Emulators on Linux

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Linux

Tux the penguin, the mascot of Linux
Developer	Community contributors Linus Torvalds
Initial release	September 17, 1991
Emulated	✓

This page is about software on Linux that emulates other hardware, like video game consoles.

For software that can run Linux on other Operating Systems, see Hypervisors.

Linux is a family of operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Operating systems using the Linux kernel are commonly called Linux distributions (distro).

Emulators on Linux

Due to the overlap with the technical and open source communities, the majority of emulators in existence will have Linux versions available. The commercial success of the Steam Deck has also contributed heavily to consumer demand for native emulators on Linux.

Before diving in;

If you're on a Steam Deck, you should probably use EmuDeck which is an installation script that helps you get started with emulation. It is not an all-in-one solution like some other software; instead, it strives to provide the best possible official options to you, set up and ready to go. See the Linux guide for emulators for Distro specific instructions See the Recommended Linux distributions. 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 Game engine recreations and source ports that run on Linux, which can be the better than emulators for their specific games.

Atari

Atari 8-bit family

Name	Latest version	Models	XEGS	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Atari800	7.2.0	400, 800, XL, XE	✗	✓	Cycle	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Atari++	1.85	400, 800, XL, XE	✗	✗	Cycle	TPL (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	Good: 400, 800 Basic: XL, XE	✓	✓	?	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~

Atari ST

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Hatari	2.6.1	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Steem SSE	4.2.1	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
ARAnyM	git	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Steem Engine	3.2	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
PCE/atarist	pce-20191006	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
CaSTaway	0.9.2	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

Atari 2600

Name	Latest version	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Stella	7.0	✓	Cycle	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	Cycle	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
z26	4.07	✗	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	~
BizHawk	2.11.1	✗	?	MIT GPL	✓	✗
Gopher2600	0.56.1	✗	High	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
CLK	2026-07-23	✗	Mid	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✗
Stellarator	git	✗	?	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✓	✗

Atari 5200

Name	Latest version	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Atari800	7.2.0	✓	Cycle	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
kat5200	1.0.2	✗	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	Mid	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
Jum52	git	✗	?	Custom (Source-available)	✗	✗

Atari 7800

Name	Latest version	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	High	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
A7800	5.2	✗	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
ProSystem	git (libretro)	✓	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗ ^{[note 1]}	✓
BizHawk	2.11.1	✗	?	MIT GPL	✓	✗

Atari Jaguar

Name	Latest version	AJ-CD	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
BigPEmu	1.221	✓	✗	Proprietary	✓	✓
Phoenix	2.8.JAG	✗	✗	Proprietary	✗	✓
Virtual Jaguar	2.1.2 Unofficial builds git (libretro)	✗	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗ ^{[note 1]}	✓
MAME	0.289	~	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

Atari Lynx

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Mednafen	1.32.1	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2	✓	✓
Handy	0.95	✓	zlib License (Permissive)	✗	✗

Nintendo

Nintendo Entertainment System

Name	Latest version	FDS	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Mesen	2.2.1	✓	✓	Cycle	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Nestopia UE	1.99.0	✓	✓	Cycle	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
puNES	0.111	✓	✗	Cycle	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
3dSen	1.1	✗	✗	?	Proprietary	✓	~
FinalBurn Neo	WIP builds	✓	✓	?	Non-commercial	✓	✗
iNES	6.1	✓	✗	High	?	✓	✗
Gearnes	git	✓	✓	High	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
BizHawk	2.11.1	✓	✗	Cycle	MIT GPL	✓	✗
higan (火眼)	v110	✓	✓ (as bsnes v083)	Cycle	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
ANESE	git	✗	✗	Cycle	MIT (Permissive)	~	✗
cxNES	git	✓	✗	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
FCEUX	2.6.6	✓	✗	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	Mid	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
QuickNES	git (libretro)	?	✓	Low	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
TetaNES	0.17.0	?	?	?	Apache 2.0 (Permissive) MIT (Permissive)	✓	?
Nestalgia	0.31.0	?	?	High	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	?

