RetroArch Alternatives

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, OpenEmu and Lakka.

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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, Windows, Linux 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. Ares, which apparently replaced higan, was formerly known as bsnes. The project was renamed after becoming a multi-system emulator.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  2. KRetro icon
     2 likes

    KRetro is a Libretro frontend written in Qt/Kirigami, designed for Plasma Desktop, Mobile, and Bigscreen.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • KDE Plasma
    • Linux Mobile
    • Plasma Mobile
     
  3. Mednafen icon
     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)...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  4. Discover a lifetime of gaming, the ultimate retro gaming experience with Antstream Arcade. Dive into a vast collection of over 1300 classic games, with new titles added every week.

    64 Antstream Arcade alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Epic Games Store
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
     
  5. Daijisho icon
     4 likes

    Daijisho is a retro launcher that let you manage your retro games libraries. Daijisho cares about integrated experience, expansibility, aesthetic and pragmatical usabilities let you focus on games itself.

    18 Daijisho alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
     
  6. FB Alpha icon
     12 likes

    FB Alpha or FBA as it is commonly known is an emulator of arcade games, that is, it takes the program code, graphics data, etc., from an original arcade game and emulates the hardware to make the game run in it's original form.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  7. Ares Emulator icon
     7 likes

    ares is a multi-system emulator that began development on October 14th, 2004. It is a descendent of higan and bsnes, and focuses on accuracy and preservation.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  8. melonDS icon
     17 likes

    A Nintendo DS emulator with support for commercial games.

    14 melonDS alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Android
     
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    1
    melonDS vs RetroArch Comments
    Douze
    Negative
    1

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

    • melonDS is Free and Open SourceRetroArch is also Free and Open Source
  9. WinDS PRO icon
     13 likes

    WinDS PRO contains the latest versions of the emulators for the Nintendo, Sega and Playstation consoles for PC including:

    34 WinDS PRO alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  10. Phoenicis icon
     3 likes

    Phoenicis is a graphical front-end for Wine, a tool to help Linux and Mac users run games and programs for Windows. The future of PlayOnLinux and PlayOnMac.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Flathub
     
  11. MESS icon
     14 likes

    MESS emulates portable and console gaming systems, computer platforms and calculators. The project strives for accuracy and portability and therefore is not always the fastest emulator for any one particular system.

    Cost / License

    • Free Personal
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
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