super Mario 3D All-Stars (for both Sunshine and Galaxy), Pikmin, Pikmin 2, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2.
- Lingcod - Emulator used for Wii (also GameCube, but unused) games on NVIDIA Shield units sold exclusively in Mainland China, made by NVIDIA as part of a deal with Nintendo. Does not play standard 1:1 Wii games without modifications, and does not run on other NVIDIA Shield units or Android devices.
- (unknown codename) - Emulator used for the GameCube - Nintendo Classics app for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Game Boy
[edit | edit source]- Hiyoko - Emulator used for the Game Boy - Nintendo Classics app. It always runs games in Game Boy Color mode. No SGB features are supported.
Game Boy Advance
[edit | edit source]- m2engage - Emulator made by M2 used for GBA titles on Wii U Virtual Console. Shares the name used for other retro projects made by M2, mainly for Sega Genesis re-releases.
- Sloop - Emulator used for the Game Boy Advance - Nintendo Classics app. Developed by Panasonic Vietnam.
Nintendo DS
[edit | edit source]- Ensata - Emulator intended for quick debugging for developers. Can run a few commercial games.
- Hachihachi - Emulator made by NERD used for DS titles on Wii U Virtual Console. Does not run DSi-enhanced or DSi-only games.
Virtual Boy
[edit | edit source]- (unknown codename) - Emulator used for the Virtual Boy - Nintendo Classics app for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
[edit | edit source]- m2engage - Emulator made by M2 used on SEGA Genesis - Nintendo Switch Online app.
Microsoft
[edit | edit source]Multi-System
[edit | edit source]- Fission - Xbox 360 and original Xbox emulator for Xbox One and Series X/S.
Xbox
[edit | edit source]- Fusion - Emulator for Xbox 360.
Sega
[edit | edit source]Multi-System
[edit | edit source]- m2engage - Acronym of one or multiple emulators used in Sega projects from Japan since SEGA AGES Online series, made by M2:
- Sega Arcade games (SEGA AGES Online, Sega 3D Classics, Switch SEGA AGES)
- SG-1000 (Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage)
- Sega Master System (SEGA AGES Online, Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives, Sega 3D Classics Collection, Switch SEGA AGES, Lost Judgment)
- Sega Genesis (SEGA AGES Online, Sega 3D Classics, Switch SEGA AGES, Sega Genesis Mini 1 & 2)
- Sega Game Gear (3DS Virtual Console, Game Gear Micro)
- Sega CD (Sega Genesis Mini 2)
Sega Master System
[edit | edit source]- PS1.EXE - Partial emulator used inside Phantasy Star Collection for Sega Saturn. Emulates the 1994 Japanese re-release of Phantasy Star for Sega Mega Drive. Does not emulate the sound, which is handled by streamed data files.
- smsce_w64.dll - Master System emulator used in Lost Judgment, Like A Dragon Gaiden and Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Supports FM Sound Unit, 3-D Glasses and SG-1000 emulation.
Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
[edit | edit source]- 1MD_EMU.BIN - Emulator used on the Dream Library service, available on Dream Passport 3 and Sega Smash Pack Vol. 1 discs for Sega Dreamcast, developed by Yuki Enterprise under contract with Sega. Features bad YM2612 emulation.
PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16
[edit | edit source]- PCEMU.BIN - Emulator used on the Dream Library service, available on Dream Passport 3 disc for Sega Dreamcast. Can only play HuCard / TurboChip games. No method of loading ROMs is known.
NEC
[edit | edit source]PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16
[edit | edit source]- m2engage - Emulator made by M2 under contract by Konami used in TurboGrafx-16 Mini. It can emulate standard HuCard, CD, SuperGrafx, and Arcade Card games.
- VPCE - Emulator made by D4 Enterprise under contract by Konami used in TurboGrafx-16 titles on 3DS Virtual Console, based on multiple mentions inside the "code.bin" file. It is unknown if it shares source code from the unofficial emulator of the same name.