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Name	Version	Satellaview	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
bsnes (Official)	v115	✓	✓	Cycle	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
bsnes-hd (forked bsnes)	beta 10.6	✓	✓	Cycle	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
higan (火眼)	v110	✓	✓	Cycle	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
SUPER ZSNES	0.300	?	✗	High	Proprietary	✓	✓
Mesen S	0.4.0	✗	✓	Cycle	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	~
Snes9x	1.63	✓	✓	High	Non-commercial	✓	~
Mednafen (SNES-Faust)	1.32.1	✓	✓	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
nSide (forked higan)	git	✓	✓	Cycle	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
BizHawk (bsnes v087)	2.11.1	✓	✗	Cycle	MIT GPL	✓	✗
Mednafen (bsnes v059)	1.32.1	✓	✓	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	✗	✓	Low	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
ZSNES	1.51	✗	✗	Low	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
CATSFC	1.36	✗	✓	Low	Non-commercial GPLv2	✗	✗

Nintendo 64

Name	Latest version	Plugins	Controller Pak	Rumble Pak	Transfer Pak	64DD	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
simple64 (ParaLLEl)	2024.12.1	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
simple64 (Final GLideN64)	Final GLideN64	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
RMG	git	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
ares	v148	✗	✓	~	~	✗	✗	ISC (Permissive)	✓	~
CEN64	git	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✓	~
Mupen64Plus	git	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	~
BizHawk	2.11.1	✗	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	MIT GPL	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

GameCube / Wii / Triforce

Name	Latest version	GameCube	Wii	Triforce	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Dolphin	Dev	✓	✓	~^{[note 2]}	✓^{[note 3]}	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Ishiiruka-Dolphin (いし海豚)	Dev	✓	✓	✗	~	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	~
Pureikyubu (PlayCube)	1.8	✓	✗	✗	✗	CC0 1.0 (Public domain equivalent)	✓	✗
Lazuli	Nightly releases	✓	✗	✗	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
Gecko	Releases	✓	✓	✗	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗

Wii U

Name	Latest version	Accurancy	Amiibo	License	Active	Recommended
Cemu	2.6	Medium	~	MPL 2.0 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Decaf	git	Low	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

Nintendo Switch

Name	Latest version	Amiibo	License	Active	Recommended
yuzu (柚子)	Nightly (Offline) git (Offline)	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗*	✓
Ryujinx (龍神X)	1.1.1403‡ ryujinx-mirror builds LDN builds‡ custom build for revived SMB35	✓	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✓

Nintendo 3DS

Name	Latest version	Amiibo	License	libretro	Active	Recommended
Citra	Nightly	✓	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓

Nintendo DS

Name	Latest version	DSi	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
DeSmuME	0.9.13	✗	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
melonDS	1.1 Dev Builds	~	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓

Game Boy Advance

Name	Latest version	Game Link Support	e-Reader	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
mGBA	0.10.5	✓	✓	✓	Mid	MPL 2.0 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Gearboy	3.8.15	?	?	✓	?	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
higan (火眼)	v110	✗	✗	✓	?	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
VBA-M	2.2.3	✓	✓	✓	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
NanoBoyAdvance	1.8.3	?	?	✗	Cycle	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	TBD

Pokémon mini

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
GBE+	1.10 ^{[note 4]}	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
PokeMini	0.6.0 git	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✓

Virtual Boy

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Mednafen	1.32.1	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Rustual Boy	git	✗	Dual licensed (Permissive) (Apache 2.0 or MIT)	~	✗
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
Planet Virtual Boy emulator	2019-03-27	✗	zlib License (Permissive)	✗	✗
Red Dragon	0.38 Final	✗	?	✗	✗

Game Boy / Game Boy Color

Name	Latest version	Game Link Support	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
SameBoy	1.0.3	✓^{[note 5]}	✓	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✓
BGB	1.6.6	✓	✗	Proprietary	✓	✓
Gambatte	r571	✗	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Gearboy	3.8.15	✗	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
BizHawk	2.11.1	✓	✗	MIT GPL	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✗	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~
Emulicious	2026-03-19	✗	✗	Proprietary	✓	~

Game & Watch

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
DSP	0.24WIP3	✗	Non-commercial	✓	✗

Sega

Sega Model 1

Name	Latest version	Active	libretro	License	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
Modeler	0.9.3a	✗	Proprietary	✗	✗

Sega Model 2

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~

Sega Model 3

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Supermodel	SVN Builds	~ (WIP)	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

