Despite its numerous purposes, emulation on Android is most commonly associated with old school games. Exactly, you can now play your favorite SNES games on your mobile device and enjoy the exact same experience. Here’s everything you need to know to bring back those memories.
Choosing the Right Emulator
Before enjoying your favorite games on a mobile device, you’ll have to find an emulator. A simple search through Google’s Play Store will reveal plenty of options. However, each of them has its benefits, as well as potential drawbacks.
Even if you find premium emulators coming for a price, most of them give you a free trial, so you can try them out with your favorite games first.
Now, you can find emulators that support more consoles, as well as emulators for particular consoles only. RetroArch and ClassicBoy are among the top rated all-in-one emulators. Both of them stand out and can take numerous games from all kinds of consoles.
On the same note, they also provide controller support.
If you’re after SNES emulators for Android, rather than general solutions, here’s a decent list:
- Snes9x EX+
- John NESS
- Lemuroid
Find Your Favorite Games
Getting your favorite games implies going in more directions. You can usually create copies yourself if you have the originals, but that’s time consuming and is mainly recommended for technically advanced users. Otherwise, you can just download them from external sources.
Should you choose to do everything yourself, get the cartridge and “dump” it with a piece of software like Flash Boy Cyclone. This way, you’ll be able to get an original copy of the ROM to your computer, which you can then transfer to your mobile device.
Otherwise, you may need to allow downloads from third parties on your device.
There are quite a few good websites offering access to original Super Nintendo ROMs out there. Many games are so old that they’re no longer affected by copyright issues, so they’re given as freeware. This means there are no legal issues with them.
Downloading ROMs from external sources is by far the most convenient way to get your games. It might be a good idea to get all the ROMs into the same folder. It’s just easier to find them later on.
How to Emulate SNES on Android with ClassicBoy
Generally speaking, most emulators will work on the same principles. You’ll get the app and the ROMs, then emulate the ROMs with a few games. While interfaces, settings and features may differ, the idea is pretty much the same.
- Go to Google’s Play Store and search for ClassicBoy. Once it pops up, install it on your smartphone. It shouldn’t take more than a few seconds.
- Open the application on your mobile device, and you’ll be asked for access to your device. Allow it to access files, as you’ll need this permission to use the ROMs.
- You’ll be given a list of emulators and consoles. Scroll down until you find SNES.
- In the next step, you’ll need to go to Game Chooser. There are more options there, but pick the one to choose a game.
- You’ll be taken to a navigator. Go where you’ve downloaded your ROMs and select the game you want to play.
- Once you make your selection, you’ll have the option to start the game. The emulator will load your favorite game straight away, giving you the same childhood experience.
On a side note, you can also customize the layout for buttons to make the game more convenient and comfy. Plus, if you have plug and play controllers, you can hook them up as well.
How About RetroArch?
RetroArch is similar. In fact, some may say it’s more sophisticated and supports more consoles and games. Download it, pick the core (SNES) to download, and browse your games. In theory, it works just like ClassicBoy, but it’s a bit more difficult to get used to it. Once you figure it out, it’s a breeze.
The bottom line is that SNES holds a special place in the hearts of many gamers. Finding some of your favorite games could be difficult today, even if you still have the console. But with the benefits of technology, you can now enjoy those games on your mobile device.
