Best Emulator Software in 2026

Android Emulator

It suits Android developers who need to test across virtual device profiles and API levels.

PPSSPP

PPSSPP suits players who want to run PSP games on supported mobile or desktop platforms, including those who want customizable controls or multiplayer.

It suits players seeking PlayStation emulation with graphics enhancements, save-state tools and broad controller options.

Genymotion Desktop

Genymotion Desktop suits Android developers and personal users who want local virtual devices on a physical Windows, macOS or Linux workstation.

Azahar suits Nintendo 3DS owners seeking to use their game libraries on supported desktop or Android platforms, and homebrew developers, researchers or preservation projects.

DOSBox-X

DOSBox-X is suited to people running DOS software, preserving historical software, testing or continuing DOS development.

MAME suits people interested in preserving or examining vintage systems, developing software for them, or diagnosing emulation behavior.

QEMU

QEMU suits users who need machine or user-mode emulation across CPU architectures.

Accessibility Inspector

Accessibility Inspector is for developers building Apple-platform apps who need automated audits, manual inspection, reports, and UI-test access.

Snes9x suits players who want to run most SNES or Super Famicom games on listed desktop platforms, and on Android through additional builds.

86Box

It suits users preserving or exploring historical PC software who can provide BIOS files and configure virtual machines on a supported desktop operating system.

Vita3K suits people seeking an experimental PlayStation Vita emulator on desktop or Android.

Bochs suits users who need to emulate x86 hardware and are prepared to install and configure a guest operating system themselves.

melonDS

melonDS suits people looking for Nintendo DS emulation on Windows, macOS, or Linux who can configure the required console files.

OpenEmu

OpenEmu suits Mac users who want one library for games they already own and support for many console systems.

It suits developers who need CPU emulation across its listed architectures and operating systems, particularly when working directly with raw binary code.

VICE suits people who want to run software written for classic Commodore 8-bit computers on Android, Linux, macOS or Windows.

Dolphin may suit users who want to play GameCube or Wii games on a 64-bit PC or Android device.

FCEUX suits people who want to emulate the listed Nintendo and Dendy systems, as well as users working with debugging, ROM hacking, or tool-assisted movies.

FS-UAE suits Amiga game players who want to run supported systems on Linux, macOS, or Windows.

Hercules suits system programmers who want to run mainframe software on a PC and can provide a compatible, legally licensed operating system or standalone program.