SG-1000

Name	Latest version	SC-3000	SF-7000	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
MasterGear	4.9.10	✓	✓	✗	Proprietary	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
BizHawk	2.11.1	✗	✗	✗	MIT GPL	✓	✓
Genesis Plus GX^{[note 6]}	1.7.5 RC1	✗	✗	✓	MAME license (Non-commercial)	✓	~
higan (火眼)	v110	~	✗	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	~
ZEsarUX	13.0	✗	✗	✗	GPL (Copyleft)	✓	?
Kega Fusion	3.64	✓	✓	✗	Proprietary	✗	~
Gearsystem	3.9.18	✗	✗	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
blueMSX	2.8.2	✓	✓	✓	BSD-3-Clause GPLv2	✗	✗
MEKA	2025-08-17	✓	✓	✗	Non-commercial	✓	✗
DarcNES	9b0401/9b0313	~	✗	✗	Non-commercial	✗	✗
CoolCV	0.6.9	✗	✗	✗	Proprietary	✓	✗
TwoMbit	1.0.5	✗	✗	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

Master System / Game Gear

Name	Latest version	GG	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Genesis Plus GX^{[note 6]}	1.7.5 RC1	✓	✓	Very high	Non-commercial	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	High	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
Emulicious	2026-03-19	✓	✗	Very high	Proprietary	✓	~
BizHawk	2.11.1	✓	✗	Very high	MIT GPL	✓	~
higan (火眼)	v110	✓	✓	High	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	~
ZEsarUX	13.0	✗	✗	?	GPL (Copyleft)	✓	?
Phoenix	2.8.JAG	✓	✗	Very high	Proprietary	✓	~
TwoMbit	1.0.5	✓	✗	Very high	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
Gearsystem	3.9.18	✓	✓	High	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
MasterGear	4.9.10	✓	✗	High	Proprietary	✓	✗
Kega Fusion	3.64	✓	✗	Mid	Proprietary	✗	✗
PicoDrive	2.05	✗^{[note 7]}	✓	Mid	Non-commercial	✓	✗

Genesis / MegaDrive / CD / 32X

Name	Latest version	CD	32X	Pico	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
BlastEm	1.0.0	✗	✗	✗	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Genesis Plus GX^{[note 6]}	1.7.5 RC1	✓	✗	✗	✓	Non-commercial	✓	✓
BizHawk	2.11.1	✓	✓	✗	✓	MIT GPL	✓	✓
Kega Fusion	3.64	✓	✓	✓	✗	Proprietary	✗	✓
PicoDrive	2.05	✓	✓	✓	✓	Non-commercial	✓	✗
FinalBurn Neo	Stable nightly builds	✗	✗	✗	✓	Non-commercial	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	✓	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
Gens/GS	r7	✓	✓	✗	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
DGen	1.33	✗	✗	✗	✗	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✗	✗
GENS	2.14	✓	✓	✗	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
higan (火眼)	v110	~	✗	✗	✓(bsnes)	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
Megado	git	✗	✗	✗	✗	?	✗	✗
Regen	0.972	✗	✗	✗	✗	?	✗	✗

Saturn / ST-V

Name	Latest version	ST-V	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Kronos	2.7.5	✓	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Yaba Sanshiro 2 (Yaba三四郎2)	2.12.0	✗	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	~
Yabause	0.9.15	✗	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
erings	0.4.3	?	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	?

Dreamcast / NAOMI

Name	Latest version	NAOMI	Atomiswave	Windows CE	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Flycast	CI Builds	✓	✓	✓	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
redream	1.5.0	✗	✓	✓	✗	Proprietary	✓	✓
DEmul	v0.7 (2025/12/20)	✓	✓	✓	✗	Proprietary	✗	~
reicast	r20.04 (Not Working) r8.1 (Snap Store)	✗	✗	✗	✗	BSD-3-Clause GPLv2 LGPLv2.1	~	✗
nullDC	2.0.0-pre	~	✗	✗	✗	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✗
lxdream-nitro	git	✗	✗	✗	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	~	~	✗	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

Sega VMU

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
DreamPotato	v0.3.1	?	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✓
VeMUlator_libretro	Nightly	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	~
SoftVMS	1.10 (source only)	✗	?	✗	~
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
ElysianVMU	0.2.0	✗	MIT (Permissive)	✗	✗

