5 Best Emulators For ROM PC Gaming

Why hello there! I welcome you into my collection of this world’s best emulators that run ROM games flawlessly. If you are like me – you are crazy enough to turn your $2.200 PC into a hardcore retro gaming console. In that case please enjoy everything written below as it is literally tailored for you. Here’s how you rock with ROMs!

Retro gaming 101

Why am I writing about the system and not the games first? Well, decent emulators are harder to come across with than free ROMs. Games are available all over the internet. You can just google the name of the title you prefer like Mario, Pokémon or Final Fantasy and you will get your answer. With emulators it’s a bit more difficult. You will also get a nifty list of these apps by googling, but don’t be surprised when the lion’ share of them will refuse to work properly.

To put more simply: finding an emulator is a piece of cake, putting your finger on a properly working one is a researcher’s nightmare. Worry not though, because I have already invested countless hours and sleepless nights into the cause so you don’t have to!

5 awesome emulators for retro games

• RetroArch – This emulator is a neat little Jack of all trades thanks to its availability on Windows, Mac, Linux as well as iOS and Android. You can also play whatever you want on it from Game Boy Color to Play Station 1. How does it work? RetroArch has a multitude of cores each of which represents a gaming console. All of the cores are independent and that’s also awesome because, as new cores emerge (like a core for Atari) they can be seamlessly integrated into the app.
• PCSX2 – If you are looking for an app with a better focus on a particular gaming platform (PS2 to be precise) then PCSX2 is made for you. Yeah, it can’t run a lot of other games but hey, PS1 has an impressive gallery of titles and, given their complex nature a laser targeted solution will work fairly better.
• PPSSPP – This app works on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. Very much like the before mentioned PCXS2 it is a laser-targeted emulator with but one difference – it’s not made for the PS1 but rather the PSP console.
• DOSBox – As you may get from the name this app emulates MS DOS programs. Explore the earliest days of PC gaming, an era before Windows or Mac! DOSBox works on Windows, Linux and Mac OS.
• Mupen64plus – This emulator is designed to run Nintendo 64 games like everyone’s favorite Mario Kart on Windows and Mac. While not all N64 games run flawlessly on Mupen64plus this is, by far, the better app available in the internet. Do note that this emulator does not come with GUI from the box.