The Best Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Emulators in 2022

The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, is one of the most iconic and influential video game consoles of all time. Released in 1985, the NES helped revitalize the video game industry after the crash of 1983 and introduced an entire generation to now-classic franchises like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and more.

While the original NES hardware is now over 35 years old, its games continue to be beloved by retro gaming enthusiasts. Thankfully, even if you no longer have a working NES console, you can still enjoy these classic titles using an NES emulator on your computer, phone, or other modern devices.

What is an NES Emulator?

An emulator is a piece of software that mimics the functionality of a video game console, allowing you to play games designed for that system. An NES emulator replicates the original Nintendo hardware in software form, letting you play NES games on non-NES hardware.

Using an NES emulator has several benefits over relying on the original console:

• Cost savings: NES consoles and cartridges can be expensive to collect these days, with rare games commanding high prices. Emulators are typically free, as are game ROMs in most cases.
• Convenience: With an emulator, your entire NES library is on your computer or phone, with no need to swap cartridges or deal with ancient hardware. Save states also let you pick up right where you left off.
• Enhanced features: Many emulators offer benefits over original hardware like save states, cheat codes, enhanced graphics, and more.
• Preservation: As NES hardware ages and breaks down, emulators ensure these games will still be playable by future generations.

Of course, the main reason to use an NES emulator is that they allow you to play hundreds of classic 8-bit games. Whether you want to rediscover favorites from your childhood or experience gaming‘s history for the first time, NES emulation makes it possible.

The Best NES Emulators for Windows, Mac, and Linux

There are numerous NES emulators available for PC platforms, but some definitely stand out from the crowd. Here are our top picks for the best NES emulators for desktop operating systems:

1. Mesen

Mesen is a relatively new NES emulator, first released in 2018, but it has quickly become a favorite in the emulation community. It boasts extremely high accuracy, meaning its emulation is virtually identical to original NES hardware. It also has an intuitive interface and a great set of features, including:

• Support for nearly every NES game, including Famicom Disk System titles
• Local and online multiplayer via network play
• Save states with screenshots for quick saves
• Rewinding gameplay to quickly retry after a mistake
• Cheat code support and a built-in cheat finder
• Customizable graphics with HD texture packs and custom palettes
• Extensive debugging and development tools for NES homebrew

Mesen has builds for Windows and Linux (with an older Mac version also available). It‘s completely free and open source, but the developer accepts donations to support the project. If you‘re looking for the most accurate and full-featured NES emulator, Mesen is a top choice.

2. Nestopia UE

Nestopia is one of the most well-known and popular NES emulators, first launched back in 2003. While the original Nestopia is no longer in development, the open-source Nestopia UE (Undead Edition) project continues to maintain and improve the codebase.

Nestopia UE offers great accuracy and performance and includes useful features like save states, cheat support, and video/audio recording. It can also emulate several NES accessories like the Zapper light gun and Famicom Disk System.

Nestopia UE has downloads for Windows and Linux. The RetroArch front-end also includes a Nestopia UE core, making it easy to use the emulator across RetroArch‘s many supported platforms.

3. puNES

Another great choice for accuracy-focused players is puNES, which aims to be cycle-accurate to real NES hardware. It includes many advanced features like 6-player network play, debugging tools, and the ability to hot swap emulated game cartridges.

The main downside to puNES is that it currently lacks a user-friendly graphical interface, instead requiring some manual configuration to use. It also only has builds for Windows and Linux at the moment, with no Mac support. Still, if you don‘t mind a bit of tinkering, puNES offers a highly authentic NES experience.

The Best NES Emulators for Android and iOS

Want to play NES games on the go? There are several great emulators for smartphones and tablets. Here are our mobile picks:

1. ClassicBoy (Android)

ClassicBoy isn‘t just an NES emulator – it also supports a variety of other classic systems like the SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, and PlayStation. The free version includes NES support via the UNIF core, while a premium Gold version unlocks more systems and features.

Some of ClassicBoy‘s features include:

• Support for .nes and .unf ROM formats
• Save states and load states
• Highly customizable touch controls
• External controller support
• Cheat code support
• Screen layout editing and filtering options

ClassicBoy is a versatile, feature-rich option for retro gaming on Android devices. The NES emulation is solid and the ability to bring your other classic console libraries along too adds a lot of value.

2. Nestopia (iOS – Jailbreak required)

Unfortunately, Apple‘s strict App Store policies mean there are no great ways to emulate NES games on a stock iPhone or iPad. However, if you have a jailbroken iOS device, you can install the excellent Nestopia emulator.

