Top 12 Best SNES Emulators for Android and PC

Estimated read time 8 min read

Irrespective of how gaming has improved over the last three decades, none can yet match the best SNES emulator games from the 90s. However, the truth is also that the SNES-style games are many ways out of vogue nowadays. Therefore, getting your hands on a conventional working SNES game can be an enormous task. Hence, procuring games like ‘Super Mario’ or ‘Donkey Kong’ can be quite tough. To play SNES games, one needs emulators, and despite the fact that there are many alternatives of the same available on the web, not every variant can match the experience that one got from playing the game previously. So, for all the players who prefer playing these exemplary SNES games, here are some of the best SNES emulators for Android, PC, Mac, and mobile devices. 

Best SNES Emulators

RetroArch

RetroArch

On top of the list is ‘RetroArch’ that has an extraordinary SNES emulator offering cross-stage support so that clients can appreciate SNES games at different stages. ‘RetroArch’ is a front-end option for emulators that run programs into dynamic libraries called ‘Liberto’ centers. Basically, the product provides a neat interface to players so that they can play different games. The emulator provides support to various controllers, and it offers a few stunning features like shaders, netplay, and rewinding. 


SNES9x

SNES9x

Next up is SNES9x, a simple to utilize emulator that does not require any massive changes and permits players to promptly load the games directly after extraction. The emulator is fit for running most games and works well with most SNES titles with no observable issues. It also works quite well with equipment that may be old enough. 

SNES9x is a standout amongst other Android SNES emulators for all types of low-end equipment, and it offers some incredible features including Output Image Processing for better design, the Spare States to Spare Games in the spot that you need them to spare, Quick Forward to accelerate games and Chronicle Include that permits players to catch .avi films of ongoing interaction. 


BizHawk

BizHawk

For all players who are speed enthusiasts and need to finish games within the quickest time, one should investigate BizHawk. The emulator has been explicitly planned on the concept of ‘Tool-Assisted Speedruns ‘(TAS), and it works quite well for easy games as well. 

The emulator provides support for games that are present on different platforms like NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Atari 2600, and many more. It simply means that players have an option to play significantly more games with this emulator in place. 


Higan

Higan

Taking the subsequent spot is ‘Higan,’ another incredible emulator that works with different consoles, including Android. The emulator imitates the first equipment as precisely as can reasonably be expected and offers an interactive experience that can’t be easily matched with any other emulator. However, ‘Higan’ is a type of request SNES emulator for PC and may not function well on low-end or other types of gadgets. 

On the positive side, the emulator is fit for running each business SNES title at any point so that it can decide if different SNES games can be played. As of now, ‘Higan’ supports 12 frameworks, including Nintendo Famicom, Nintendo Super Famicom, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Sega Master System, Sega Game Gear, Sega Mega Drive, NEC PC Engine, NEC SuperGrafx, Bandai WonderSwan, and Bandai WonderSwan Color. 


ZSNES

ZSNES is also one of the best SNES emulators that can be used to run the most well known SNES games. Despite the fact that its production stopped in 2007, it’s still very much active and simple to utilize. That is the reason for it being so popular among many players. ZSNES offers a better than the average choice of features compared to other emulators, including ‘channels to improve video yield,’ ‘spare states support,’ and an incredible list that monitors ten latest games played on the emulator. 


Nestopia UE

Nestopia is one of the best NES emulators with high-precision that is suitable for playing most NES games as it offers features like ‘surface scaling’ and ‘netplay.’ With its unique structure and the Nestopia UE, it is pretty much out as its engineers have stopped improvements on it since 2008. Nestopia UE is a RetroArch center emulator that can be used with absolute ease if RetroArch is not to be used by the system. 

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The emulator comes with some cool features like ‘game-explicit custom palettes,’ ‘cheat support,’ ‘Famicom mic support,’ etc. that makes it an incredible alternative for players who want to experience its unique gaming capabilities. The best part is that the Nestopia UE is incredibly easy to set up and has an easy-to-understand interface that permits gamers to run games within a matter of minutes. 


OpenEmu

OpenEmu

For players on Mac who need a multi-framework emulator that functions admirably, OpenEMU is certainly a very good option. Development of OpenEMU began in 2007, and initially, it was only a port for the NES/Famicom emulator, Nestopia. This emulator is a superb alternative, just like RetroArch, due to the fact that it is a front-end option for many emulators. With it in place, players can download extra centers for a wholesome gaming experience. 

It is very easy to use and offers a clean UI that supplements the general Mac OS style. The emulator includes several unique channels to improve the visual experience, and it also boosts the different information techniques. Players can even utilize a retro controller with the framework for a significantly enhanced experience. 


NES.emu

NES.emu

If SNES9x EX+ is not a comfortable emulator for a player, one can always take a look at NES.emu, which is another extraordinary NES emulator for Android. It runs very well on all types of Android gadgets that have a 1GHz processor. The emulator comes with a lot of cool features, including ‘reinforcement and spare state support,’ ‘cheat support,’ ‘on-screen multi-contact controls,’ and many more. 


SNES9x EX+

SNES9x EX+

Avid players searching for an extraordinary SNES emulator for Android cell phones can certainly go for the SNES9x EX+ – the Android version of SNES9x. The emulator comes with all the fundamental features that players can anticipate from any SNES emulator, including ‘spare/load states,’ ‘on-screen controls,’ help on handling different types of documents, and gamepad support. 

The emulator may feel somewhat of an old type, but since it works very well, there’s no point grumbling about its UI. What differentiates it from the rest of the emulators is that for Android, SNES9x EX+ is a completely free product with no promotion and no in-application purchase. 


BSNES

BSNES

BSNES was one of the most sought-after SNES emulators; however, it didn’t live for long. Right now, there are numerous emulators that depend on BSNES, and one of them – ‘Higan’ – is also on the wane. The good news is that the BSNES emulator is available again as the developers have volunteered to restore the original version. The principal objective of BSNES is to offer a close and immaculate experience providing accuracy for a high level of satisfaction. Also, since ‘Higan’ is very much enjoyed by many players, BSNES has tried to keep it simple so that apart from ‘Higan,’ many other Nintendo games can be played on it. 


Mega SNES Rock Retro

Mega SNES Rock Retro

The ‘Mega SNES Rock Retro’ is a relatively new emulator, yet it has picked up considerable popularity among many Android users. The best part about this emulator is that it’s quite quick and has extensive game similarity. Further, players can play SNES games on Full HD Graphics that can be incredible.


John NESS

John NESS

One more superb SNES emulator for Windows is John NESS. It was taken off the PlayStore because of copyright infringement issues. However, now the developers have launched another emulator with much help for all the different types of games and obviously, for some new ones too. As of now, John Ness is a standout amongst other SNES emulators on Android, after maybe the SNES9x EX+. 


Final Thoughts

These are some of the best SNES emulators that are readily available so that many types of games can be played with ease. Apart from them, there are a few others that can also be tried for the best gaming experience. 

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