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

One pick per console, checked against each project's own site and GitHub today. Which ones are mature, which are experimental, what each needs from…

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Chiptune · Retro & Preservation Editor

The short answer

Use PCSX2 for PS2, Dolphin for GameCube and Wii, DuckStation for PS1, PPSSPP for PSP, RPCS3 for PS3, Azahar for 3DS, melonDS for DS, Cemu for Wii U, Flycast for Dreamcast, and RetroArch or ares for…

PS2 → PCSX2. Its database lists 2,679 games, with 98.36% rated Playable and 1.23% Perfect (read 4 Oct 2026).

GameCube / Wii → Dolphin. Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS and Android 7.0 or newer, per its README.

PS1 → DuckStation. PS3 → RPCS3. 3DS → Azahar, the project that continues Citra.

N64 changed: simple64 is now archived on GitHub. Use ares or RetroArch's Mupen64Plus-Next core instead.

Why Switch is the exception

Switch games are encrypted, and DMCA Section 1201 bans circumventing that kind of protection. That is why Nintendo's actions target Switch emulators and not PS2 or SNES ones. Our emulation legality…

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

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