NEC

NEC PC-6000

Emulator	Latest Version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
PC6001VX	4.5.0	✗	LGPLv2.1 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✗	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

NEC PC-8800

Emulator	Latest Version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
XM8	1.70	✗	?	✗	✓
MAME	git artifacts^{[note 8]} 0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~^{[note 9]}
QUASI88 quasi88_libretro	libretro core 0.6.4	✓	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	~^{[note 10]}	~
X88000	1.5.3	✗	?	✗	✗

NEC PC-9800

Name	Latest version	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Neko Project II kai (猫Project II改)	git	✓	High	?	~	✓
Neko Project II (猫Project II)	0.86	✗	Mid	?	✗	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	Low	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~
DOSBox-X	2026.08.02	✗	Low	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	~

PC Engine / PC Engine CD / SuperGrafx

Name	Latest version	PCE-CD	SuperGrafx	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Mednafen (PCE-Accurate)	1.32.1	✓	✓	✓	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	✓	High	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
Mednafen (PCE-Fast)	1.32.1	✓	✓	✓	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
BizHawk	2.11.1	✓	✓	✗	High	MIT GPL	✓	✓
higan (火眼)	v110	~	✓	✓	?	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	~
Geargrafx	1.7.22	✓	✓	✓	High	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	?
jgenesis	0.14.1	?	?	?		GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	?
DarcNES	9b0401/9b0313	~	✗	✗	Low	Non-commercial	✗	✗
Hu-Go!	2.12	✓	?	✗	?	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✗	✗

PC-FX

Name	Latest version	GA	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
Mednafen	1.32.1	TBD	✓	Mid-High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	~	✓	Mid	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
MagicEngine-FX	1.1.1	TBD	✗	Low	Proprietary	✗	✗
Xe	2.16.2	TBD	✗	?	Proprietary	✗	✗

Sony

PlayStation

Name	Latest Version	Plugins	License	libretro	RIR	Accuracy	Active	Recommended
DuckStation	git	✗	CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Non-commercial)	✓	✓	High	✓	✓
Mednafen	1.32.1	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓	High	✓	✓
PCSX-Redux	git	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗	?	✓	✗ (WIP)
MAME	0.289	✗	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗	Mid	✓	✗ (WIP)
Rustation NG	git	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗	?	✓	✗ (WIP)
PCSX-R	PGXP(git)	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✓	Plugin-dependent	✗	✗
ePSXe	2.0.5	✓	Proprietary	✗	✓	Plugin-dependent	✗	✗
Rustation	git	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗	High	✗	✗
Avocado	git	✗	✓	✗	✓	Mid	~	✗
pSX	1.13	✗	Proprietary	✗	✗	Mid	✗	✗

PlayStation 2

Name	Latest Version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
PCSX2	2.8.2 (stable) SVN	~ (WIP)	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Play!	Builds	✓	BSD-2-Clause (Permissive)	✓	~
DobieStation	git Builds	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
Iris	0.20-alpha	✗	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✗

PlayStation 3

Name	Latest Release Version	License	Active	Recommended
RPCS3	0.0.42 Alpha^{[note 11]}	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Nucleus	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

PlayStation 4

Name	Latest Release Version	License	Active	Recommended
shadPS4	0.18.0	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	~
RPCSX	git	{Green}} GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗(WIP)
Obliteration	git	MIT Apache 2.0	✓	✗(WIP)
Orbital	git	MIT (Permissive)	~	✗
Spine	2022-05-17	Proprietary	✗	✗

PlayStation 5

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EMULATORS FOR THIS DEVICE OR PLATFORM. ANY CLAIMS TO OFFER THEM ARE SCAMS!

