Download SNES Emulator for Windows, MAC and Android to play and to get in touch with your childhood games. Several SNES Emulators are available for all devices but after practically experimenting we have selected best performing SNES emulators for you Guys.
For many classic game enthusiasts, the acronym SNES should be well known. However, for the purpose of this article, I will briefly explain the term. SNES stands for Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It has also been referred to as Super NES or Super Nintendo. This system was designed by Nintendo as a 16-bit video game console. It was released by the company first of all in Japan in 1990 and was called the Super Famicom (or SFC as an abbreviation). It was eventually released in other territories such as North America, Europe and other locations as well. It quickly moved on to be a gamer favourite and was the best selling 16-bit game console of that age, despite its late inception and ample competition from its contender; Sega Genesis. Today as the original games have become difficult to obtain, and may not function properly if your equipment is not in the best shape, SNES Emulators allow you to enjoy these classic games from that era, without the need for you to possess the game console itself. These SNES Emulators can be downloaded and directly installed on your computer, either on a Windows pc or Mac or on Android and will give you access to these games on your personal computer. Sims 4 on mac review. Some of the most popular options to consider when choosing best SNES Emulator are listed below.
The legacy of old BSNES is still continuing through Higan as it has been successfully running all the old games without a glitch or error, hence named as best SNES emulator for Mac and Windows 10. Higan is pretty much accurate for low-level emulation and even after that one can enjoy original console experience very carefully. The first step is to download all the needed programs, beginning with the Super NES emulator download. The emulator is available for both Windows 32-bit/64-bit version and for MAC OS. Next, you will have to download a sample game to test the emulator. These games are easily available online.
Snes9x
Considered to be one of the best Snes emulators available today, the history of this emulator is traced back to two of the first successful emulators of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. A lot of the history of these emulators have been lost over time, however, two of the earliest emulators that actually worked were the SNES96 AND SNES97. The developers of the two emulators, Gary Henderson and Jeremy Koot eventually decided in July of 1997 that they would merge their two successful attempts at running SNES games on PC and the result of this combination is SNES9x.
This emulator is considered to be one of the best because of these reasons; It doesn't run with heavy computer requirements, and there are downloads of this emulator available for Android devices, jailbroken iOS devices, Nintendo 3Ds, PSP and others.
ZSNES
The development of this emulator began in 1997. It grew in popularity quickly, but as of the moment, it is one of the least accurate of Snes emulators in regular use. When placed against emulators such as Snes9x its execution is extremely poor. However, there are some good reasons to possess this emulator. One of these reasons is for the purpose of running fan-made hacks of SNES games. Fan made modifications of existing Nintendo games will usually develop problems while running on high accuracy emulators such as Snes9x. However, as ZSNES became popular about the time when these hacks became popular, most of them run flawlessly on this emulator. It is also the best emulator for online gameplay.
HIGAN
Designed by one of the big competitors in emulation, the current version of Higan can run on 12 different systems began with the Super Nintendo System. This company is also the creator of the popular Bsnes emulator that served as a base for the development of Higan and if you want the latest version of that emulator, you should choose Higan.
Built to be cycle accurate, this Low-level emulation allows you to play and get as close to the original console experience as possible. It, however, takes a lot of computational power to run properly.
VIRTUAL CONSOLE
This is made up of a collection of downloadable original video games to be run on Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home game consoles as well as Nintendo's 3Ds portable game console. This is an official line up of these unaltered SNES games developed by Nintendo themselves from 2006 for the Wii down to 2013 for the Wii U console and is available for download on their official websites. These games, however, are not free and have to be purchased for between 500 and 1200 Wii points or between $2.99 and $9.99 depending on the system, rarity and demand.
Other SNES Emulators
- Multi Emulator Supersystem is an emulator for multiple game consoles and even computer systems. It emulates many portable and console gaming systems and the Super Nintendo System is one of them.
- Mednafen; which literally stands for My Emulator Doesn't Need A Freakin' Excellent Name, is an open multi-system free software bundle which includes multiple original and 3rd party emulation cores into one package
- FCEUX: This is a pen NES and Family computer disk emulator that is a merger of various branches of FCE ultra.
Download and Install SNES Emulators
Let us consider Snes9x as an example and discuss the installation process.
For Windows & MAC
- The first step is to download all the needed programs, beginning with the Super NES emulator download. The emulator is available for both Windows 32-bit/64-bit version and for MAC OS.
- Next, you will have to download a sample game to test the emulator. These games are easily available online.
- The emulator and the game ROM are both zipped. You will need to unzip them to make use of them. If you are not using Windows 10 or MAC then you might need an unzip program.
- After both files are unzipped, you can choose to run the emulator without installing it first. Then click on the 'File' menu located at the top left of the emulator and then select 'Load game'. Or you can use 'Ctrl+O' as a shortcut on Windows and 'Command+O' on MAC.
- You will need to configure the controls for the emulator when making use of a computer.
For Android
- Download the emulator for android from the play store by searching for Snes9x Ex+
- After this, you will need to download the game ROM onto your Android or copy it to your Android from your computer if you already have the game ROM on your computer
- After installation, open the application and you will arrive at the main dashboard of the emulator where you will tap 'Load game' to load the ROM
- The game should load immediately with no need for a setup.
