Heard about the Pokemon game recently somewhere? Feeling nostalgic remembering the good old days? Want to play but don’t want to shell out money for a game console? Don’t worry lookout for a list of the best Pokemon Emulators for PC compiled just for you.
Do you want to obtain the best Pokemon emulator for PC? Are you interested in recreating your beloved childhood time pass? It is without a doubt that Pokemon has been an integral part of our childhood. You cannot deny the feeling of joy when Ash won the tournament or when Pikachu just popped out of nowhere.
Regardless, Pokemon has made an entire generation of children dreamy and mesmerized with its intriguing plots and characters. Thus, wanting to play Pokemon games on PC is not absurd. That is, in fact, the reason why Pokemon games had gained such massive popularity. Now, with the inception of the best Pokemon emulators for Windows, you can easily play them on your PC with relative ease.
Here, it is important to understand that Pokemon emulators will not enable you to have a Pikachu beside you. However, you can catch, snap and battle them in various locations in the game using these best Pokemon emulators for PC.
What are Emulators?
In essence, emulators are programs that are built to simulate or emulate another device. There are different uses of emulators, such as running various operating systems, playing video games, etc.
With emulators, it is now possible to run an app that otherwise wouldn’t run on your PC. Here, it is important to understand that emulators run slower compared to the device they simulate.
What Are the Uses of Best Pokemon Emulators for PC?
Pokemon emulators are used to playing Pokemon games on your PC. Now, you can catch and battle other pokemon on different battlegrounds with ease. Enjoying the journey with Ash Ketchum and his friends is now possible with the help of these Windows best Pokemon Emulators.
The Best Pokemon Emulators for PC
There are numerous Pokemon emulators in the market. However, you need to choose the one that fits your gaming needs the best. Here is a list of the top 13 best Pokemon emulators for PC. Take a look:
1. Project64
The first one in our list of best Pokemon Emulators for Windows is Project 64. If you are searching for a versatile emulator for playing different Pokemon games, you can choose Project64. Here, one of the most remarkable aspects is the simple user interface. It is extremely simple and contains the game title, the status of the game, plugin rows, and core.
The emulator offers standard settings for video and audio. Moreover, you can plug in a maximum of 4 controllers while playing. Did you know that there are almost 50 keyboard shortcuts? Once you gain expertise on this best Pokemon emulator, you can use them to gain an advantage while playing.
2. RetroArch
RetroArch is an excellent yet open-source Pokemon emulator. Thus, it is available for free for all gamers. The emulator uses an incredible development interface known as Libretro. With this, one can install modules, also known as cores. It supports more than 80 emulators via these cores.
Also known as an all-in-one emulator, RetroArch allows users to play multiple games with ease. Here, the UI might appear intimidating initially, but as you start playing, you begin to love it. Moreover, it is compatible with a wide array of platforms.
RetroArch supports more than 32 platforms along with virtual multiplayer gaming. You can join or create rooms with other players. RetroArch boasts of two cores for Purple Powerhouse for Nintendo – mGBA and GBSP. With this best Pokemon emulator for Windows, you can enhance the native resolution up to 4K. You can also take advantage of the save slot feature along with joystick support.
3. DeSmuME
One of the best Pokemon emulators for PC that you can choose is DESmuMe. Though the name is a little bit weird, the emulator is compatible with both Windows and Mac. It is extremely easy to use and comes with a wide range of customization options. However, there is no need to tinker with the settings if you find everything up to the mark.
Here, you just have to click on the File option and open the ROM. After that, opt for the ROM of the game you want to emulate and start playing. The availability of features such as cheat code organizer, save slot functionality, etc. Moreover, you can also get USB controller support.
However, there are some downsides too that one needs to know. For instance, the emulator was last updated in 2015, and developers do not often work on it.
4. MelonDS
If you are on the lookout for an excellent Pokemon emulator, then choosing MelonDS is a great idea. You can play a variety of Pokemon games with this emulator. The high performance of this emulator makes it extremely appealing to gamers.
The OpenGL render, and JIT re-compiler functionalities assist in enhancing the resolutions of the game, irrespective of the performance of your system. Several features make this emulator stand apart from the rest. These include multiplayer gaming support, Wi-Fi connectivity, etc.
Moreover, this is one of the best Windows Pokemon emulators that comes with the save slot feature, along with joystick support and some screen configuration options. The main reasons that explain the immense popularity of this emulator are the compatibility at high resolutions and excellent accuracy.
5. NO$GBA
Another excellent alternative to DESmuMe is NO$GBA. Without a doubt, it is one of the best Pokemon emulators for PC. You can use this emulator to play DS and GBA games with ease.
One of the most beneficial aspects of NO$GBA is that it supports Nintendo DS Lite, Nintendo DS, and GBA at the same time. However, the emulator is limited when it comes to graphics settings. You can tweak the settings of the game to make it more visually appealing. Apart from this, you can also enjoy the save state feature along with joystick compatibility.
This best Pokemon emulator for PC works just fine even with limited resources on your PC. In fact, compared to other NDS emulators, it consumes few computer resources. Moreover, it is lightweight and is extremely easy to use.
6. TGB Dual
Do you want to opt for the best Gameboy emulator for Windows? For that, choosing TGB Dual is an excellent idea. There is no question about its reliability. The emulator is quick, hassle-free, and runs all the games smoothly.
You can also play two games simultaneously. Sounds impossible, right? With TGB Dual, you can open two games at once, thus enabling users to snap between multiple games with relative ease. Moreover, two people can play two games with the assistance of an external controller at the same time.