Pocket Station

Name	Latest version	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	High	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓

PlayStation Portable

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
PPSSPP	1.20.4	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
JPCSP	SVN	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗

PlayStation Vita

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
Vita3K	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓

Google

Android

Name	Version	Backend^{[note 12]}	Compatibility	License	Active	Recommended
Android x86	Bliss OS 8.1-r6	entire OS though installable to VM through Hypervisor	Mid	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	~	~
Genymotion	3.10.0	VirtualBox	Mid-High	Proprietary	✓	~^{[note 13]}
Waydroid	git	wine-like approach	Low	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	~
KMRE	2.4.6.8?	docker	?	?	✓	✗
Android Studio	4.0	QEMU	Low	Source-available	✓	✗
Andy OS	0.47.226.1096.26	?	?	Proprietary	✓	✗
Anbox	git	wine-like approach	Low	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

Microsoft

MSX series

Name	Latest version	MSX 1	MSX 2	MSX 2+	TurboR	Accuracy	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
openMSX	git	✓	✓	✓	✓	Cycle	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
blueMSX	2.8.2	✓	✓	✓	✓	Cycle	✓	BSD-3-Clause GPLv2)	✗	✓
ZEsarUX	13.0	✓	✗	✗	✗	?	✗	GPL (Copyleft)	✓	?
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	✓	~	High	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
fMSX	6.0	✓	✓	✓	✗	Mid	✓	Proprietary	✓	~
DarcNES	9b0401/9b0313	~	✗	✗	✗	Low	✗	Non-commercial	✗	✗

Original Xbox

Name	Latest version	Sega Chihiro (千尋)	License	Active	Recommended
xemu	0.8.136	~ (WIP)	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
XQEMU	git	~ (WIP)	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
StrikeBox	git	✗	BSD-2-Clause (Permissive)	✗	✗
MAME	0.289	~	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

Xbox 360

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
Xenia Canary	Git	BSD-3-Clause (Copyleft)	✓	TBD

Xbox One

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EMULATORS FOR THIS DEVICE OR PLATFORM. ANY CLAIMS TO OFFER THEM ARE SCAMS!

Xbox Series X and Series S

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EMULATORS FOR THIS DEVICE OR PLATFORM. ANY CLAIMS TO OFFER THEM ARE SCAMS!

Multi-system

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
jgenesis	0.14.1	✗	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✓

Apple

Apple I

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
Pom1	v1.0.0	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
MAME	0.289	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~

Apple II Line

Name	Latest version	] [	] [+	//e	IIc	//e Enhanced	//e Platinum	IIc Plus	IIGS	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
LinApple	git	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MicroM8	Continuous	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✗	Proprietary	✓	✗
Mednafen	1.32.1	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗ (WIP)
DarcNES	9b0401/9b0313	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	Non-commercial	✗	✗

Apple /// Line

Name	Latest version	///	/// Revised	/// Plus	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓

Apple IIGS

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
KEGS	1.38	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
GSplus	1.38.0	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	~
GSport	0.31	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
MAME	0.289	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

Apple Lisa

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
LisaEm	1.2.7	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	~*	✓
MAME	0.289	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

Macintosh line

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
68k
Basilisk II	1.0 R5	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Mini vMac	36.04	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	TBD
PCE	0.2.2	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	TBD
Ardi Executor	2.1.17	MIT (Permissive)	✗	✗
vMac	0.19	?	✗	✗
PowerPC
SheepShaver	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
QEMU	4.0.0	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	TBD
PearPC	0.6.0	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
DingusPPC	[1]	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗

Apple iPod

Name	Version	License	Active	Recommended
qemu-ios	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	TBD

iOS

Name	Version	License	Active	Recommended
qemu-t8030	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	TBD

SNK Corporation

Neo Geo and variants

Name	Latest version	NG	NG-CD	HNG-64	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	~	✓^{[note 14]}	GPLv2 Copyleft	✓	✓
FinalBurn Neo	stable WIP builds	✓	✓	✗	✓	Non-commercial	✓	✓
RAINE	0.97.6	✓	✓	✗	✗	?	✓	✓
Xe	2.16.2	✓	✓	✗	✗	Proprietary	✗	✗
ares	v148	✓	✗	✗	✗	ISC (Permissive)	✓	✗
GnGeo	git	✓	✗	✗	✗	MAME license (Non-commercial)	✗	✗

Neo Geo Pocket

Name	Latest version	NGP	NGPC	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Mednafen	1.32.1	✓	✓	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
ares	v148	✓	✓	✗	ISC (Permissive)	✓	✓
higan (火眼)	v110	✓	✓	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓

Coleco

ColecoVision

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Gearcoleco	1.7.0	✓	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
ZEsarUX	13.0	✗	GPL (Copyleft)	✓	?

