Alternatives to RetroArch
One front end for dozens of emulators, with unified settings, shaders and a controller setup you only do once. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
RetroArch
One front end for dozens of emulators, with unified settings, shaders and a controller setup you only do once.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as RetroArch.
OpenEmu
macOS emulator front end with a polished library interface.
OpenEmu is a macOS-only front end with a polished library interface and artwork handled automatically, with one controller setup across systems, but core updates depend on its team.
Mednafen
Command-line multi-system emulator covering Saturn, PlayStation and more.
Mednafen is a single accurate multi-system emulator with strong Saturn and PC Engine emulation, but it is command-line driven and configured through a text file.
ares
Multi-system emulator that prioritises accuracy and preservation over speed.
ares is a multi-system emulator focused on accuracy and preservation for Windows, macOS and Linux, needing more CPU and offering a plain interface with no mobile versions.
BizHawk
A multi-system emulator built for tool-assisted speedrunning, with rewinding, frame stepping, memory search and input recording.
BizHawk covers a wide range of systems with consistent rewind, frame stepping, memory tools and TAS recording, but runs only on Windows and Linux with a dense interface.
MAME
Documents and recreates thousands of arcade machines, consoles and old computers, with accuracy as the point.
MAME covers thousands of arcade, console and computer systems with accuracy as the priority, but runs only on desktop platforms and demands exact ROM set versions.
Provenance
Multi-system emulator for iOS and tvOS covering more than thirty consoles.
Provenance runs more than thirty systems on iOS and tvOS with full controller support, but it is limited to Apple devices and installation can require sideloading.
RetroArch Web Player
RetroArch compiled to WebAssembly, running in a browser tab.
RetroArch Web Player is RetroArch compiled to WebAssembly, running the same libretro cores in a browser without installation, but slower and limited to lighter systems.
Mesen
Cycle-accurate multi-system emulator with a serious debugger.
Mesen is a cycle-accurate multi-system emulator with a strong debugger covering several systems, needing more CPU and offering far fewer systems than RetroArch's core library.
Also worth comparing
These listings name RetroArch as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Attract-Mode Plus
A customizable graphical frontend for browsing and launching command-line emulators and arcade games.
RetroArch is an open-source GPL-3.0 front end that runs its own emulator cores with unified settings and shaders, rather than launching separately installed command-line emulators, and it adds macOS, Android and iOS.
BlastEm
Cycle-accurate Sega Genesis and Mega Drive emulator.
RetroArch runs Sega cores inside one front end with shaders, unified settings and Android and iOS support, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate than its cores.
bsnes
Accurate SNES emulator with HD Mode 7 and enhancement chip support.
RetroArch runs SNES cores within one front end with shaders, unified settings and Android and iOS support, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate than its cores.
Clock Signal
A latency-focused emulator covering dozens of 8- and 16-bit home computers and game consoles.
RetroArch runs many consoles and computers through cores with shared settings and latency work, adds Windows, Android and iOS, but requires downloading cores and supplying BIOS files.
DuckStation
A fast, accuracy-focused PlayStation 1 emulator. Excellent software, but licensed non-commercial and no-derivatives.
RetroArch is a GPL-3.0 front end running PS1 and many other systems through cores with shared settings and shaders, and adds Android and iOS builds.
Emulicious
A free multi-system emulator for Game Boy, Master System, Game Gear and MSX with debugging tools.
RetroArch runs Game Boy, Sega 8-bit and many other systems through cores with shared settings and shaders, but lacks Emulicious's homebrew debugging tools.
FCEUX
Full-featured NES and Famicom emulator with TAS and debugging tools.
RetroArch runs NES cores within one front end with shaders, rewind and Android and iOS support, but does not list FCEUX's debugger and Lua movie tools.
Fightcade
A matchmaking application for playing retro arcade and console games online with rollback netplay.
RetroArch is an open-source GPL-3.0 front end with netplay, shaders and many emulator cores, also available on Android and iOS, but it has no dedicated fighting game matchmaking.
FinalBurn Neo
Arcade emulator focused on Neo Geo, CPS and fighting games.
RetroArch can run FinalBurn Neo as a core inside one front end with shaders, unified settings and mobile support, rather than running it as a standalone program.
Gearboy
An accurate Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Super Game Boy emulator with a built-in debugger.
RetroArch runs Game Boy cores, including Gearboy, inside one front end with shared settings and shaders on desktop and mobile, but it lacks Gearboy's standalone debugger focus.
gopher64
Play Nintendo 64 software with a cross-platform emulator.
RetroArch runs N64 cores inside a single front end that also covers many other systems, with shared settings and shaders on desktop, Android and iOS.
Lakka
A lightweight Linux distribution built on RetroArch that turns small computers into retro gaming consoles.
RetroArch runs the same cores as an app on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, instead of as a dedicated boot system.
Lemuroid
An open-source Android app that emulates many retro consoles in a single interface.
