Video games are a unique medium in that they’re so tied to specific hardware. Fancy digging into music or film history? What you’d like to watch is probably on a streaming service. Games? Your best bet is to hope you have the original console or micro and the games themselves, and that everything still works. Or that a company has deigned to release your favorites for a newer platform.
And even then, it will be tied to that hardware. Or… you could try a retro gaming emulator on any device you choose, including your phone. Because emulation has come a long way.
Emulation first emerged in the 1990s, when computers became powerful enough to replicate older systems. Applications mimicked older hardware to the point where you could swear someone had stuck a Commodore 64 into your new PC.
Increasingly, commercial products started using emulation too, reselling old games to new and old audiences. Then even Android phones got in on the act, letting you carry gaming history around in your pocket. And lately, emulation has been back in the news, with Nintendo suing everyone over Switch emulation and Apple finally allowing emulators on the App Store. Well, some emulators.
Crossing the streams
All of this may make you wonder why there isn’t a Spotify for old games. Well, in a way there is. Antstream Arcade brings over 1,300 old games to your browser (or your Android or iOS device) for $4.99/£4.99 a month.
Honestly, it’s a little weird to stream a game whose entire binary is smaller than a JPEG, but Antstream adds value. There’s no unnecessary stuff (emulators can be hard to set up). It’s all perfectly legal (emulation is legal, but downloading game ROMs and images isn’t, unless you’re entitled to do so). And you also get global leaderboards and custom challenges (turns out when you only have one life in Space Invaders, it’s really hard). So it’s worth a try.
But what if you want to play something Antstream doesn’t have or you don’t have a connection? Back to emulators! But what are they? Start with these six…
Delta
Delta releases the free and completely legal NES game, Alter Ego.
This is the one that changed everything for the iPhone. Delta took 10 years to make it to the App Store, and it only happened because Apple did a 180-degree turn on allowing emulators. We’re glad it did, because Delta is an elegant and useful way to play games from Nintendo’s older consoles. Note that, for reasons too complicated to explain here, EU residents must download it from altstore.io.
Get Delta for iOS (free)
PPSSPP
PPSSPP running Cave Story.
It wasn’t the first widescreen handheld console (hello, Atari Lynx), but Sony’s PSP cemented itself in people’s memories thanks to its gorgeous games. That aspect ratio also means it’s well-suited to modern phones. PPSSPP is the best way to play – and tinker, as there are tons of settings. Want to give the developers a reward for their hard work? Get the identical paid version, PPSSPP Gold – $3.99/£3.99 on Android or $4.99/£4.99 on iOS.
Get PPSSPP for Android or iOS (Free)
ZX81
ZX81 running one of the built-in goodies.
In the UK, consoles didn’t really take off until the 16-bit era. Until then, people struggled with home micros, which forced games to be loaded from a cassette tape. Sometimes, they even worked. The ZX81 app ditches the old medium (thankfully), but includes everything else from Clive Sinclair’s revolutionary PC, along with dozens of legal homebrew titles (and, of course, you can load your own, too).
Get ZX81 for iOS (free)
Redesign
Redream Configurable Controls.
Sega’s last home console, the Dreamcast, has a place in history for marking the end of an era, but it should also be remembered for being fantastic and home to a ton of greats. Redream lets you binge-watch Ikaruga or dive into deep sessions of Shenmue, all while looking askance at Sega for not bringing more Dreamcast classics to Android in a standalone format. (We love Crazy Taxi, but it’s a bit lonely on the Play Store.)
Get Redream for Android (Free or $5.99/£5.49)
RetroArch
RetroArch runs a Jeff Minter classic, which became freeware a long time ago. But you can also buy Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, huh?
If we’ve skipped your favorite console, there’s probably an emulator for it, but we’re short on space, so consider RetroArch a handy, spare tool. The interface is awful, but the app will play just about anything. Watch a few tutorials, then revel in the power and customization on offer… or ignore all that and just play more old games. (Android folks, this one is best downloaded directly from retroarch.com.)
Get RetroArch for Android or iOS (free)
Daijisho
Much better than a standard home screen.
There are Android devices dedicated to retro gaming, or perhaps you’d rather take your phone in that direction. Either way, Daijishō is a nice interface… at least once it’s set up. And that’s just a matter of pointing it at where your games and emulators are located. You can even make it your default launcher and use its apps tab during those pesky moments when you’re not gaming.
Get Daijishō for Android (free)
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