Another aspect that makes TGB Dual a highly anticipated Pokemon emulator is the Wi-Fi feature. Now, one can opt for wireless battles on Gameboy games, provided the TGB Dual installation is done on the controller.
7. Mesen
If you want to opt for an accurate yet reliable Pokemon emulator, then choosing Mesen won’t cause you any regrets. In fact, this emulator is an excellent choice for beginners. Here, you will come across a tutorial wizard that offers the basic information needed to understand the working of the emulator.
One of the most interesting features of Mesen is that it supports overlocking. It aids in the decrease of the slowdown during games by increasing the scanline before NMI. Moreover, here, you can access Netplay to get the online multiplayer gaming option.
Mesen comes with the cheat finder. That makes it easy for the gamers to get the cheat codes and have an excellent score. Besides, the autosaving feature ensures that your progress in the game is not lost even if you exit it. Without a doubt, Mesen is one of the most popular and best Pokemon emulators for PC in the market.
8. OpenEmu
Are you looking out for an easy-to-use Pokemon emulator? In that case, opting for OpenEmu is an excellent idea. You can download the emulator with ease and start enjoying the various ROMs. Installation of the emulator is easy too!
The one feature that distinguishes OpenEmu from others is the simple yet attractive user interface. Here, it is easy to play games and attain an enriched gaming experience. Moreover, you can get cheat code support, screen layout options, etc. With this emulator, you can use a wide range of controllers such as DualShock, Switch, etc.
However, there are some drawbacks too. For instance, the lack of multiple visual settings is also unfavorable. Also, there are no options for the user to increase the internal resolution.
9. Citra
Considered as one of the best Pokemon emulators for DS gameplay, Citra is one of a kind. It has a massive reputation in the world of retro gaming. Citra is compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac. This emulator has the capability of running all ROMs containing different DS games in 3D.
Here, you can run 3DS games with appealing visuals and at high resolution. Moreover, players can adjust the internal resolution to up to 4K. You can also go check out the official website, where one can check out if the emulator will support the 3DS titles.
Citra offers two exterior themes – light and dark, along with a colorful flair option. Players can also enjoy a hassle-free online gaming experience. You can join public rooms of other players with permission. Besides, this best Windows 10 emulator runs seamlessly on different operating systems and devices!
10. Dolphin
Are you in need of a top-quality GameCube and Wii Emulator? In that case, opting for Dolphin is an excellent idea. The emulator supports cross-platform compatibility, and thus, you can now enjoy Pokemon games on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Moreover, it is also compatible with Android platforms.
One of the most appealing aspects of Dolphin is the integration of 5K and 4K resolutions. You will be mesmerized by the enhancements tab of the emulator settings. The functionality of the Wii controllers will make you speechless. Besides, you can also use other controllers like Steam controller, PlayStation, etc., via the alternative input store.
It is easy to check out the compatibility of the different Pokemon games with ease on the emulator. However, first-timers can face some difficulty in the installation of Dolphin and using it to play games. With time, the emulator will grow on you for sure and that is why listed in our article featuring the best Pokemon emulators for PC.
11. Cemu
Did you know that Cemu works on Wii U titles? This emulator is the only Pokemon emulator that runs only on x64 systems exclusively. It is mainly due to the extremely high RAM usage. The emulator requires 4GB storage, irrespective of the scenarios. If your PC doesn’t have this specification, using this emulator is not possible.
It is easy to install Cemu and start playing using it. After the installation is done, an easy-to-understand tutorial comes that explains the basics of the emulator. Now, you can modify the settings such as game paths, mic and decide if you want to opt for the downloading of the community graphics pack.
Here, the graphics settings owing to Vulkan and OpenGL are quite high. You can also make changes to the graphics as per your requirements. To play online, you will need to have the actual ROM dump. It is needed to make the connection with the Wii servers.
12. iDeaS
One of the most remarkable and best PC Pokemon emulators that you will ever come across is iDeaS. With each update, the compatibility rate of the emulator keeps on increasing. The availability of a wide range of features contributes to its ever-growing popularity.
Here, one can customize the settings as per their requirements with ease. The graphics are quite impressive, and the regular updates ensure that this best Pokemon emulator for Windows has all the recent features. You can run almost all Nintendo DS games on this emulator with relative ease.
It is true that with each update, the quality of the emulator increases considerably. You can now expect games to play much more smoothly.
13. Yuzu
Lastly, Yuzu makes an appearance on the list of the best Pokemon emulators for PC. It is indeed a highly versatile emulator that one can use to play a wide variety of Nintendo Switch games. The emulator is compatible with Linux, Windows, and even Android.
The wide range of features that come with Yuzu explains the rising popularity of this Pokemon emulator. For instance, the integration of multiple user profiles, save state, etc., aid in improving the gaming experience. Now, it is easy to set up your profile and ensure that the game progress is not lost every time you exit.
Earlier, using the local multilayer to play with your friends was possible. However, Nintendo’s objection got that possibility removed. Now, you can use the online service, Parsec to play against your friends on the web.
Get One Of These Best Pokemon Emulators for PC
These are some of the best Pokemon emulators for PC available right now. Depending on the Pokemon game you want to play and the configuration of your PC, you need to choose the emulator.
Moreover, you must also assess the features and see if it aligns with your gaming needs. What are you waiting for? Grab your favorite best Windows Pokemon emulator and start winning Pokemon battles right away!
Also, if you know any other emulator that you can think can make a presence in our list of best Pokemon emulators for PC, drop it in the comments section below. We ensure you update our article with more best Pokemon emulators for Windows.
