Nintendo is one of the most popular gaming consoles for quite a long time. It has made its mark as one of the best in the business and offers a wide range of top-notch and exciting games. In this article, we will provide you with a list of the best Nintendo N64 emulators available in the market today.
What is an N64 emulator?
An emulator is software that enables you to download and use apps, games, and services created for one platform or device on another. For example, BlueStacks is one of the most renowned android emulators which helps you use various android apps from google PlayStore on your windows or Mac pc. In the same way, an n64 emulator is an emulator made exclusively for Nintendo games. It enables you to play Nintendo games from the console to any device you wish. Following is a compilation of some of the best n64 emulators that you can choose from.
7 Best N64 Emulators for PC & Android
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Project64
The first one on our list is Project64. Licensed under GNU General Public License version 2., this is one of the most popular and efficient emulators in the market for playing Nintendo games. It is free for use and is open-source software written in c programming code for Microsoft windows. The emulator enables you to play Nintendo games on any OS such as android, windows, mac, etc. All you need to do is download the software on your device, set up your games and you are good to go.
Project64 is known to be extremely compatible and does not need to utilize a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). It includes all the basic features such as multiplayer, and permits alternating the aspect ratio without compromising the video size or quality. You can effortlessly load games, and the app also provides a list of the supported games. Project64 has a high-end interface and works smoothly, excluding a few bugs and lags here ad there.
Project64 for PC (.exe)Click on the button to start downloading...
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Mupen64
The next n64 emulator is Mupen64 for PC. This is also a free, open-source emulator coded in C and C++ programming languages. It is a free, open-source N64 emulator. Mupen64 will load any ROM on your device memory, it supports all formats such as .n64, .v64, and .z64 and you can also access video games saved in .zip format. The emulator is free for use but includes in-app purchases and offers a premium version as well. The main difference between mupen64 and other n64 emulators is that Mupen64Plus uses its own plugin spec, unlike the others. Hence it is not compatible with all plugins, only those specifically ported to its spec. That being said, you can play almost every game using it, though you might need to install additional plugins in some cases.
The emulator includes all the basic features and is quite popular among gamers as it is easily available on all platforms such as Mac, Linux, Windows, Android, etc. The graphics remain mostly the same as the original versions of the game, while in some cases such as Mario 64, they even turn out to be better. One of the only drawbacks is the audio buffering issues present in the app, barring which it works like a gem.
Mupen64 for PC (.exe)Click on the button to start downloading...
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Megan64
Megan64 is another excellent n64 emulator which is free and comes with a great user interface. This is currently available solely for android users. It enables you to play almost every game on your android devices such as Super Smash Bros, Pokémon Stadium, Mario Kart 64, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Resident Evil 2, Doom 64, and others without any issues. Megan64 is loaded with some amazing features and is one of the best n64 emulators available on google play right now, with more than 10 million downloads and an average rating of 4.5 stars. The app is consistently updated and fixed and lets you play any game present in your device storage.
The highlight feature is the easy user interface, in contrast to its competitors. The graphics are also quite commendable, and you can also customize the control settings. If you are looking to play Nintendo games on your android device, this is surely a good option.
Megan64 for PC (.exe)Click on the button to start downloading...
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Classicboy
Classicboy is a powerful emulator that supports NES, SNK NeoGeo, most Game Boy systems such as Advance, PlayStation, and Nintendo 64. This one is a paid emulator that allows you to customize your settings and additionally connect to PS 3 or Xbox 360 consoles with the help of Bluetooth. Additional features include save/load states, gesture controls, sensor support, etc. The pro version also lets you save the game at any time. Just like other emulators, classic boy does not have any ROMs, and you need to download any game before you play it on your device. This emulator works well on any device and does not have any notable issues.
Classicboy for PC (.exe)Click on the button to start downloading...
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Retroarch
The next n64 emulator is Retroarch which is available for all platforms and operating systems such as Android, Linux, Mac, iOS, Windows, etc. Retroarch is an open-source project which uses a powerful interface known as Libretro. Apart from Nintendo, this emulator offers support for gaming consoles such as PSP, Wii, Wii U, PS3, PS Vita, and others as well. It is constantly updated with developers bringing new features and fixing bugs and issues. The learning curve for using this app is slightly steep, however, it becomes quite simple once you get the hand of it. The emulator offers a wide range of excellent features such as save and load states, auto-scanning for saved files, remap controls, load cheat codes, and a lot more. Additionally, it is also loaded with some advanced features such as shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, runahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and more. With Retroarch, you can play the original CD versions of games as well.
Retroarch for PC (.exe)Click on the button to start downloading...
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Nemu 64
Nemu64 is another excellent emulator that is worth mentioning due to its compact and lightweight nature. This n64 emulator takes up minimal space on your device and does not even require installation. You simply need to copy the program files to your hard disk and launch nemu64 by clicking on the executable file. You can copy the program files to any part of the hard disk and just click the executable to launch Nemu64. It comes with all the basic features and has a simple structure. Furthermore, you can play in multiplayer mode online as well as offline. The graphics as great with a minimum resolution of 320×240 and a maximum resolution of 1600×1200. Being a compact emulator it will not put any load on your device, and it also has minimal bugs and issues. It is considered to be one of the best n64 emulators in the market.
Nemu 64 for PC (.exe)Click on the button to start downloading...
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Awen64
The final one on our list is Awen64. This n64 emulator is available for Android users and has received good ratings and reviews on Google PlayStore. It includes some great features that give you an excellent gaming experience on your smartphone. The sound and graphics and high quality and remain the same as the original game. Awen64 is among the best when it comes to game compatibility and game control. You can also save your games whenever you wish. The app works smoothly and has a hassle-free user interface. Almost every game can be played on this emulator and it supports network gaming as well. This is a free application available on the PlayStore. Just like other n64 emulators, this one too does not have ROMs and searches your device storage for you to play games.
Awen64 for PC (.exe)Click on the button to start downloading...
Conclusion
There is no shortage of emulators on the internet today, and it can get overwhelming to find and set up the best emulator for you. If you are confused as to which n64 emulator to choose from among the above-given list, it depends on what you are looking for. Based on your requirements, OS type (windows, android, mac, etc.), and whether you’re looking for a free or paid emulator, you can choose one for yourself. That being said, every n64 emulator mentioned in this article is will surely do the basic job for you.
