Emulators: Part Deux - The Best for PC and Android

"Re-branded and it feels so good..."

Emulators: Part Deux - The Best for PC and Android

That's right, folks. Retro Thursday has been re-branded. Welcome to...The Reset Button. Your one and only destination for all things gaming, retro gaming, or whatever gaming topic I feel like exploring on a weekly basis.

It's awesome!

So, last week I went over my top 5 NES titles of all-time. If you missed it, I'm disappointed. But I'm willing to give you a second chance. Check it out right here. Some people were displeased with my leaving out of triple-A titles like "Contra" and "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!", but I assure you these titles are up there on my list. I just wanted to give love to some other titles that deserved praise. I hope you got a chance to try some of them out. If you didn't, we may be able to solve that problem today.

About 2 weeks ago, I went over what emulators are and why they're awesome. But I didn't really go into too much detail about which were the best and where you could download them. Since it isn't against any laws to download an emulator, as it isn't copyright property, I can give you the skinny on which emulators rock and how you can get your gamer hands on them. We've got a lot to do. Let's get to it.

NES

Let's touch on the Nintendo Entertainment System first. If you're playing on PC, the granddaddy emulator of them all is FCEUX. Whether you are a rookie at the emulator game or a seasoned veteran, this emulator gives you all the bells and whistles you need to get your retro gaming session off the ground. There are tools in place for debugging, speed adjusting, recording your gameplay, having a ROM, and saving your progress on the fly. This one is available on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux and is highly recommended. You can download the FCEUX emulator here.

"New to emulators? Who gives a F...CEUX?" 

On Android, which is my preferred emulator format, I'm currently using NES.emu by Robert Broglia. Like FCEUX (which save state files and be crossed over to NES.emu and vice-versa), this one does it all. It supports ROM-based games in .nes and .unf formats, had zapper/gun support on the touch screen, Bluetooth and USB gamepad/keyboard support, and has cheat file support. The best part about emulators like this on Android is they don't take a lot of space up on your phone. The files are small and you can save a LOT of games on your phone. I actually have every US NES release ever on my Nexus 5 right now. An entire console generation in my pocket. It's great. This emulator does cost $3.99 to download, but it is worth every penny. Check it out on the Google Play store.

"Somewhere some villain schemes, but his number's up..."

SNES

The Super Nintendo has been branded the best console of all time by many gamers out there. I wouldn't disagree. This system was home to some of the best RPGs of all time. So why wouldn't you want to relive some of those classic experiences? I would, and I'm sure you would. Which brings us to SNES emulation on PC and your King in the North: SNEX9X. This one has so many refined options, it is the clear cut winner across the board. Image upscaling, video filters, online multiplayer (!), and cheats are a few options available in addition to  save states and the extremely useful Turbo Mode. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't power leveled in Final Fantasy III with that feature. The even better part of this emulator is this emulator is available on Windows, Mac OS, and Android platforms. This is the actual emulator I use on my Nexus 5. The download is free, but I would easily pay $5 for all it offers. Check out SNES9X at their website and on the Google Play store.

"SNES9X: A Link to the Past"

Sega Genesis

To round out the top 3 classic console emulators, we dive into the Sega Genesis. Home of Sonic the Hedgehog, Kid Chameleon, Streets of Rage, and Shining Force II, the Genesis was a powerhouse of excellent 16-bit titles. On your PC, there is one option available for quality Genesis emulation: Kega Fusion. While it is missing emulation options for the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast, it offers emulation options for the Genesis with 32x add-on, Game Gear, and Sega CD. Multiple console options all wrapped up in one emulator. All it's missing is a pretty little bow. In addition to playing titles from those consoles, Kega Fusion offers the norm in emulation options. Save states, cheat support, audio and video capture, gamepad support, and even online play are options for this gorilla of an emulator. Ports are available for download on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux systems. Check out what Kega Fusion has to offer by following this link.

"KEGA!!!!!!"

Over on the Android platform, there are dozens of options for Sega Genesis emulation. Instead of going through the various options, I'm going to recommend MD.emu by Robert Broglia. This guy is the emulator guru on Android. MD.emu features high quality sound and video, save states, gun support on the touch screen, supports multiple file formats, and has Bluetooth and USB gamepad/keyboard support. The ROM files are small, in addition to the emulator itself, so you don't need to worry about a lot of space being filled on your phone. My Nexus 5 runs this emulator with no issue whatsoever. If you're itching for some Toe Jam & Earl, but don't want to shell out the cash on an actual Genesis, grab MD.emu over on the Google Play store. It costs $4.99, but is worth every penny.

"Toasty!"

N64

I was initially going to leave N64 alone, but decided to include it in after trying a few out. For PC, the absolute best N64 emulator is Mupen64Plus. It is pretty light in the features department, only featuring save states, multiplayer, cheats, and an option to adjust speed. It runs smoothly and recently had an update that addressed numerous bugs. If you've wanted to get back in the Kart with Mario and hurl some red turtle shells at Bowser, Mupen64Plus will get you gassed up and ready to go. It's available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux systems. Grab it for your operating system here. They also offer an Android app, Mupen64Plus AE, which you can download on the Google Play store. There is a free version or a $0.99 ad-free version available. I'd recommend the ad-free version, as this keeps the app clean and helps the developer make some money. And if they're making something off the app, they'll be more inclined to update it regularly. Follow the link to check it out.

That is one rickety looking bridge...

So, there you have it. The top classic emulators for PC and Android. Sorry, iOS users. Unless you were quick to grab an emulator off the App Store when it was posted, as Apple is pretty quick to pull emulators down, they're extremely hard to come by. You can always jailbreak your device, but that's another topic for another day. There are also emulators out there for PSOne, Game Boy (original, Color, and Advance), and even the DS and PSP. I just tend to stick with the Big Four, as the file sizes on some of those later-generation emulators, like the DS and PSP, tend to swell in size.

Hit some of those links and check these emulators out. Remember, I can't openly say where to download the ROM files, but a quick Google search will point you in the right direction. And once you know where to find them, you'll be up to your neck in retro gaming goodness.

Next week, I am going to dive into the top 5 most difficult games in the NES library. There are definitely some you'll be familiar with. Maybe even some you've conquered.

Thanks for checking out this week's The Reset Button. Let me know how you like those emulators, what you're playing, and what you'd like to see in the coming weeks. And remember, every Thursday is a new edition of The Reset Button. So don't forget to like, share, and subscribe to New Geek Protocol and we will keep the content coming.

Until next week. Game on.

-ML