Commodore

Commodore 64 & 128

Name	Latest version	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
VICE (x64sc)	3.10	✓	Very high	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Denise	2.8	✗	Very high	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
VICE (x64)	3.10 ^{[note 15]}	✓	High	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	~
Emu64	5.2.0	✗	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	~
BizHawk	2.11.1	✗	?	MIT GPL	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	✓	Mid	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
Frodo	4.2	✗	?	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

Commodore 65

Name	Latest version	libretro	Accuracy	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	Low	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

Amiga Line

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
FS-UAE	3.0.5	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Amiberry	8.3.0	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 Copyleft	✓	✗
Denise	2.3	?	✓	✓	✗

x86 CPUs

Name	Latest version	8086	286	386	486	Pentium	Pentium II	Celeron	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
86Box	git	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
PCem	v17	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✓
DOSBox-X	2026.08.02	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
DOSBox	0.74-3 SVN	✗	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
Bochs	3.0	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	LGPLv2.1 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	✓	✓	✓	✓	~	~	~	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
QEMU	11.1.0	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓^{[note 16]}	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
MartyPC	v0.4.1	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	MIT (Permissive)	✓	?

Sinclair

ZX81

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Relative Speed^{[note 17]}	Active	Recommended
ZEsarUX	13.0	✗	GPL (Copyleft)	110.9%	✓	✓
SZ81 (xz80 & z81 based)	2.1.7 2.3.10 (Unofficial)	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	100.0%	✗	~
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	Not tested	✓	✗

ZX Spectrum

Name	Latest Version	Libretro Core	License	Active	Recommended
FUSE	1.5.7	✓	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
Speccy	5.9	✗	Proprietary	✓	✓
ZEsarUX	13.0	✗	GPL (Copyleft)	✓	✓
BizHawk	2.11.1	✗	MIT GPL	✓	~
Retro Virtual Machine	2.0.beta-1.r6	✗	Proprietary	✓	~
ZX-Poly	2.4.0	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	TBD
Xpeccy	0.6.20260804	✗	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✗
DSP	git	✗	Non-commercial	✓	✗
fbzx	git	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗
JSpeccy	1.0.2	✗	?	✓	✗
MAME	0.289	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
ZX4ALL	Beta 2	✗	?	✗	✗

Acorn Computers

BBC Micro/BBC Master

Name	Latest version	BBC Micro	BBC Master	License	Active	Recommended
B-em	2.2, git	A, B, B+, M128, MC	MT, M512	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
B2	git	B, B+, M128	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✗

Electron

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
CLK	git	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✗
eek	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
ElectrEm	0.6c	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
ElkJS	git	?	✗	✗
Elkulator	git	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

Multi (Atom, Micro, Electron)

Name	Latest version	Atom	BBC Micro	BBC Master	Electron	License	Recommended
MAME	0.289	✓	A, B, B+, M128	?	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓

Archimedes

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
Arculator	2.1	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗
ArcEm	1.50.2	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

Risc PC / A7000

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
RPCEmu	0.9.5	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

VTech

CreatiVision

Name	Latest Version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
cvemu (creatiVision emulator)	21.05.01 Preview (source) 16.04.24 (windows)	✗	Non-commercial	~^{[note 18]}	✓
MAME	git artifacts^{[note 8]} 0.289 libretro core^{[note 19]}	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓*
FunnyMu	FunnyMu 0.43 SDL	✗	Non-commercial	✗	✗
CvEmu2	0.6.1 (CvEmu2)	✗	?	✗	✗

Socrates

Name	Latest Version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	git artifacts^{[note 8]} 0.289 libretro core^{[note 19]}	✓	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~*

V.Smile

Name	Latest Version	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	git artifacts^{[note 8]} 0.289 libretro core^{[note 19]}	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~*
Unununium	git	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗

V.Flash

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EMULATORS FOR THIS DEVICE OR PLATFORM. ANY CLAIMS TO OFFER THEM ARE SCAMS!

InnoTV

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EMULATORS FOR THIS DEVICE OR PLATFORM. ANY CLAIMS TO OFFER THEM ARE SCAMS!