As mentioned earlier, Nestopia is a highly regarded emulator offering great accuracy and a good feature set. The iOS version includes touch controls, save states, customizable screen filters, and support for many NES accessories.

You‘ll need to add the http://cydia.angelxwind.net/ repository source in Cydia, then you can download Nestopia for free. Keep in mind Apple frowns upon emulators and roms, so use this method at your own risk!

How to Set Up and Use an NES Emulator

Once you‘ve chosen and downloaded an NES emulator, you‘ll need to set it up with some games to play. Here‘s a quick start guide:

1. Install the emulator. Extract the downloaded zip/exe file to a directory on your computer.
2. Configure options. Most emulators have a settings menu where you can configure video, audio, input, and other options. Explore these to set up the emulator to your liking.
3. Obtain ROMs. You‘ll need game files, called ROMs, to play in the emulator. It‘s generally legal to make your own backup ROMs from your personal NES cartridges, as long as you don‘t share these online. Avoid downloading ROMs from shady ROM sites – instead, look into legal alternatives like the Internet Archive‘s NES library.
4. Load a ROM. Once you have a ROM file, load it into the emulator via the File menu or drag-and-drop. The game should start right up!
5. Map controls. Make sure the game is controlling correctly by mapping your PC gamepad or keyboard to the proper NES buttons. Save your control profile once it‘s feeling right.
6. Play! Enjoy your NES game and take advantage of your emulator‘s extra features. Save your progress with a save state, enable some cheat codes, or take a screenshot or video clip to share!

Legality & Ethics of Emulation

A common question is whether NES emulators and ROMs are actually legal to download and use. The answer is a bit complicated:

Emulators themselves, as pieces of software, are perfectly legal in most regions. They do not contain any copyrighted code. However, the ROM files they run are a different story.

Nintendo still holds the copyrights on most NES games, meaning distributing copies online without permission is illegal. Downloading ROMs from the internet falls into a legal grey area – while there‘s a credible fair use case for backup copies, most ROMs circulating online originate from unauthorized uploads.

When discussing the ethics of emulation, many point to game preservation as a moral imperative. As time passes, original NES hardware and software deteriorates. Without emulation and ROM dumping, many games could be lost forever once the last cartridge stops working. Projects like the Video Game History Foundation work to archive ROMs and emulate them for future generations.

Ultimately, the onus is on Nintendo and other publishers to make their back catalogs legally available. Until then, many see emulation as a necessary evil for preservation and access to gaming history.

The NES Homebrew and ROM Hacking Scene

Beyond playing classic NES games, emulators have created opportunities for fans to modify and create their own NES software as well.

NES homebrew refers to brand new games created for the system by indie developers and hobbyists. Games like Battle Kid and Micro Mages show off what the hardware is capable of, while others like Lizard offer completely original experiences.

ROM hacks, on the other hand, are modifications of existing games. These can range from simple tweaks like rebalancing gameplay or changing graphics to complete overhauls that transform the original game. Kaizo Mario World is a famous example that takes Super Mario World and turns it into an ultra-challenging test of skill.

Emulators are frequently used to develop and play these fan projects. Many emulators include robust debugging tools to aid in development. Without NES emulators and the scene around them, this creativity and community would largely not exist.

Emulator Alternatives

While NES emulators are great, they‘re not the only way to enjoy Nintendo‘s 8-bit library. Here are a few notable alternatives:

• Nintendo‘s official offerings – The NES Classic mini console and Nintendo Switch Online both offer curated selections of NES games, with the benefit of being fully licensed by Nintendo.
• Retro consoles – Devices like the Hyperkin Retron or Analogue NT Mini replicate the NES hardware to play original cartridges on HDTVs, for a more authentic experience.
• FPGA devices – Projects like the MiSTer aim to recreate consoles via FPGA hardware rather than software emulation, for unmatched accuracy and compatibility.

Each approach has its own pros, cons, and costs. But at the end of the day, all of these methods enable you to enjoy Nintendo‘s incredibly influential first home console.

Conclusion

The Nintendo Entertainment System will always be remembered for its important place in video game history and its amazingly enduring games. Thanks to the efforts of emulator developers and the NES fan community, these classic titles are more accessible than ever.

Whether you use an emulator on your PC, phone, or somewhere else, you can experience 8-bit bliss just like it‘s 1985. Dig out those dusty old cartridges, find your favorite ROM site, and rediscover what made the NES so special.

With the emulators we‘ve highlighted here, you‘ll be playing Super Mario Bros. 3, Castlevania, Mega Man 2, and hundreds of other gems in no time. Happy gaming!