Video game platform emulators

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An emulator is a program which serves to replicate the functions of another platform or system so as to allow applications and games to be run in environments they were not programmed for.

Note: For possibly more up to date selection of emulators, try checking the AUR 'emulator' keyword.
Warning: Owning a high-level emulator is legal, but distribution of any type of copyrighted ROMs and unauthorized emulation (without written permission of the copyright holder allowing the user to do so) are illegal. Consequently, Arch Linux does not distribute this copyrighted content, including game ROMs and ripped console BIOSs. You are fully responsible for whatever usage of the emulators obtained from the official repositories or the Arch User Repository you make, as well as any legal repercussion that result. Arch Linux bears no responsibility at all.

Consoles

  • bsnes — Super Nintendo emulator focusing on performance, features, and ease of use.
https://bsnes.dev/ || bsnesAUR
  • Cemu — Wii U emulator (via wine).
https://cemu.info/ || cemuAUR
  • Citra — Nintendo 3DS emulator.
https://citra-emu.org/ || citra-gitAUR
  • DeSmuME — Nintendo DS emulator.
https://desmume.org/ || desmume
  • Dolphin — Very capable GameCube and Wii emulator.
https://dolphin-emu.org/ || dolphin-emu
  • DuckStation — DuckStation is an simulator/emulator of the Sony PlayStation(TM) console, focusing on playability, speed, and long-term maintainability.
https://github.com/stenzek/duckstation || duckstation-gitAUR
  • epsxe — Emulator for the PlayStation video game console for x86-based PC hardware.
https://www.epsxe.com/ || epsxeAUR
  • FCEUX — NTSC and PAL 8 bit Nintendo/Famicom emulator that is an evolution of the original FCE Ultra emulator. It is accurate, compatible and actively maintained.
https://fceux.com/ || fceux
  • Gens-GS — Gens2, rewritten in C++, combining features from various Gens forks.
https://segaretro.org/Gens/GS || gens-gs
  • gngeo — Command-line NeoGeo emulator.
https://github.com/pepone42/gngeo || gngeoAUR
  • higan — Multisystem emulator focusing on accuracy, supporting SNES, NES, GB, GBC, GBA.
https://higan.dev/ || higan
  • mednafen — Command-line driven multisystem emulator.
https://mednafen.github.io/ || mednafen
  • melonDS — Nintendo DS emulator.
http://melonds.kuribo64.net/ || melondsAUR
  • mGBA — A Nintendo Gameboy Advance Emulator focusing on both speed and accuracy.
https://mgba.io/ || SDL frontend: mgba-sdl, QT5 frontend: mgba-qt
  • Mupen64Plus — Highly compatible Nintendo 64 emulator with plugin system.
https://www.mupen64plus.org/ || mupen64plus or a graphical front-end, such as m64pyAUR or cutemupenAUR.
  • Nestopia — Very accurate NES emulator.
http://0ldsk00l.ca/nestopia/ || nestopiaAUR
  • pSX — A not plugin-based PlayStation emulator with fairly high compatibility.
http://psxemulator.gazaxian.com/ || psxAUR
  • PCSXR — PlayStation emulator; Debian fork of the abandoned original PCSX
https://archive.codeplex.com/?p=pcsxr || pcsxrAUR
  • PCSX2 — PlayStation 2 emulator. It is still being maintained and developed. It requires BIOS files.
https://pcsx2.net/ || pcsx2
  • PPSSPP — PlayStation Portable emulator.
https://ppsspp.org/ || ppsspp
  • RPCS3 — Experimental open-source Sony PlayStation 3 emulator and debugger.
https://rpcs3.net/ || rpcs3AUR
  • Snes9x — Portable, freeware Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator.
https://www.snes9x.com/ || snes9x-gtk
  • Visual Boy Advance — Game Boy emulator with Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, and Super Game Boy support.
https://vba-m.com/ || vbam-wx
  • xemu — An original Xbox emulator (fork of XQEMU).
https://xemu.app/ || xemu-gitAUR
  • XQEMU — An original Xbox emulator.
https://xqemu.com/ || xqemu-gitAUR
  • Yuzu — An experimental open-source Nintendo Switch emulator/debugger.
https://github.com/yuzu-emu/yuzu/ || yuzu-gitAUR
  • Ryujinx — A simple, experimental Nintendo Switch emulator.
https://ryujinx.org/ || ryujinx-gitAUR
  • ZSNES — Highly compatible Super Nintendo emulator.
https://www.zsnes.com/ || zsnes

Other

  • DOSBox — Open-source DOS emulator which primarily focuses on running DOS Games.
https://www.dosbox.com/ || dosbox
  • DOSEmu — Open-source DOS emulator.
http://www.dosemu.org/ || dosemu
  • MAME — Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator.
https://www.mamedev.org/ || mame
  • RetroArch — Frontend to libretro (emulation library, using modified versions of existing emulators as plugins).
https://www.libretro.com/ || retroarch
  • ScummVM — Virtual machine for old school adventures.
https://www.scummvm.org/ || scummvm
  • X Neko Project II — PC-9801 emulator.
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~aw9k-nnk/np2/[dead link 2021-05-17 ⓘ] || xnp2AUR

See also