Open Source EmulationStation AlternativesTop Game Emulators and other similar apps like EmulationStation

The best open source alternative to EmulationStation is RetroArch. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to EmulationStation and 16 is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to EmulationStation are Lakka, Mame, Batocera.linux and Pegasus.

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Alternatives list

  1. RetroArch icon

    RetroArch

     330 likes

    A fast, modular emulator frontend offering portability and extensive support for systems from arcade consoles to mobile platforms, featuring game engines like Doom and Quake, and capabilities for real-time rewinding and shader support on a variety of devices.

    159 RetroArch alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • F-Droid
    • Steam
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
    • Haiku
    Main view
     
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    4
    RetroArch vs EmulationStation Comments
    Oktay Mercan
    Positive
    0

    RetroArch is core (emulator) but emulationStation is like a interface or GUI.

    Guest
    Negative
    4

    RetroArch allows you to emulate directly using "cores" included with the program and downloadable from their website. EmulationStation does not do emulation, and only acts as a front-end for other emulators installed on the system.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    0

    EmulationStation is an interface for retroarch.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 4 comments
    • RetroArch is Free and Open SourceEmulationStation is also Free and Open Source
  2. Lakka icon

    Lakka

     38 likes

    Lakka is the official Linux distribution of RetroArch and the libretro ecosystem. Each game system is implemented as a libretro core, while the frontend RetroArch takes care of inputs and display.

    37 Lakka alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Cubieboard
    • HummingBoard
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Odroid
    Splash screen
     
  4. Mame icon

    Mame

     95 likes

    MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator. When used in conjunction with images of the original arcade game's ROM and disk data, MAME attempts to reproduce that game as faithfully as possible on a more modern general-purpose computer.

    24 Mame alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • AmigaOS
    • MorphOS
    Mame screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Mame vs EmulationStation Comments
    munnie
    Negative
    0

    MAME is an emulator, while EmulationStation is an interface that allows to sort MAME's games

    Guest
    Negative
    0

    Emulationstation is an interface for mame

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Mame is Free and Open SourceEmulationStation is also Free and Open Source
  5. Batocera.linux icon

    Batocera.linux

     21 likes

    Batocera.linux is an operating system specialized in retrogaming available for your pc and different nano computers like the Raspberry and the Odroids.

    17 Batocera.linux alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Odroid
    Batocera.linux screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Batocera.linux vs EmulationStation Comments
    munnie
    Positive
    0

    It's an operating system that uses EmulationStation as it's interface so I recommend it if you only want to use a device for gaming and some other features only.

    • Batocera.linux is Free and Open SourceEmulationStation is also Free and Open Source
  6. Pegasus icon

    Pegasus

     29 likes

    Pegasus is a graphical frontend for browsing your game library (especially retro games) and launching them from one place. It's focusing on customizability, cross platform support (including embedded devices) and high performance.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Raspberry Pi
    Pegasus screenshot 1
     
  7. Retropie icon

    Retropie

     23 likes

    RetroPie allows you to turn your Raspberry Pi or PC into a retro-gaming machine. It builds upon Raspbian, EmulationStation, RetroArch and many other projects to enable you to play your favourite classic games with the minimum set-up.

    13 Retropie alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Raspberry Pi
    Retropie screenshot 1
     
  9. Mednafen icon

    Mednafen

     20 likes

    Mednafen is a portable, utilizing OpenGL and SDL, argument(command-line)-driven multi-system emulator with many advanced features. The Atari Lynx, GameBoy (Color), GameBoy Advance, NES, PC Engine (TurboGrafx 16), SuperGrafx, Neo Geo Pocket (Color), PC-FX, and WonderSwan (Color)...

    39 Mednafen alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    Mednafen screenshot 1
     
  10. Recalbox icon

    Recalbox

     15 likes

    Recalbox is a light embedded system created to run on the raspberryPi ,raspberryPI 2 and others!

    11 Recalbox alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Odroid
    Recalbox screenshot 1
     
  11. Nostlan icon

    Nostlan

     5 likes

    A front-end or user interface (UI) is the presentation and interaction layer of an app or website. Most modern emulator apps have basic game list UIs that you can interact with using a mouse/keyboard but not a game controller.

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Dolphin (Wii, Gamecube, Virtual Console) [Linux, macOS, & Windows]
     
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    1
    Nostlan vs EmulationStation Comments
    kendo friendo
    Positive
    0

    The latest version of the application is locked behind a purchase. Users cannot change the theme of the application without donating to their patreon. Avoid.

    • Nostlan is Freemium and Open SourceEmulationStation is Free and Open Source
  12. RetriX icon

    RetriX

     7 likes

    RetriX is an emulator front end for UWP, on all the hardware platforms it supports: it serves the same purpose as RetroArch but is built from the ground up to integrate as well as possible with Windows.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Windows Mobile
    • Windows Phone
    • Xbox
    RetriX screenshot 1
     
  13. QuickPlay icon

    QuickPlay

     4 likes

    QuickPlay is a windows powerful universal emulator 'frontend-of-frontends', which has support for countless emulators and systems, old and new, with a philosophy of being quick and easy for new users, yet comprehensive and flexible for old-timers.

    8 QuickPlay alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Windows
    QuickPlay screenshot 1
     
  14. P

    Pi Entertainment System

     5 likes

    Retro gaming on the Raspberry Pi and includes RetroArchievements.org support, HDMI-CEC and PS3/XBOX 360 control pad support.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Raspberry Pi
    Main PES screen showing recently earned achievements.
     
12 of 16 EmulationStation alternatives