Emulators for iOS are just like the other emulators for the rest of the operating systems. All thanks to the technology, that now we can access various console specific and OS specific games, music and other files on a completely different system.
The same applies to iOS system too, and now you can access various other files on it easily.
There is no doubt that iOS is one of the most secure yet complicated system of all. You really need to download a bunch of software and tools in order to get access to its files.
Forget about syncing, iOS is very specific about data transfer too. So, I hope this section will be quite useful amidst this chaos.
Top 10 Emulators for iOS
So, while you are figuring out that what are the types of emulators for iOS which gives you the access to a ton of content on your existing iOS system, I found a way to make it simpler for you.
I compiled a list consisting of 10 best options of emulators for you which are capable enough for running various system specific files on your iOS platform easily.
Nintendo DS – iNDS
Website: http://iemulators.com/inds
If you are willing to play some of the most classic Nintendo DS games and that too on your iPhone or iPad itself, then you are supposed to use iNDS for it. There are a plenty of iPhone emulators available out there which can be accessed for free and iNDS is one of them.
This emulator allows you to access all the Nintendo DS games from any of your iOS based device easily including iPod too.
With providing all the existing control option of Nintendo DS, the emulator gives additional perks of having a touch screen device too. In fact, they have kept the interface minimal and fuss-free in order to faster accessing. Moreover, you are also given a search bar option where you can look for your favorite games.
The emulator supports auto-save option but currently it does not support the cheat codes for the game. But over the time you can expect some upgrades in such emulators for iOS. Although this emulator is not available on app store but you can download it without going for jailbreak method.
Game Boy Advance – GBA4iOS
Website: http://www.gba4iosapp.com/index.php
Just like the one we talked about earlier, GBA4iOS is amongst the most amazing emulators for iOS which provides access to Game Boy Advance games. Currently, it is operating on the version GBA4iOS 2.0 which is a completely new and improved version of the earlier emulator software.
They have maintained the simplicity but improved the features a lot so that users can find it easier to deal with and faster to operate.
Moreover, some of the features of this app are quite catchy like controller vibration, sustain button, background music on while playing games and much more. Not only GBA games, but this emulator also features a number of Game Boy Color games too.
One thing which I am sure you would love to know is that this emulator supports cheat codes which gives you the freedom to play classic as well as new games to play. You can literally access anything related to Game Boy console easily when you have GBA4iOS installed in your phone.
Arcade – iFBA
Website: https://builds.io/apps/ifba/
The next pick for the category of emulators for iOS is iFBA which is entirely dedicated to arcade games only. Do you remember the time when Mortal Kombat used to be a rage amongst people, well it is the time to relive that time again and that too on your iOS based device.
iFBA is not the only emulator available for playing multiple arcade games and you have the option of MAME4iOS too but it requires the jailbreak method.
In order to create Arcade ROMs you can use the in-app storage by iTunes file sharing and there are variety of ROMs supported. Moreover, games are not pre-installed but you can check out the list in order to install your favorite ones under the emulator only.
You also have several amazing features to access here like customization options, sound frequency, video aspect ratio, screen mode and much more. iFBA is one of the best emulators for iPhone which supports multiple features and does not even require the jailbreak method too.
4. PlayStation Portable – PPSSPP
Website: http://www.ppsspp.org/
PPSSPP is an emulator which is used for playing Play Station Portable games on your iOS system. In fact, this emulator also supports Android platform too and features the quality of games in HD. It is an accomplished and one of the most advanced emulators for iOS for sure.
PPSSPP is quite a revolutionizing emulator as it has the capacity to upscale the bluray texture and turn it into visible visuals.
Rather than iPhone, you will enjoy playing these PSP games on iPad more as it provides a bigger screen and HD graphics add further advantage to it. The emulator allows you to save the game and you can also customize the on-screen touches while using it.
Moreover, PPSSPP is an open source project and allows you to access it for absolutely free. The super-fast operation of this emulator is going to attract you the most and I am sure you won’t be able to resist playing games through it.
5. Game Boy Color – Game Play Color
Website: https://gameplaycolor.com/
Game Play Color is another type of emulators for iOS which is used for emulating Game Boy and Game Boy Color on your iOS based devices. You are supposed to create an additional space for ROM in your existing memory storage and then through drag and drop you can easily access games from here.
This is an open source and completely free program to use and provides complete access to the handheld console of Game Boy Color.
In fact, you would be glad to know that you need to just add the games online in your library and then you can access them for free from this emulator. You can also auto-save your game where you left them last time and then it would be super easy to resume them the next time.