Miscellaneous

Panasonic (3DO)

Name	Latest version	libretro	Retro achievements	License	Active	Recommended
4DO	1.3.2.4	✓	✓	Non-commercial	✗	✗
Opera	libretro core	✓	✓	Non-commercial	✓	✓
Phoenix	2.8.JAG	✗	✗	Proprietary	✗	~
3d'oh	SVN	✗	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✗	✗
MAME	0.289	✗	✗	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✗

Phillips (CD-i)

Name	Latest Version	DVC	libretro	Retro Achievements	License	Active	Recommended
Same CDi same_cdi_libretro	libretro core	✗*	✓	✗	GPLv2 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
MAME	0.289	✗	✓	✗	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓*
CeDImu	None (pre-alpha)	✗	✗	✗	?	✓	✗ (WIP)
CD-iCE	2001-08-20	✗	✗	✗	Proprietary	✗	✗

GamePark Holdings

GP32

Name	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
MAME	0.289	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	~

GP2X

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EMULATORS FOR THIS DEVICE OR PLATFORM. ANY CLAIMS TO OFFER THEM ARE SCAMS!

IBM

System 370/390/z

Name	Latest version	libretro	License	Active	Recommended
Hercules	3.07	✗	Q Public License	✓	✓

Symbian and N-Gage

Name	Version	Accuracy	Retro Achievements	License	Active	Recommended
EKA2L1	git	Mid	✗	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	~	✓

J2ME

Name	Version	Mascot Capsule 3D	Accuracy	VM	Derived from	License	Active	Recommended
Kahvibreak	Stable Dev	✗	Mid	Host JVM (FreeJ2ME)	?	MIT (Permissive)	✓	✓ (WIP)
SquirrelJME	0.4.0	✗	Aims for 100%	Custom (Java)	-	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	? (WIP)
MicroEmu	git	✗	Mid	Host JVM	-	LGPLv2.1 Apache 2.0)	✗	✗
MPowerPlayer	2.0	✗	Low	?	?	Proprietary	✗	✗
N-GAGE Cool!	1.2.1 (Trial) ($)	✗	Low	?	?	Proprietary	✗	✗

This article is a never-ending list. It will always need updates and will likely have new content added to it on a consistent basis. Because of this, it can never truly be a finished article.

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Main branch is dead, but the libretro core is still alive.
↑ Requires the Triforce branch to work. It is very old and unsupported.
↑ At Alpha release and has bugs that are not present on standalone Dolphin.
↑ Pokémon mini core available not yet available in binary releases (source only).
↑ SameBoy's libretro core supports Link Cable, standalone does not.
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 Only available on PC as a libretro core (e.g. RetroArch).
↑ The Game Gear emulation doesn't work.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 CI-Linux
↑ As of Version 0.251, NEC PC-8801MA, NEC PC-8801MH, and NEC PC-8801mkIISR, and the clones: NEC PC-8801FA, NEC PC-8801MA2, NEC PC-8801mkIIFR and NEC PC-8801mkIIMR have been promoted to working status and is considered playable
↑ Only libretro core is still active.
↑ The developers are currently treating version increments as milestones, not as stables.
↑ The backend column describes what backend technology used mainly (VM, AOSP or an actual OS etc). Emulators labeled with "VirtualBox" sometimes need the user to install Oracle VM VirtualBox, but usually you don't need to install manually. Hardware-assisted virtualization feature must be turned for VM backends due to performance reasons. Keep in mind that you should turn off Hyper-V windows feature if emulator uses type-2 hypervisor (VirtualBox or VMware) due to conflict issue, although some emulators (like BlueStacks) provide special Hyper-V build for this.
↑ Bloatware
↑ As 0.153 (2014), 0.139 (2010), 0.78 (2003)
↑ Source only, pass '--enable-x64' to configure
↑ Supports the Conroe model.
↑ As calculated by Carlo Delhez's clkfreq, originally distributed with his XTender emulator. The ZX81 has relatively complicated timing mechanics, depending on signalling of WAIT during NMI; relative speed is a measurement of how closely an emulator matches a real machine in terms of clock cycles spent processing within a frame. 100.0% denotes the same execution speed as a real machine.
↑ creatiVision commits
↑ ^19.0 ^19.1 ^19.2 As 0.251, 0.139 (2010), 0.78 (2003), 0.37b5 (2000)