There is no doubt: retro games continue to arouse passions . Currently, most of the consoles that were used to run them have disappeared from the market and are only accessible thanks to the second-hand market. Fortunately, lovers of classic titles have an alternative that really works. We are referring to console emulators , which are capable of simulating a specific hardware environment in order to run old video games. We have already shown you which are the most recommended emulators that work with Android . But, this time, we are going to focus on the Apple platform and we are going to give you the names of the best emulators for iOS and iPhone.
In the following sections, we will explain what are, from our point of view, the best emulators for iOS and iPhone that will allow you to play your favorite video games. In addition, we give you some tips for you to proceed with its installation. Obviously, none of them are available in the App Store and that forces the user to follow an alternative installation process. In any case, here we tell you everything you need to know about it.
Index of contents
- The best emulators for iOS and the iPhone that you can download right now
- RetroArch
- PPSSPP
- iNDS
- GC4iOS
- Delta
- How to install some of the best emulators for iOS if it is not in the App Store
- Install an IPA file with AltStore
- Be careful when using some of the best emulators for iOS and iPhone
The best emulators for iOS and the iPhone that you can download right now
This is a list with what we have found to be the best emulators for iOS that you can download right now. In the title of each section you will find a link to proceed with the download.
RetroArch
RetroArch is an engine that is capable of running classic games from different consoles . Among those supported we find names like Game Boy, SNES, PlayStation, Atari, DOS, MSX or Sega Mega Drive. You can get the application in IPA format from its official website.
PPSSPP
Remember Sony’s glorious PSP? Well, with this emulator you will be able to run your games on the iPhone. Again, it is mandatory to download its IPA file and install it with software like AltStore. Oh, if you want to enjoy these games on other platforms, remember that PPSSPP allows you to.
iNDS
In this case, iNDS is used to emulate games from the mythical Nintendo DS within the iPhone. Its development derives from a previous project, called NDS4iOS. In that case, you can directly download this emulator from AltStore. Alternatively, it is possible to obtain the IPA from GitHub.
GC4iOS
If what you are looking for is to launch your favorite Nintendo Wii and GameCube games on your Apple device, this is your emulator. It only takes up 3 MB and you can download it from iOS Ninja in IPA format.
Delta
A whole generation of lovers of Nintendo consoles will be represented by Delta . It is available on the AltStore and allows you to play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS titles.
How to install some of the best emulators for iOS if it is not in the App Store
The best way to install some of the best emulators for iOS is thanks to AltStore . What exactly are we talking about? It is an alternative store where you can find applications that are not available on Apple’s application platform, that is, the AppStore . Obviously, the first step is none other than installing this alternative store on your iPhone to start enjoying your retro video games.
According to the project documentation, the steps you need to follow are very simple. They are as follows, if you have a Mac:
- Download the AltStoreserver on your computer. Always do it from its official website on the Internet .
- Copy app to the Applicationsdirectory .
- Start AltServer. The app is displayed as an icon in the menu bar.
- Enable Wi-Fi sync after connecting to Mac.
- Click on the AltServer icon and select Install AltStore. In the menu itself you can select the target device.
- Enter your Apple ID.
On the contrary, if you have a Windows PC, download iTunes and the AltStore installer in EXE format . You will need to turn on Wi-Fi sync once iTunes has detected the device after connecting it via cable. In the taskbar, you have the same option as on the Mac, that is, Install AltStore .
When finished, head over to iPhone settings, open General > Profiles and tap on Trust . It may be necessary to restart the device for the store to appear.
If something is not entirely clear to you, take a look at this video recommended by the AltStore team itself .
As you have seen, the process is valid on both a Mac and a PC. So now there is no excuse to install the best emulators for iOS on your iPhone .
Install an IPA file with AltStore
Not all the emulators that we have proposed to you are available in the AltStore . However, this alternative store allows you to install any IPA file on your iPhone. This is how it’s done:
- Download the IPA file of the emulator that you will find on each website. You can do it directly from the iPhone.
- Launch AltStore and access the My Appssection .
- Tap the Plus (+)button and select the IPA file.
- Tap on it to install it. You will need to enter your Apple ID.
Be careful when using some of the best emulators for iOS and iPhone
We close this guide with some recommendations that seem relevant to us, mainly because they are related to security and privacy.
- Download the IPA file from the official page. Ideally, to download the emulator, download the IPA file from its official page. The links that we have provided here direct you, precisely, to the site of each development. Some apparently reliable repositories could have malicious intentions and provide you with infected files that put the integrity of your device at risk.
- Be careful what ROMs you download. To play any title, you will first have to download the ROM and copy it to the emulator.
- Remember that copyright exists. Some ROMs may be protected by copyright laws in your country.
And you, what methods do you usually use to play your favorite retro titles? Leave us your opinion in the comments and participate in the Professional Review community. We are waiting!
