Introduction
Apple has recently allowed emulators on the App Store, reversing a rule that practically banned them. Since this change in early April, there has been a surge in emulator submissions, enabling users to play retro games on their iPhones directly from the App Store. Here’s a comprehensive update on what’s arrived and what’s expected to come, as of July 3, 2024.
Available Emulators
Delta
- Description: Nintendo-centric emulator.
- Supported Consoles: GameBoy Advance, GameBoy Color, Nintendo DS, NES, Super NES, Nintendo 64.
- Upcoming Features: iPad-specific version, Sega Genesis support in beta.
eNES
- Description: Lightweight NES emulator by Mattia La Spina.
- Size: Less than 2MB.
- Features: Automatic saving, external controller support, on-screen controller skin, audio filtering, scanline visualization, automatic .nes file opening and importing.
- Availability: Free in the App Store.
Emu64 XL
- Description: Commodore 64 emulator by Raffaele Amuso.
- Features: Includes CBM64 Basic programs, allows user-created programs, loads .T64 and .D64 files.
- Availability: Free in the App Store, supports iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision Pro.
Folium
- Description: Emulator for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo DS.
- Upcoming Features: PlayStation 1 and 2, Sega Genesis.
- Availability: $4.99 in the App Store.
Gamma
- Description: Single-console emulator for Sony PlayStation (PS1).
- Features: Save states, cloud save synchronization, hardware controller support, controller skins, ad-free option.
- Availability: Free with in-app purchases.
iDOS
- Description: x86 emulation project for DOS games and software.
- Status: Resubmitted as iDOS 3, currently rejected due to "Design Spam" issues, ongoing efforts for compliance.
Ignited
- Description: Multi-core emulator with improved UI.
- Supported Consoles: NES, Super NES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy series, Nintendo DS, Sega Genesis, Master System, Game Gear.
- Status: TestFlight build available for patrons, not yet in the App Store.
iMSX2
- Description: Emulator for MSX and MSX2 games.
- Availability: $1.99 in the App Store, requires iOS 15.0 or later.
MAME4iOS
- Description: Mobile counterpart to MAME, focusing on arcade games.
- Status: Submitted for App Store review, not yet listed.
uoYabause
- Description: Port of Yaba Sanshiro Sega Saturn Emulator.
- Status: Submitted for App Store review, no updates as of June 28.
PPSSPP
- Description: Sony PlayStation Portable emulator.
- Availability: Free in the App Store, requires iOS 12.0 or later.
Provenance
- Description: Multi-emulator frontend.
- Supported Consoles: Various from Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Bandai, NEC, Atari, and SNK.
- Status: Sideload available, working on App Store release, ongoing coding updates.
RetroArch
- Description: Frontend for emulators and game engines.
- Status: Submitted for App Store review, appeared on the App Store as a free emulator on May 15.
SameBoy
- Description: Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulator by Lior Halphon.
- Features: Accurate emulation core, save states, gesture support, scaling filters, MFi hardware support, Game Boy Camera emulation.
- Availability: Free in the App Store.
ScummVM
- Description: Emulator for classic point-and-click adventure games.
- Availability: Free in the App Store.
Not Yet Available
MAME
- Status: Multiple rejections due to spam issues related to arcade "drivers," team seeking solutions.
Emulation Limitations
While the rule change has opened opportunities, not all emulators can appear in the App Store. Apple’s prohibition of Just In Time (JIT) compilation, which it considers a security issue, limits some emulators. For example, the DolphiniOS emulator for Nintendo Wii and Gamecube requires JIT for translating PowerPC code to run on ARM-based chips, making it incompatible with current App Store rules.
Conclusion
The removal of Apple’s restrictive rule has sparked a wave of emulator submissions, offering a rich array of retro gaming experiences on iOS devices. While some emulators are still navigating the approval process, many have already made their debut, with more expected to follow. Keep an eye on the App Store for these nostalgic treasures.