Game Play Color also supports full 8-bit audio and the cover art mechanism automatically identifies the cover arts of game and turn them into a perfect game library for you. These iPhone emulators are a big help for game lovers especially for those who love to play classic games.
6. Nintendo Entertainment System – Nestopia
Website: http://nestopia.sourceforge.net/
Nestopia is an open source emulator used for emulating the characteristics of Nintendo Entertainment System. So, if you are looking forward to playing super classic and trending NES games, this is the kind of software you need to install in your iOS based system.
Interestingly, it is not only compatible for iOS but also for a variety of other operating systems too and successfully emulates the NES hardware in an exactly similar way.
You rarely come across to such emulators for iOS which are so accurate in functioning. There is a bit of trouble regarding this emulator which is that it requires high storage because of the accurate emulation functioning. Thankfully, it supports various types of ROMs.
Other features associated with this emulator are customization of sound, graphics and color, power glove, chat dialog feature, cheat codes supported and much more. However, Nestopia has not been upgraded since a long time and hence it lacks some of the current features here.
7. Super Nintendo – SNES4iOS
Website: https://emu4ios.org/snes4ios/
We have an option amongst emulators for iOS for one more Nintendo gaming console and this time it is Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Such kind of emulators are a big help when you are just crazy about retro games and wants to live that era once again.
With such emulators handy, you do not have to buy the new system for them and you can play games on your iPhone, iPad, iPod or any other iOS based device easily.
As it is up to the mark and going parallel with the current day technology, it provides you connectivity to iCloud. Moreover, you have the option to save your game as well and it also supports multiple ROMs too. Above all, its user interface is so clean that you can come to know about every controls and options within seconds.
Using emulators for iPad like SNES4iOS does not require the jailbreak method which means it is quite simple to use this emulator on your device.
8. Sega Master System – Gear System
Website: https://builds.io/apps/gearsystem/
Sega Master System has brought so many amazing games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Phantasy Star, Wonder Boy and many more. Well, all of these are dating back to 90s and this is the time to play them again with the help of emulators for iOS.
We have this emulator called Gear System which helps in emulating the features of Sega Master System on your own iOS based devices and that too for absolutely free.
You can find the version of this emulator on both jailbreak and non-jailbreak devices of iOS. Not only iOS, but it also supports a number of other platforms too. It create quite an accurate replica of the original console that you will love playing all the popular SMS games on it.
Moreover, there are some other amazing features available too like internal database for ROM detection, sound emulation, swipe edges support, multi-mapper support, automatic region detection, External RAM supported and much more.
9. Nintendo 64 – N64iOS
Website: https://github.com/DatOneWithTheDS/N64iOS
Can we even afford to argue on the popularity factor of Super Mario 64? Well, Nintendo 64 games are classic and I think you cannot find the console easily now. So, why not to use one of the best emulators for iPhone called N64iOS to emulate its function on your iOS device.
This is like seeing the old game’ essence on a brand new platform and not to be forgotten, the touch controls make things a lot easier than ever.
You have the option to play ROMs of any of the Nintendo System without the need of picking right console emulator and this is quite like the universal use for Nintendo consoles. You would be glad to know that N64iOS is one of those few emulators for iOS which also support other games consoles too.
You have the option to add games from a plenty of Nintendo consoles and hence you do not even need to install other emulators for different consoles’ games.
10. DOS – iDOS
Website: https://litchie.com/dospad
The last choice I made for this list of emulators for iOS is a bit unexpected and this one is iDOS. This emulator is used for playing DOS games on your iOS devices and available for a plenty of other operating systems too. I am sure you won’t find any other source of playing original DOS games other than iDOS.
Great thing about iDOS is that you can install it without the jailbreak method as it is available on the app store too.
Although you need to purchase it but it brings so many interesting features to explore with it that I think it is worth every penny. Some of the features of iDOS are soft keyboard compatible to PC, virtual gamepad and joystick, multiple screen mode options, various customization options and much more.
You get some of the freeware with this emulator which are games like Major Striker, Super Nova, Wolf 3D and many more.
Conclusion
If you think the uses of emulator for iOS is restricted to accessing only apps and games only then you are completely wrong about it. Actually, it is way more than that. Some of the most basic advantages of using emulators are testing of apps, better accessing options, faster programming and much more.
However, these iOS emulators are mostly used by those people who develop apps as using a single system helps in developing and testing apps in a faster and better way. So, if you are stuck because of the inability to access various files on your iOS device then you exactly know what to use for it.
