PlatformsMobile GamingiPhoneAfter weeks of ad-riddled apps and bizarre delistings, RetroArch is finally on the App Store to handle all your retro emulation needs for freeWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
PlatformsMobile GamingiPhoneAfter weeks of ad-riddled apps and bizarre delistings, RetroArch is finally on the App Store to handle all your retro emulation needs for freeWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Libretro)
Apple confirmed that it would allow emulators for classic game consoles on the iOS App Store back in April, but early releases for the platform have often been riddled with ads and third-party trackers - when they haven’t been suddenly disappearing altogether. Now, emulator frontend RetroArch is on the platform, and it looks to be the perfect all-in-one solution to handle all your classic gaming needs.
“RetroArch is a free, ad-free, open source, and cross platform frontend/framework for emulators, game engines, video games, media players, and other applications,” as the devs themselves put it on theApp Store page. The program itself is not an emulator, but instead serves as an interface where you can download numerous emulators for various old platforms.
The list of supported emulators is, indeed, numerous. Emulators for heavy hitters like the NES, SNES, Mega Drive/Genesis, PlayStation, and N64 are all supported, alongside handhelds ranging from the Game Boy to the DS and PSP. You can also enjoy some less popular systems, ranging from the fairly notable (Neo Geo) to the downright obscure (Watara Supervision). Support cuts out just before the PS2 era, but that’s still decades of gaming history handled here.
RetroArch also supports features like save states, netplay, and even AI-driven translations for in-game text. It’s already a robust tool on other platforms, and it looks like many of those features are carrying over here. Itapparentlyeven has touch screen support for light gun games, which might just make it the ideal way to play everything from Duck Hunt to Virtua Cop on a modern display.
The first Nintendo emulator to land on the App Store and stick following an Apple rule change also plays DS, GBA, N64 games for free.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
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3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”