RetroArch AlternativesTop Game Emulators and other similar apps like RetroArch

RetroArch is described as 'A portable, fast, and lightweight emulator frontend supporting classic and modern gaming systems with features like real-time rewinding and shader support' and is a very popular Game Emulator in the gaming software category. There are more than 100 alternatives to RetroArch for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and iPhone apps. The best RetroArch alternative is DuckStation, which is free. Other great apps like RetroArch are PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac, Lemuroid, Lakka and VisualBoyAdvance.

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RetroArch alternatives are mainly Game Emulators, but if you're looking for Game Library Managers or Compatibility Layer Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Android, Linux, Windows and iPhone. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to RetroArch.
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Alternatives list

  1. DuckStation icon
     51 likes

    DuckStation is an simulator/emulator of the Sony PlayStation(TM) console, focusing on playability, speed, and long-term maintainability.

    13 DuckStation alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • AppImageHub
    • Flathub
     
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    1
    DuckStation vs RetroArch Comments
    Douze
    Negative
    4

    DuckStation is an emulator, whereas RetroArch is a front-end for multiple emulators and the games using them.

    • DuckStation is Free and ProprietaryRetroArch is Free and Open Source
    • DuckStation is LightweightRetroArch is not according to our users
  2. PlayOnLinux is a graphical frontend for the Wine software compatibility layer which allows Linux and Mac users to install Windows-based video games, Microsoft Office (2000 to 2010), Microsoft Internet Explorer, as well as many other applications.

    44 PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Wine
    • FreeBSD
     
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    1
    PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac vs RetroArch Comments
    Brouware
    Negative
    7

    PlayOnLinux is a compatibility layer to play Windows games (or other software) on Linux. Retroarch is a multi-platform emulator frontend. They are not at all similar.

    • PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac is Free and Open SourceRetroArch is also Free and Open Source
  3. Lemuroid icon
     38 likes

    Lemuroid is an open-source emulation project based on Libretro. It's completely free, without ads and focused on ease of use and good user experience.

    35 Lemuroid alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
    • F-Droid
     
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    4
    Lemuroid vs RetroArch Comments
    Teoman
    Positive
    0

    is good but i doesn't have advanced features it should have more options but still keeping it simple

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

    It's MUCH easier to get started for beginners, instead of overwhelming you with vague and confusing concepts like "core"s and "content"s.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Lemuroid uses libretro cores just like retroarch but it's way simpler to use and it supports SD cards without tweaks

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 4 comments
    • Lemuroid is Free and Open SourceRetroArch is also Free and Open Source
    • Lemuroid is LightweightRetroArch is not according to our users
  4. Lakka icon
     37 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.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Cubieboard
    • HummingBoard
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Odroid
     
  5. VisualBoyAdvance icon
     157 likes

    VisualBoyAdvance (VBA) is a free software (GNU GPL) emulator targeted for the Game Boy, Super Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance handheld game consoles sold by Nintendo.

    41 VisualBoyAdvance alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • MorphOS
     
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    2
    VisualBoyAdvance vs RetroArch Comments
    DifferentDance8Real
    Negative
    1

    VBA is specifically for the GBA console, whereas RetroArch can handle any console

    Guest
    Negative
    -14

    Retroarch is for ios VBA is for windows

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • VisualBoyAdvance is Free and Open SourceRetroArch is also Free and Open Source
  6. OpenEmu icon
     65 likes

    Open Emu is an open source project to bring game emulation to OS X as a first class citizen, leveraging modern OS X technologies such as Cocoa, Core Animation and Quartz, and 3rd party libraries like Sparkle for auto-updating.

    57 OpenEmu alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
  7. Ludo icon
     21 likes

    Ludo is an Emulator Frontend able to run retro video games. Ludo does not emulate the consoles itself, but does it through emulator plugins called libretro cores. Libretro cores are well known emulators (like Snes9x or Genesis Plus GX or PCSX) stripped from their user interface.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  8. Snes9x icon
     150 likes

    Snes9x is a portable, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator. It allows you to play most games designed for the SNES and Super Famicom Nintendo game systems on your PC.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
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    1
    Snes9x vs RetroArch Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    8

    Retroarch is not an emulator. Retroarch is a frontend for Libretro, which is a backend in which "cores" can be implemented and then run through a frontend(RA in this case.) These cores are emulators, and are what do most of the work of emulating systems. The vast majority of Libretro cores are simply preexisting emulators (like Snes9x!) ported into the Libretro API.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Snes9x is Free and Open SourceRetroArch is also Free and Open Source
  9. ScummVM icon
     126 likes

    ScummVM is a program which allows you to run certain classic graphical point-and-click adventure games, provided you already have their data files.

    13 ScummVM alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Windows Mobile
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Symbian S60
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Haiku
    • AmigaOS
    • MorphOS
     
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    1
    ScummVM vs RetroArch Comments
    Douze
    Negative
    2

    ScummVM is an emulator, whereas RetroArch is a front-end for multiple emulators and the games using them.

    • ScummVM is Free and Open SourceRetroArch is also Free and Open Source
  10. PPSSPP icon
     86 likes

    Run PSP games across platforms in crisp HD, enjoy sharper textures, post-processing effects, anisotropic filtering, save or restore progress, customize input controls, transfer existing saves, play on low-spec devices with JIT-optimized performance, and more features.

    9 PPSSPP alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Meta Quest
     
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    1
    PPSSPP vs RetroArch Comments
    Douze
    Negative
    5

    PPSSPP is an emulator, whereas RetroArch is a front-end for multiple emulators and the games using them.

    • PPSSPP is Free and Open SourceRetroArch is also Free and Open Source
12 of 158 RetroArch alternatives