RetroArch offers many consoles through cores on Android plus desktops and iOS, with far more settings, shaders and latency options, though its menu is deep and cores are downloaded separately.
melonDS
A Nintendo DS and DSi emulator focused on accuracy and speed, with local wireless between emulated consoles.
RetroArch runs emulator cores inside one front end with shared settings, shaders and controller setup on desktops and phones, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate than the equivalent core.
mGBA
A Game Boy Advance emulator that gets the accuracy right and still runs at full speed on weak hardware.
RetroArch runs many systems through downloadable cores with one set of settings and controller configuration, on desktops and phones, though a core can be less accurate than the standalone emulator.
Mupen64Plus
A cross-platform, plugin-based Nintendo 64 emulator with a command-line front end.
RetroArch runs N64 cores inside a graphical front end covering many systems, with shared settings and shaders on desktops, Android and iOS.
Parallel Launcher
A launcher for the ParallelN64 Nintendo 64 emulator with easy controller setup and romhack support.
RetroArch runs N64 cores among many systems in one front end, but its controller setup is more complex than Parallel Launcher's and its menus are deep.
PCSX-Redux
A PlayStation 1 emulator forked from PCSX, built with debugging and reverse engineering tools.
RetroArch runs PlayStation through downloadable cores in a unified front end with shaders and controller setup, but it lacks PCSX-Redux's PS1 development tools.
PPSSPP
A PSP emulator that needs no BIOS file and runs handheld games in HD on phones and PCs.
RetroArch can run PSP games through a downloadable core inside one front end with shared settings and shaders, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate.
Project64
A Nintendo 64 and 64DD emulator for Windows with a mature plugin system and debugging tools.
RetroArch runs emulator cores in one front end on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS with shared settings and shaders, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate than cores.
puNES
A Qt-based Nintendo Entertainment System emulator that also plays NSF, NSF2 and NSFe music files.
RetroArch runs NES games through cores inside a single front end with shaders and shared controller setup, but lacks puNES's built-in NSF music player.
Recalbox
A retro gaming operating system that turns a Raspberry Pi or other hardware into a multi-system console.
RetroArch runs as an application on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS instead of as a dedicated operating system, with a deeper settings menu.
redream
Dreamcast emulator that runs games in high definition with no setup.
RetroArch is a free, open-source front end running many emulator cores with shared settings and shaders, but it needs more setup, core downloads and sometimes BIOS files.
Rosalie's Mupen GUI
A simple graphical Nintendo 64 emulator front end built on the Mupen64Plus core.
RetroArch runs N64 through a core alongside many other systems, with shared shaders and controller settings but a much deeper settings menu.
SameBoy
Highly accurate Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulator.
RetroArch plays many systems through cores with one set of settings, shaders and controller setup on desktop and mobile, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate.
SkyEmu
A low-level emulator for the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS.
RetroArch covers all these handhelds through separate cores in one front end with shaders, on desktop and mobile platforms.
Snes9x
The portable Super Nintendo emulator that has been maintained since the 1990s and runs on essentially everything.
RetroArch is an open-source front end that can run Snes9x and other cores with shared settings and shaders on desktops, Android and iOS, with a deep settings menu.
Stella
The reference Atari 2600 emulator, developed since the 1990s.
RetroArch runs many systems through cores with shared settings, shaders and controller setup on desktops and phones, though cores can be less accurate than standalone emulators.
VICE
A long-running emulator for Commodore 8-bit computers, including the C64, C128, VIC-20, PET and Plus/4.
RetroArch runs emulator cores under one front end with shared settings and shaders, and adds Android and iOS, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate.
VisualBoyAdvance-M
A Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance emulator that continues the original VisualBoyAdvance.
RetroArch is a GPL-3.0 front end that runs Game Boy and GBA through downloadable cores, with shared settings, shaders and controller setup across many other systems.
WinUAE
A detailed Commodore Amiga emulator for Windows that reproduces the Amiga chipsets closely.
RetroArch is a front end for many emulator cores with unified settings and shaders across desktops and phones, though standalone emulators are sometimes more accurate.
Ymir
Fast, accurate Sega Saturn emulator with high compatibility.
RetroArch runs emulator cores under one front end with shared settings, shaders and controller setup on desktop and mobile, but you must download cores and supply BIOS files.
ZEsarUX
An emulator for Sinclair machines, including the ZX Spectrum, ZX81, QL and Z88, plus many clones.
RetroArch is a front end for many emulator cores with unified settings and shaders, and it adds Android and iOS, though its settings menu is deep.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Dolphin
The GameCube and Wii emulator, running those games at higher resolutions than the consoles ever managed.
PCSX2
The PlayStation 2 emulator, twenty years in development, now running most of the library at full speed.
Batocera.linux
A free, open-source retro gaming Linux distribution that boots from a USB stick or SD card.
