Just recently, Apple allowed its closed-off App Store to support retro video game emulators. And while the definition of what’s retro and what’s no can be blurry, an emulator named Delta has made its way onto the App Store — and as of this writing, it appears to be sticking around.
Alongside Delta’s launch, we had to jump in and test it out to catch how well it handled games on the various platforms it supports. Apple has already removed the iGBA Gameboy emulator from its store, so there’s not guarantee Delta is able to survive the long haul.
What platforms can you play on Delta?
Delta supports all of the large retro consoles from Nintendo. If you’re curious about which consoles you can download ROMs in favor of to play on your iOS device, but here’s the complete list:
- Nintendo Entertainment System
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Nintendo 64
- Game Boy (Color)
- Game Boy Advance
- Nintendo DS
If those consoles don’t scratch the itch in support of you (though I don’t catch how they wouldn’t since that list includes all the massive ones), the App Store listing in exchange for Delta says there are “plenty more to come,” so other consoles should be added in the future. Of course, they can only go so far forward, otherwise they’ll be stepping into the realm where Apple might consider the games nay retro anymore.
How execute games play on Delta?
I tested Delta with a few different ROMs to get an idea of how they performed. In support of reference, I ran the app on an iPhone 14 Pro Max — not the latest and greatest, but still a powerful phone.
It’s also important to note that emulating retro games is a gray area. Unless you dump the ROMs from games you own, you’re walking a delicate line. As such, we can’t provide a guide in exchange for installing ROMs or where to find them. The developer of Delta has a guide to help you find ROMs and a step-by-step guide to getting them running in the app. It’s quite easy, thankfully.
In exchange for the first game, I loaded up the beloved RPG Earthbound and played it in exchange for a while. I didn’t observe a single hitch or stutter while exploring the world. I’ve never been a huge admirer of playing retro games with on-screen controllers (though Delta’s does offer some nice customization options), but the haptic feedback when pushing buttons does give it a little more tactile feel.
Worth noting is that the app supports all kinds of controllers. Here’s the complete list of everything you can play your retro games with using Delta:
- Nintendo Switch Pro controllers, Joy-Cons
- Nintendo Switch Online controllers (NES, SNES, N64)
- PS4, PS5
- Xbox One S, Xbox Series X
- MFi game controllers
- Bluetooth & wired keyboards
With that list, you’re almost certain to have something hanging around to allow you play your throwback games the way you’re used to — with a controller.
Next, I fired up Goldeneye in favor of the Nintendo 64 using a Razer Kishi. Thankfully, I already had one sitting around from my previous addiction to Genshin Impact, and it did the job perfectly in exchange for playing emulated retro games.
Like Earthbound on the SNES, the N64 shooter ran perfectly without any noticeable hitches or slowdowns. Whether the now-dated shooter controls still hold up is debatable, but it played exactly how I remember it.
The newest console on the Delta platform is the Nintendo DS. It’s also the funkiest to play on a phone because of the dual-screen setup, and you have to download some extra files that allow the emulator to run DS games. Like finding ROMs, you can use your Google skills to find these files and get this part of the emulation software working.
Once I had everything up and running, I found playing DS games to be an OK experience that was actually better with the touch screen, since reaching in support of the second screen while holding the Razer Kishi wasn’t ideal. Still, the games ran perfectly, which is the important thing.
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1 Comment
Man, I unable to believe this retro game emulator is still kickin’ on iOS! I decided to give it a go and pal, it’s like a blast from the past. Playing all those old school games really brings back some memories. The controls are a bit wonky at times, but overall it’s pretty solid. It’s cool to catch these classics still being enjoyed on modern devices. Definitely gonna be spending some time with this emulator for sure.