The landscape of video games has changed drastically. However, there are some old games that you might still miss playing. For this reason, we have listed the best SNES emulator to help you enjoy your favorite Nintendo games like Donkey Kong and Super Mario.
With many SNES emulators, you need to find one that can play games seamlessly, or you will end up frustrated in the middle of your gameplay. Luckily, we have tested many SNES emulators to come up with the best you can use on your device.
Also Read: Best Nintendo emulators for iOS
1. BizHawk
BizHawk is the best Super Nintendo emulator for speedruns gamers. Since it doesn’t lag, unlike other emulators, you’ll have the chance to finish the game in the fastest time possible. The emulator is free and works well for casual gaming.
Besides, it’s designed around Tools Assisted (TAS) production. Furthermore, it supports games published on different platforms, including Sega Saturn, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Atari 2600, and many more.
Pros
- Easy to use
- It is available for free
Cons
- It’s not the best emulator for a specific system
Download: Bizhawk
2. SNES9X
SNES9X is an exceptional emulator that you’ll enjoy playing. It’s an easy yet, most accurate SNES emulator that allows players to start games after the initial production. The emulator could run all SNES games without any alarming concern. On dated hardware, it works well.
So far, it is the best SNES emulator for cheaper models. Still, it offers a wide selection of features, including fast forward to speed up games. It has an Output Image Processing for better graphics.
A recording feature that allows you to capture the moves of your gameplay. Above all, save states to save games in the exact place you want them to save to our other features.
Pros
- It’s free
- It’s portable
- It runs on multiple tools
Download: SNES9X
3. RetroArch
RetroArch is one of the best Super Nintendo emulators with cross-platform support. It utilizes Libretro, a powerful development interface allowing gamers to enjoy SNES games on different platforms. This front-end emulator supports programs converted into strong libraries known as Liberto cores.
RetroArch has advanced features like shaders, rewinding, and netplay. Aside from that, it can document and run your gameplay on platforms like YouTube. It also lets players enjoy updated games on platforms like GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Game Boy, and others.
Pros
- It does not limit players to released games for a single support
- It’s free
- It’s compatible with many tools
Download: RetroArch
4. ZSNES
ZSNES is a superior Nintendo emulator that runs SNES for iPhone and other gadgets easily. The development of this emulator stopped in 2007, but it’s still fashionable among emulation followers.
This emulation has the latest features, which include; save-state support and filters to enhance video output. It also has a recently played game list that records the last 10 games on the emulator. ZSNES has a security stunt and chances for a ROM to take gamers to a webpage and install unwanted applications on the system. Even so, downloading ROMs from trusted sources is the best way to avoid exploitation.
Pros
- It lets you play a huge library of different titles for older systems
- Super easy to use
- It’s free
- Works well with a variety of games
Cons
- It doesn’t work for Mac
Download: ZSNES
Also Read: Top Android emulators you should try out
5. Higan
Higan was before known as SNES and it offers an exceptional gaming experience. It’s a multi-system emulator that supports Nintendo Super Femicom, Nintendo Game Boy, Nintendo Femicom, and more.
Pros
- It’s compatible with several systems
- Can run every commercial SNES title ever released
- It’s free
Cons
- Slow loading times
- To newbies, this emulator is intimidating
- It does not work well with older devices
6. OpenEmu
OpenEmu is a multi-system emulator that started as a port for the NEX/Famicom emulator Nestopia. The emulator is more of a front-end which requires you to download extra cores to enjoy
OpenEmu features some different filters to enhance visual output. Besides, it supports many input methods. As a result, to have a more true experience, use a retro controller with your system. Above all, this emulator isn’t too resourceful. You can run on older iOS tools with low-end descriptions.
Pros
- Runs well on tools with low-end specifications
- It’s free
Download: OpenEmu
7. Nestopia UE
Among the most accurate SNES emulator, Nestopia UE is one of them. It features texture scaling and netplay. For this reason, it can play most NES games without any problem. The original development stopped in 2008, and this is the time when Nestopia UE came in. Gamers can use it instead of facing the challenges of setting up RetroArch.
Nestopia UE comes with unexceptional features, including cheat support and game-specific custom palettes. It also has Famicom mic support, making it the best SNES emulator. The emulator is simply easy to set up.
It has a user-friendly interface, and it comes with VSync support. Although, if you plan on using VSync, prepare to input some flags.
Pros
- Customization options
- Recording
- Multiplayer capabilities
- Support for external tools
- Cheat code support
- Auto-saving capabilities
- Resizeable screen
- Vsync capability
Cons
- The emulator is complicated for newbies
- Has no official support
- The Vsync option makes it slow to respond but turning it off makes the game output stupid.
Download: Nestopiaue
This sums up our most accurate SNES emulator in the market. Each of them has a good side and the bad side. Some of them are accurate, reliable, and deliver high performance. Some too are accurate but lags. Even though there are other emulators that you can play SNES on iOS. But, picking any of the mentioned emulators will deliver the best experience.
Alex is an IT technician who shares his experiences with Apple devices occasionally. He has a collection of Apple devices (from iPhone 4) and has recently started trying out Android.
IG: @I M_Alex