EmulationStation Alternatives for Raspberry Pi
There are many alternatives to EmulationStation for Raspberry Pi and since it's discontinued a lot of people are looking for a replacement. The best Raspberry Pi alternative is RetroArch, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to EmulationStation and eight of them are available for Raspberry Pi so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Raspberry Pi alternatives to EmulationStation are Batocera.linux, Lakka, Pegasus and Retropie.
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EmulationStation alternatives are mainly Game Emulators but may also be Game Library Managers or Linux Distros. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of EmulationStation.- Game Emulator
- Free • Open Source
- 273 likes151 RetroArch alternatives
RetroArch is a graphical frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Blackberry
- iPad
- OpenPandora
- Steam
- Raspberry Pi
- Playstation
- Xbox
RetroArch Features
- Multi System Emulator
- Multiplatform
- Emulation
- Controller Support
- Modular System
- Gameboy emulation
- Dark Mode
- Variety
- Rewind button
- Portable
RetroArch VS EmulationStation
Is RetroArch a good alternative to EmulationStation? - 19 likes12 Batocera.linux alternatives
Batocera.linux is an operating system specialized in retrogaming available for your pc and different nano computers like the Raspberry and the Odroids.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Linux
- Raspberry Pi
- Odroid
Batocera.linux Features
- Multi System Emulator
Batocera.linux VS EmulationStation
Is Batocera.linux a good alternative to EmulationStation? - 33 likes25 Lakka alternatives
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.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Cubieboard
- HummingBoard
- Raspberry Pi
- Nintendo Switch
- Odroid
Lakka Features
- Emulation
- Linux-based
- Gaming-focused
Lakka VS EmulationStation
Is Lakka a good alternative to EmulationStation? - 26 likes35 Pegasus alternatives
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.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- Raspberry Pi
Pegasus Features
- Portable
- Game Launcher
Pegasus VS EmulationStation
Is Pegasus a good alternative to EmulationStation? - 20 likes9 Retropie alternatives
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.
Retropie VS EmulationStation
Is Retropie a good alternative to EmulationStation? - 14 likes8 Recalbox alternatives
Recalbox is a light embedded system created to run on the raspberryPi ,raspberryPI 2 and others!
License model
- Free • Open Source
Platforms
- Linux
- Raspberry Pi
- Odroid
Recalbox Features
- Emulation
- Multi System Emulator
- Playstation
Recalbox VS EmulationStation
Is Recalbox a good alternative to EmulationStation? - 5 likes4 Pi Entertainment System alternatives
Retro gaming on the Raspberry Pi and includes RetroArchievements.org support, HDMI-CEC and PS3/XBOX 360 control pad support.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Platforms
- Linux
- Raspberry Pi
Pi Entertainment System Features
- Emulation
- Linux-based
- Playstation
Pi Entertainment System VS EmulationStation
Is this a good alternative to EmulationStation? - 1 like4 Ignition (gaming OS) alternatives
A fully customizable "console" in your living room that not only plays all the classic games you grew up with, but also brings modern features such as Gaming Achievements, Gaming Profiles, Online play, Social Interaction and more?.
DiscontinuedThe official website is no longer accessible, but has been archived by Archive.org (https://web.archive.org/web/20160317030645/http://ignition.io/) and the source code is available on GitHub: https://github.com/alexjstubbs/ignition-dev
Ignition (gaming OS) VS EmulationStation
Is Ignition (gaming OS) a good alternative to EmulationStation?
Comments about RetroArch as an Alternative to EmulationStation
RetroArch is core (emulator) but emulationStation is like a interface or GUI.
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.
EmulationStation is an interface for retroarch.
You need retroarch for emulationstation... they work together not alternates