So these were best SNES Emulators for Windows 10/8/7, MAC and Android. Hope these emulators helped you to bring your Super Nintendo Gaming memories back and these emulators worked perfectly as you use to game on SNES consoles.
Super Nintendo emulation has been around for decades and there are many choices out there for playing the classics on a variety of PCs and other devices. Over time, we have seen a great deal of quality improvements and feature innovation. To help you narrow down your search of the best SNES emulator for you, here are the 10 best Super Nintendo emulators for PC, Mac, Android, and iOS that you can try.
Some of these recommendations are based purely on feedback I've seen online. I typically have stuck with the ones near the top of this list. I welcome you to leave any feedback or suggestions for improvement in the comments section below. I love to evolve posts like this with user contributions. Thanks, and I hope you find this useful!
[insert SNES game content recommendations]
Higan
Higan branched off from bSNES and it offers an exceptional gaming experience. It's a multi-system emulator that supports Nintendo Super Famicom, Nintendo Game Boy, Nintendo Famicom and more. Higan emulates the original hardware as accurately as possible, offering a gameplay experience that you wouldn't find with any other software emulator. However, because of the way the emulation works, Higan is a fairly demanding emulator and won't work well on low-end or older devices.
Compatabilitiy is also key here: Higan emulator is capable of running every commercial SNES title ever released, making it the perfect choice if SNES games are all that you care about.
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
- Price: Free
Advantages
- Highly Accurate
- Highly Compatible – run ever commercial SNES title ever released
- Compatible with several systems
Disadvantages
- It does demand higher-end/modern hardware to run properly
- To newbies, this emulator is intimidating
- It does not work well with older devices
BSNES
BSNES has one of the longer legacies among SNES emulators and was abandoned for a bit. Currently, there are many emulators which are based on BSNES and one of them– higan– is also on this list. However, the BSNES emulator is live again as the developer, byuu has taken it upon himself to revive the project.
The main goal of BSNES is to offer a near-perfect emulation accuracy with good performance. And since higan is pretty complex to use for general users, BSNES is intended to make it easier to play classic Nintendo games on its emulator. There have been a total of 3 releases as of now, but the HD build seems to be the best one for high-quality graphics rendering. All in all, if you are looking for an accurate SNES emulator for Windows or Linux then BSNES is the right pick.
- Supported platforms: Windows and Linux
- Price: Free
Advantages
- Highly Accurate
- Highly Compatible
- More Trim and Specialized for SNES
- Has great HD Mode
Disadvantages
- It does demand higher-end/modern hardware to run properly
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 the production of Tools Assisted (TAS). Furthermore, it supports games published on different platforms including Sega Saturn, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Atari 2600 and many more.
If you're a fan of speedruns and want to complete a game in the fastest time possible, then you should definitely take a look at BizHawk. The emulator has been specifically designed around the production of Tool Assisted Speedruns (TAS) and it works equally well for casual gaming.
- Supported platforms: Windows
- Price: Free
Advantages
- Easy to use
- Is available for free
Disadvantages
- It's not the best emulator for a specific system
SNES9X
A classic that still is a top choice for lower-end/aging hardware. It doesn't have quite the accuracy of Higan or BSNES, but SNES9X is an exceptional emulator that runs fast. It is also the easiest to get up and running. The emulator is capable of running virtually all SNES titles without any noticeable issues and it works fairly well on relatively dated hardware.
It still 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 moves of your gameplay. Above all, a save states to save games in the exact place you want them to save too are other features.
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Advantages
- It's solid and fast on even older hardware
- Pretty easy to use
- It runs on multiple platforms
Disadvantages
- Not as super-accurate as Higan or BSNES
Snes Emulator Macbook
SNES9x EX+
Want the legacy of SNES9x but for Android? You should definitely check out SNES9x EX+. The emulator includes all the basic features you'd expect from any SNES emulator, including save/load states, on-screen controls, support for a variety of file types and game pad support.
Granted, the emulator looks a bit old school, but since it works quite well there's no point complaining about the UI. What's really great is that unlike some other SNES emulators for Android, SNES9x EX+ is completely free and ad-free with no in-app purchases. Do keep in mind, that the emulator will work well only on devices with a processor clocked at 1GHz or more.
- Supported platforms: Android
- Price: Free
ZSNES
ZSNES is another classic SNES emulator that also has a port for iPhone and other gadgets. It's also quite approachable for newbies. The development of this emulator stopped in 2007 but it's still quite capable and easy to use, which is why it's still quite popular among emulation enthusiasts.
ZSNES features a decent selection of features, including filters to improve video output, save states support, and a great recently played games list which keeps track of 10 of the most recent games that you've played on the emulator. It's worth noting that ZSNES has a known security exploit and it's possible for a ROM to redirect you to a webpage and install unwanted apps on your system, however, the exploit can easily be avoided by downloading ROMs from trusted sources.
- Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, iOS
- Price: Free
Advantages
- It's solid and fast on even older hardware
- Super easy to use
- It runs on a handful of platforms, including iOS
Disadvantages
- Not as super-accurate as Higan or BSNES
- It wasn't ported to MacOS
John NESS
John NESS is the successor of popular SNES emulator, John SNES. It was pulled down from the Play Store due to copyright infringement issues. However, the developer has released a new emulator with support for all the older games and of course, the new additions. At this moment, John Ness is one of the best SNES emulators on Android after perhaps SNES9x EX+. The UI of the emulator is quite good and it makes the gameplay very comfortable.
The developer states that the app is using the original SNES engine which means will have a great time playing the classic games with a focus on accuracy over performance. As for the features, you have cheats, high-quality rendering, zipped file support, customizable keys and more. Not to mention, the emulator also supports Bluetooth/MOGA controllers which is awesome. Overall, John NESS is a capable SNES emulator on Android and you should definitely give it a try.
- Supported platforms: Android
- Price: Free
The Mega S.N.E.S Rock Retro
The Mega S.N.E.S Rock Retro is a relatively new emulator, but it has quickly gained popularity among the Android community. The best part about this emulator is that it's pretty fast and has wider game compatibility. Further, you can play SNES games on Full HD Graphics setting which is great. Apart from that, the emulator has a long list of features like controller customization, support for popular cheat codes, compatibility with Bluetooth controllers and more. There is also support for mouse, but it's limited to few selected games only. Simply put, if you are looking for a new SNES emulator on Android then this one is worth exploring.
- Supported platforms: Android
- Price: Free
Also see RetroArch
In reading up on Emulation, you might see lots of mentions about RetroArch. It's isn't really an emulator itself, but instead is an interface and structure that manages multiple emulators.
However, it is also valid to mention RetroArch here as a RetroArch installation might be the only or best solution to use emulators on certain devices like the Nintendo Wii U or Playstation Classic.
Kicking off the list is RetroArch, a great SNES emulator which comes with cross platform support, allowing users to enjoy SNES games on a variety of different platforms. RetroArch is often described as a front-end for emulators which runs programs converted into dynamic libraries called liberto cores. Essentially, the software provides a polished interface for the user to play a wide range of classic games, making it quite easy to use. The emulator includes support for a number of different controllers and it offers several advanced features like shaders, netplay, and rewinding.
- Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, WiiU, Mini Consoles, and lots more
Also see 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. You could view it as a similar setup to RetroArch that has more of a desktop computer-oriented interface that is quite beautiful and matches the MacOS aesthetic well.
It's fairly easy to use and has a very clean UI. The emulator features a couple of different filters to improve visual output and it also supports multiple input methods, so you can easily use a retro controller with your system for a much more authentic experience. Another great thing about OpenEmu is that it isn't too resource extensive, which means that you can easily run it on older macOS devices with low-end specifications.
- Supported platforms: macOS
Best Controllers for SNES Emulation
Enjoy Your Favorite SNES Games With These SNES Emulators — there's two solid routes to go if emulating on modern devices or PCs — Bluetooth or USB adapters…
8Bitdo SN30 Controllers
It took decades, but we finally got a mass market, solid quality set of wireless controllers that not only use modern 2.4G wireless technology and decent rechargeable batteries. 8bitdo sells both North American SNES grey and purple style controllers, but also a Black Edition. The collaboration with Analogue and the co-release alongside the Super Nt helped bring these into the mainstream of the retro community. We have since seen some knockoffs of these controllers all over eBay and Amazon. If you'd like to see some video and info about 8Bitdo's SNES controllers, check out this segment My Life in Gaming's third-party controller video.
8Bitdo SN30 Pro Controllers
8bitdo wasn't content to make a quality modern wireless replica of the original SNES controller, but they produced a 'Pro' version that incorporates even more modern features in addition to a more ergonomic design. These pro versions Add dual analogue sticks, additional triggers, customizable vibration and button mapping and macro programming. Many of the additional buttons on the Pro controller is so that is better suited to be used with the Nintendo Switch, but it's still a great option for a real SNES with 8bitdo's receiver.
8Bitdo Wireless Mod Kit
8bitdo also took their manufacturing run to their advantage to offer the wireless guts as stand-alone modification kits to let the DIY crowd turn their older controllers or custom creations (such as arcade-style joysticks) into a modern wireless controller.
These kits also happen to be suited for relative beginners to modding as they are designed to be easy to install without soldering.
SNES-to-USB Adapter
In case you want to emulate SNES games on a computer, you can get affordable adapters to turn your standard SNES controllers into gamepads for your PC for a more authentic experience.
Bsnes
Any More Thoughts on SNES Emulation?
Snes Emulator Mac Os
That rounds up our list of the best SNES emulators for PC, Mac and Android. If you're wondering why we haven't included more emulators for iOS, it's because there aren't any official ones on the App Store. Apple is known to be a little too controlling when it comes to the type of apps that go up on the App Store and that has had a negative impact on any emulator development for the platform. So, iOS users set aside, which of these aforementioned emulators do you plan on trying out first? What games are you looking to play with these emulators? Let us know in the comments section below.
