Computer Games Technology

3 Free Android Emulators That Lets You Play Old Favorites

Suffice it to say that the rise of smartphones in the last decade brought with it a barrage of convenience for its end-users. From communicating with your loved ones to exploring new communities, with smartphones, the world is more connected than ever! Even playing your old classic, retro games from consoles of yesteryears can now be done on it!

Emulator Technology

Thanks to the best emulators for android, many classic titles, as well as Android games, can be played right on any PC, Mac, or Linux-based machines right now. And you don’t even have to have the latest or the greatest device to do it! Android Studio, You, and Bluestacks are some of the best out there. Emulator technology on Android apps, on the other hand, has improved so much in the short time that it has been on the store that most, if not all, can now support different platforms!

Since this is the case nowadays, it’s also fitting that the best of these emulators ask for payment. But fret not, as there are still free ones available to download that have almost the same capabilities. We’ve rounded them up in this article so you won’t have to search high and low:

LDPlayer

Arguably one of the best free android emulators in the Play Store right now, LDPlayer is a mouthful to say, it is based on Android 5.1.1 and 7.1.2 and you probably would have to chat its name to your friends looking for recommendations instead of just saying it, its compatibility has a wide range in running high graphic performance on PC.

The app is open-sourced which makes it attractive for developers and gamers alike that want to add some obscure game not available on most setups. While playing android games on PC, you can also search and access Google Play Store for your other favorite apps with its user friendly settings. Truly, one of best emulators for Android in the game right now.

PPSSPP

If you’re particularly invested in PlayStation games, or you’ve been a fan of the console for years now, then PPSSPP is the emulator that should be in your Android phone. PPSSPP can run almost all the big games from the console, plus you can add your own homebrew games and demos. Some titles you can add are Assassin’s Creed, The Warriors, Need For Speed: Shift, and Most Wanted, among others.

As an emulator, it has decent rendering capabilities. It’s not perfect, and ads sometimes can take away from the gameplay, but it’s the best among its counterparts. You can add your own PSP games to it, provided they have a .cso or .iso format. The best part, though is that, if you have a PSP and want to transfer a saved game from it, you can do so with the app.

Nostalgia.NES

Is it nostalgia you’re looking for? Then install Nostalgia.NES on your phone right at this moment and experience the classic Nintendo Entertainment System in your screens! There is a pro version should you want the ad-free experience, but as it is, there is virtually no glaring difference between the two!

In both versions, you need to be online in order to save games as well as customize your virtual controller. It has a hardware accelerator built-in on the app that lets you optimize games to your liking. Games like Contra, Twin Bee, and Legend of Kage are some of the titles you can play. Game files supported are .zip and NES.

Takeaway

Smartphone gaming has truly changed the original ways of the gaming community. As the technology in smartphones becomes more advanced, games historically have been one of the few categories in the app departments to utilize the upgrades, applying the new changes on hardware and software seamlessly to improve gameplay, intuitiveness, and overall experience!