Best Emulators for each Console?

[baroterri9000]

Hey all, I just wanted everyone's opinions on the best emulators for each console. Some of them are pretty clear cut - cycle accuracy on BSNES is huge, and Dolphin and Cemu (asides from being so mature and well-developed) are the only options for their category.
But I've been out of the loop for a while, so I wanted to hear about all the other systems (and whether I'm wrong about BSNES, which is possible). What's your favourite emulator for each system and why?

 

[otogirisou]

emugen have comprehensive info about that

 

[DunkeyKong]

You can check which emulator is best here at emulation wiki

 

[baroterri9000]

Thanks guys - I had no idea that there was a resource that was so definitive. This thread is a bit redundant.

 

[DunkeyKong]

Thanks guys - I had no idea that there was a resource that was so definitive. This thread is a bit redundant.

No worries man, we're glad to be of help

 

[Bonkers225]

PSX - Duckstation
Dreamcast - Redream
Genesis/Sega-CD/MS/GG - Genesis GX

 

[thanonyx thanonyx]

This site has served me well.

Emulation General Wiki

emulation.gametechwiki.com

 

[starseeker300]

Nintendo Consoles
Snes - snes9x, really comes down to personal preference though
N64 - none, they all suck
Gamecube & Wii - Dolphin, nothing else even comes close
Wii U - Cemu by default, its the only one though its still decent but will take more setting up than your typical emulator
Switch - REDACTED, but seriously just buy games legit for this one

GB, GB Color & GBA - VisualboyAdvance-m , dont believe the snobs that say Mgba
DS - Melonds, has long since overtaken desmume
3DS - Citra, good luck finding a download though

Post automatically merged: Feb 9, 2025

Sony Consoles

PS1 - Duckstation
PS2 - Pcsx2
PS3 - RPCS3 by default, only existing one at moment, not as far in development as other emulators

PSP - PPSSPP
PSVita - vita3k is the only one i know of

 

[MasterEn]

Thanks guys - I had no idea that there was a resource that was so definitive. This thread is a bit redundant.

this thread isn't redundant. there are others who will ask this question, and because you asked for help, others can get important info to help them out too.

 

[starseeker300]

Microsoft Consoles
MS-DOS - Dosbox
Xbox (Original) - XEMU

Sega Consoles
Master System/Mark 3 - Kega Fusion
Genesis/Megadrive - Kega Fusion if you want to play sega cd and 32x games, Blastem if you dont care about those
Saturn - Kronos* , its still not that good but is leaps and bounds ahead of all other standalones
Dreamcast - Flycast
Game Gear - also Kega fusion

Other Consoles
Turbografix16/Pc Engine - idk
PC-98 - Dosbox
wonderswan - idk
neogeo pocket color - idk

 

[thecrow2313]

Microsoft Consoles
MS-DOS - Dosbox
Xbox (Original) - XEMU

Sega Consoles
Master System/Mark 3 - Kega Fusion
Genesis/Megadrive - Kega Fusion if you want to play sega cd and 32x games, Blastem if you dont care about those
Saturn - Kronos* , its still not that good but is leaps and bounds ahead of all other standalones
Dreamcast - Flycast
Game Gear - also Kega fusion

Other Consoles
Turbografix16/Pc Engine - idk
PC-98 - Dosbox
wonderswan - idk
neogeo pocket color - idk

Turbografx/PC Engine either Ares or Mesen2
Wonderswan either Ares or Mesen2
Neo Geo Pocket Color - Ares

ares

GitHub - SourMesen/Mesen2: Multi-system emulator (NES, SNES, GB, GBA, PCE, SMS/GG, WS) for Windows, Linux and macOS

Multi-system emulator (NES, SNES, GB, GBA, PCE, SMS/GG, WS) for Windows, Linux and macOS - SourMesen/Mesen2

github.com

 

[thecrow2313]

GitHub - DerekTurtleRoe/awesome-emulators: An awesome list of emulators!

An awesome list of emulators! Contribute to DerekTurtleRoe/awesome-emulators development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[nobitakun]

I am surprised no one mentioned Mednafen. It runs rings around the rest of the emulators for the consoles where the code is original, for instance Saturn, PS1 or PC Engine. The downside it requires more CPU power to run, but nowadays that's "little" unless you're playing in a cheap ARM board.

 

[sadasa]

for old (toast cream tower) pc (win9x pentium 2 or win 2000 pentium 3&4)
Snes: zsnes (win / dos)
genesis: fusion (win) / genesyst (dos) and no$ (win / dos)
gameboy no$(win)
gameboy color no$ (win)
gameboy advance + nintendo ds no$ (win)
ps1 psxfin (win) + no$ (win/dos)
neogeo neorage (win)
genesis+arcade mame (dos)