Best Console Emulators: RetroArch, FCEUX, SNES9X

The best emulators let you replay classic games from systems like the Super Nintendo and PlayStation 2 on modern hardware, often with some improvements for booting up. Since emulators generally live in a legal gray area, finding ones that run classic games reliably can be tough. Fortunately, there's a go-to emulator for most platforms. In addition to RetroArch, which covers a wide range of retro consoles, there are also a few standalone emulators that can emulate newer hardware — even Nintendo Switch.

What Are the Best Console Emulators? 2022

One to Rule Them All: RetroArch

In the past, emulation was often a juggling act. To play games that appeared on different consoles, you had to install and configure multiple programs, one for each console you wanted to emulate. That could be a headache. These days, things have generally been streamlined and made easier thanks to a program known as RetroArch. RetroArch is a program that acts as a hub for all your emulation needs. With it, you can download and install various emulation "cores" onto the system, organize your ROMs and game files, and configure your experience through a single front end that makes emulation very easy once it's set up. RetroArch's open-ended flexibility gives users a ton of control to customize and fine-tune their emulation experience, and it's mostly easy to use.

Choose your operating system from RetroArch's download page and download the appropriate compressed files. Extract them into an empty folder and launch the program by clicking the RetroArch executable or app file. If you don't have a controller plugged in, use the arrow keys to navigate the menu; the X key takes on the role of the A button, and the Z key takes on the role of the B button by default. Once you're in, you'll need to install some cores. You can install these directly from within RetroArch through the Online Updater. While there, select Core Updater and browse the list of available systems.

The sheer breadth of options available for RetroArch can make it tricky to use, and some emulators require extra setup steps. Since there are often multiple cores available for each system RetroArch supports, we've picked our top choices to save you some guesswork and get you straight into your nostalgia trip. If you're planning to use any of the systems below, this is by far the easiest way to emulate them.

You'll still need ROM files for the games you want to play, but due to their varying legal status, we won't be sharing any links here. Suffice it to say, they aren't hard to find, but keep in mind that, depending on where you live, you're likely only permitted to use ROMs for games you already own. Save your ROMs to a folder organized into subfolders by console. In RetroArch, go to Settings, select Directory, and select File Browser Directory. Select the folder where your ROMs are located, and you should be ready to load them. That said, if you only want to emulate a single system, or if you're put off by RetroArch for any reason, a standalone emulator is probably the right choice. Fortunately, we've included standalone picks for consoles and operating systems not currently supported by RetroArch. Check out each pick below for more details.

Nintendo Entertainment System (NES): FCEUX

The NES was revolutionary and gave birth to several of the most iconic video game franchises of all time, including Super Mario Bros, Mega Man, Final Fantasy, and The Legend of Zelda. And even though it's far less powerful than most smartphones today, it's still great for playing the best NES games. The FCEUX emulator is the preferred emulator for most of the NES community, and it couldn't be easier to set up and use. Download FCEUX from the downloads page, use Ctrl + O or Open from the File menu, and select the ROM you want to play. There's no need to extract them; like many older ROMs, FCEUX can play them directly from a zip or 7zip archive.

The all-in-one app offers features that provide user-friendly tools for debugging, video recording, ROM hacking, and creating speedruns for both casual and more advanced players. Essentially, it's the result of developers taking a piece of software's source code and using it to develop something else — a merge of various forks of FCE Ultra, an earlier NES emulator. This means it combines different elements from various forks to build more advanced emulation software. Available ports include Windows, macOS, and Linux, among others.

Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES): SNES9X

SNES9X came out far ahead in the battle for the ultimate SNES emulator. It's the most compatible of any SNES emulator — it can even run later Super Famicom releases — and it's also packed with a ton of great features that have been continuously refined and improved over the years, like upscaling, video filters, cheats, and online multiplayer. Turbo Mode is another great feature for power-balancing and fast-forwarding through games that feel like they're moving at a snail's pace. Ports include everything from Windows and macOS to mobile versions for iOS and Android. SNES9X is also available as a core for RetroArch if you choose to use it via bsnes-mercury. Some of the best SNES games included Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger, Donkey Kong Country, and dozens more, and you can play them all on SNES9X.

Our Other Tech Articles

• How Do You Reset a Fitbit Versa?
• Everything You Need to Know About YouTube TV
• How Do You Charge Laptops with USB-C?
• Finding Contacts in Your Instagram Address Book 2022
• How Do You Create Folders in Gmail?