Some companies don't mind if you create a 'backup copy' of games you already own, but this isn't always allowed either. For example, the same N64 ROM will work with any of the N64 emulators below.Įmulators are legal, but downloading ROMs for games that you don't own is considered piracy. While you'll need a ROM for each game you want to play, the same game ROM will work on every emulator that supports the console. A ROM is the software version of a video game cartridge or disk.

Otherwise, you may need to compile the apps on your iPhone using a computer.įor more information, check out our detailed guide about installing emulators on your iPhone.Īfter you install a video game emulator on your iPhone, you still need to get some ROMs to use with it. But you can get better reliability if you pay for a BuildStore subscription. Most of the emulators in this list are available to download for free from websites like iEmulators or the AppMarket. That does mean the emulators are sometimes a little bit unstable, but that's a small price to pay for access to the best classic video games on your iPhone. Here are all the best emulators to use on your iPhone or iPad.Īpple doesn't allow video game emulators on the App Store, but it's still possible to install them on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch without jailbreaking your device.

You can install emulators on your iPhone-without jailbreaking it-to play some of the most popular video games ever made.

Thankfully, it's possible to play all these classic video games and more on your iPhone using the best emulators below.Īn emulator is a software imitation of a video games console. Modern mobile games are fine, but most of them can't come close to classic games like Pokémon, Crash Bandicoot, Super Mario 64, or The Legend of Zelda.

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