Retro Gaming on the Go: The Complete iPhone Emulator Guide

Mobile gaming recently got a whole lot better. Despite years of not allowing them on iOS, Apple has reversed course and opened the door for gaming emulators. A few short months later, there are now plenty of iPhone emulator apps to choose from.

The iPad was already one of the best tablets for gaming, and being able to run old console titles on it makes it even better. Here’s everything you need to know about these apps and how to use them.

Are iPhone Emulators Legal?

First, it’s worth addressing iPhone emulators’ legality. Rest assured, emulation itself is legal. There’s no history of anyone being prosecuted for playing emulated games, either. That said, the practice exists in a bit of a gray area.

While emulator apps are perfectly legal, the same isn’t necessarily true of ROMs — the game copies these programs run. A ROM you make yourself from a physical edition of a game you purchased is fair. However, in most cases, you’ll run ROMs that others have pulled from games and distributed for free, and that distribution is a point of contention for gaming companies.

Nintendo, in particular, has a history of going after emulation. Most recently, it sued the creators of a Switch emulator, claiming the business of sharing free copies of Nintendo’s intellectual property is piracy. Once again, though, this legal action has only ever targeted the people making emulators or sharing ROMs, not gamers themselves.

Considering Apple allows retro emulator apps on its platform, you can use these services without much concern. Keep in mind, though, that the sites you download ROMs from may disappear should a gaming company take action against them.

What Emulators Are Available on iOS?

Apple does a good job of vetting developers on its App Store, so any iPhone emulators you download there are safe enough to trust. Here are the five big ones you should know.

Delta

Delta appeared on the App Store almost immediately after Apple changed its mind on emulators. It’s also one of the best ones available on iOS right now. It’s free, runs well and supports many systems from Nintendo’s illustrious console history — including the N64, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance, NES and SNES.

Folium

Folium is another Nintendo-focused iPhone emulator. However, this app sticks to emulating handhelds. It supports DS, 3DS and GameBoy Advance titles, so you’ll need something else for console games. Still, it also works with several external gamepads, like the PS5’s DualSense and the Switch Pro Controller, which can elevate the experience.

RetroArch

The most bang for your buck — although “buck” is relative here, as the app is free — comes from RetroArch. This app supports dozens of consoles, including:

• Atari
• NES
• SNES
• N64
• GameBoy
• GameBoy Advance
• PlayStation
• PlayStation Portable
• Sega Genesis
• TI-83

Yes, that last one is a graphing calculator, but it shows how far-ranging RetroArch is. Setting the app up and using it is not quite as smooth an experience as Delta, but it’s hard to complain about the sheer number of available games to play.

PPSSPP

For something more specific, check out PPSSPP. This iPhone emulator focuses on PlayStation Portable (PSP) games. RetroArch also supports the PSP, but PPSSPP is a more direct way to play these titles if they’re all you want.

The PSP was never as popular as other handhelds — the DS sold twice as many units in the same time frame. Consequently, PPSSPP could be a great way to try games you may have missed out on while the PSP was being overshadowed.

Provenance

At the time of writing, Provenance is not out on the App Store yet, but it will be available soon. You can also download it from AltStore or sideload it to use it before then. Like RetroArch, this is a multi-platform emulator, supporting titles from the GameBoy, N64, PlayStation, Sega Genesis and more.

How to Use an iPhone Emulator

Regardless of which iPhone emulator you choose, it may take some adjustment to use. All of these programs run ROMs well, but you have to download and install them outside the app. Here’s how you can do that.

Install an Emulator App

The first step is to choose an emulator that works for you. The five listed here aren’t the only iPhone emulator apps available, but they are among the most well-liked, so they’re a good place to start. You could go with Delta if you prefer classic Nintendo titles or choose RetroArch for some more variety.

Be sure to look over an app’s user reviews before downloading anything. While any option on the official App Store should be safe, some people may have valid usability or aesthetic complaints.

Users in the EU can now use third-party app stores, which offer more emulators to choose from. However, it’s safest to stick with Apple’s first-party platform. Unofficial stores have a higher risk of malicious code and similar issues.

Find ROMs

Once you’ve decided on an app, it’s time to download some games. Check your specific emulator to review the compatible file types, but you’ll usually want an ISO file. In many cases, you’ll have to download a zipped folder and then unzip it to extract the usable ISO.

Practice caution when looking for and downloading ROMs. As with all free software, there’s a high chance you could find a site that looks legitimate but will install malware on your device. You can find trustworthy ROM sites by reading user reviews or emulator forums.

Transfer ROMS to Your iPhone

At this point, you should’ve installed an iPhone emulator app and downloaded a ROM or two from a reliable site. Now you have an ISO file on your computer or phone, so how do you play it on your emulator?

Start by transferring your ROMs to your phone if you didn’t download them directly onto it. You can do that simply by emailing them to yourself, opening your email on your phone, and downloading the attached file from there. The ROM should appear in the “Downloads” section in the Files app.

Next, open your emulator. There should be a button to add games to your library. Tap it, navigate to Files and tap the ISO file in that folder. The app should add it so you can open and play it from there.

Get More Out of Your Mobile Gaming Experience

Now that iPhone emulators are an easy, accessible option, mobile gaming is better than ever. Follow these steps, remember to stay safe and start reliving the glory days of old consoles on your phone. As more developers release new apps or update existing services, these options will keep improving.