The best emulator for every console in 2026, from NES to PS3 (and the one with legal baggage)

Emulation is in great shape. Games that were stuck on aging hardware now run at higher resolutions on a PC or a phone-class handheld. But "which emulator should I use" has a different answer for every console. Here is one pick per system, checked on each project's own site and GitHub on 4 October 2026. We read the projects' docs. We did not benchmark them.

What is the best emulator for each console?

There is a clear default for almost every system. Most are free and open source. Some are mature and play nearly everything. A few, like Vita3K and Xenia, describe themselves as experimental. This table gives one pick per console and how mature it is.

What is the best PS2 emulator?

PCSX2. It is free, open source and runs on Windows, Linux and macOS. Its compatibility database lists 2,679 games, with 98.36% rated Playable and 1.23% Perfect when we read it on 4 Oct 2026. The latest release is v2.8.2, from 4 September 2026.

PCSX2 adds custom resolutions and upscaling, save states and a patching system, per its official site. It needs a BIOS file, and its docs explain how to dump one from your own PS2. The project does not supply one.

PCSX2 has no official Android build. Android PS2 options are unofficial forks, so check what you are installing before you trust it.

What about GameCube, Wii and Wii U?

Dolphin is the answer for GameCube and Wii. Its README lists Windows 10 (1903 or newer), Linux, macOS 11 or newer, and Android 7.0 or newer on a 64-bit processor.

For Wii U, Cemu is the standard. Its README says it runs on 64-bit Windows, Linux and macOS, but it calls the macOS build "purely experimental." The current release is v2.6.

PS1, PSP, PS3 and Vita

DuckStation is the PS1 pick. Its README says a PS1 BIOS image is required and "should" be dumped from your own console, because none ships with the emulator "for legal reasons." PPSSPP covers PSP on Android, Windows, Linux, macOS and iOS, and its latest version is 1.20.4.

RPCS3 handles PS3 on Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD. Check its quickstart page for the minimum system requirements before you install. Vita3K is the only working Vita option, and its site calls it "experimental."

DS and 3DS

melonDS is the DS pick. Its site lists a nearly complete core, a JIT recompiler and 3D upscaling, with Wi-Fi and DSi support still in progress. Azahar is the 3DS pick. It describes itself as continuing "the legacy of Citra" and runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.

On a dual-screen handheld, layout settings matter more than the emulator. We cover that in how to set up Azahar and melonDS.

Is there a safe Switch emulator?

Not in the sense of legally settled. Yuzu's developer agreed to a $2.4 million judgment in March 2024, and the case turned on decrypting Switch games with Nintendo's keys. Ryujinx's official repository is gone. Forks exist, and we track them in which Switch emulators survived.

Which device should you run them on?

A desktop PC covers the most systems, since RPCS3, Cemu and Xenia are PC-only. For a handheld, Android builds exist for Dolphin, DuckStation, PPSSPP, Azahar and others. See Retroid Pocket Nova vs Odin 2 Portal, which share that chip, or the wider retro handheld comparison.

Emulation has never been better for the settled consoles. Read where emulation stands legally before you start, then pick the hardware.