Whether you’re trying to play some of your favorite retro games on your android phones, tablets, or PCs, it’s a great time to enter the world of emulation. But did you know that thanks to the power of Linux and the Play Store, you can actually use your Chromebook to emulate games?

For years, the best Chromebooks haven’t exactly been an option for gamers. But as hardware continues to improve, so does the trend to support gaming on ChromeOS. Not only can you download the best android games from the Play Store, but Google has also brought the ability to play Steam games on certain Chromebooks.

1. NES.emu

Once you install it, NES.Emu may seem like a pretty bare-bones program. But with most of the best emulators, this is indeed the case. Unlike many other options on this list, you’ll have to pay a few bucks, but it’s worth the investment. In addition to supporting NES emulation, NES.Emu also supports Famicom emulation, which is something you don’t really see very often.

If you have a ChromeOS tablet like the Lenovo Duet 3 or HP Chromebook x11, you can configure the on-screen touch controls. But there’s also support for many of the best controllers for Chromebooks, including Bluetooth or USB options like the 8Bitdo SN30 Pro and others.

2. DraStic DS Emulator

DraStic DS is one of those emulators that has been around for years and was so good when it was released that it just stuck. And so it goes, and thanks to the Play Store, you can download DraStic directly to your Chromebook. You may need to fiddle with various layout and settings options to get things looking good. But once you’ve done that, you can fire up your favorite DS ROMs and start playing.

Another big advantage of DraStic (and many other top emulators) is the ability to save your progress. Basically, you can create a “Save State” so you can exit the game and come right back when you have more time. DraStic also includes support for a variety of USB and Bluetooth controllers, and there’s even an option to upgrade the game’s graphics to make it look better on a Chromebook.

3. Dolphin Emulator

As you can tell from this overview alone, there are many different ways to emulate games from many different retro consoles. But once you start running on the N64, GameCube, and Wii, the options become a little less. We’ll touch on our pick for the best N64 emulator a little later, but Dolphin Emulator rounds out the top three.

Not only is Dolphin capable of emulating your favorite GameCube and Wii games, but the software is available almost everywhere. It is regularly updated on every major platform and you can either download the version from the Play Store or install it as a Linux app. After installing Dolphin, get ready to fiddle with the settings and first figure out what game you want to play.

4. Pizza Boy GBC / GBA

The problem with some older emulators that you can find on the Play Store is that they are not fully optimized. To get the best possible experience, you need to make a lot of manual performance adjustments. But with Pizza Boy GBA and GBC, that’s not a problem. These emulators promise 60 frames per second playback “even on old hardware” and they’ve become two mainstays in our Game Boy emulation rigs.

Some of the other features you’ll find include support for saving and restoring states, full customization of the layout and interface, and controller support. But Pizza Boy takes it a step further with “shaders” support, so you can make classic games look even better if you have the appropriate shader files.

5. M64Plus FZ / FZ Pro

The Nintendo 64 used to be one of the hardest consoles to imitate. Then the M64Plus FZ came on the scene and changed everything forever. This emulator is one of the best in the business and there are actually two different versions available. The standard version includes almost all the same features, but if you opt for the M64Plus FZ Pro, you will also be able to use the netplay server for multiplayer games.

It’s important to note that you won’t be able to play all of your N64 ROMs because some of them are too complicated and won’t work properly. But the software is constantly being updated with new features and support for more games, so if you encounter hiccups, you won’t have to wait long.

6. PPSSPP

If you’re looking for the best open source PSP emulator, look no further than PPSSPP. In addition to being able to play many of the best PSP games of all time, PPSSPP offers upscaling so you can enjoy these classic games in HD resolution. You probably won’t be able to reach 4K resolutions, but games will still look better than if you tried using older emulators that aren’t supported yet.

PPSSPP is also unique because it offers the ability to transfer your save states directly from your PSP, so you can pick up where you left off. As expected, this emulator supports many of the best USB and Bluetooth controllers, as well as offering the ability to customize the on-screen controls. Or you can just use your Chromebook’s mouse and keyboard so you don’t have to worry about pairing a controller and changing buttons.

7. Eclipse

What if you have a Chromebook locked by your school or company that won’t let you install anything? How should you keep yourself busy on your next trip? Well, Eclipse is here to save the day as it is the best emulator for Chromebooks that works right in your browser.

That’s right. You don’t need to install anything to get Eclipse up and running. Just go to the website, install everything as you like and then download your ROM file(s). Eclipse supports NES, SNES, GameBoy, GameBoy Color, GameBoy Advance, Sega Master System and Game Gear. Oh, and the best part is that it also works in Chrome on top android phones and tablets.

8. RetroArch

Several emulators are available on the Play Store and can even be downloaded and installed as a Linux app on Chromebooks. But if there’s one emulator you might recognize, it would probably be RetroArch. It is one of the most reliable options out there and offers an all-in-one approach. RetroArch is based on different “cores” that provide emulation for the different ROMs and games you’re trying to play.

Although it’s an app you can download to your Chromebook from the Play Store, RetroArch has another trick. There’s a new web client that lets you switch between different emulators so you can play them directly from the Chrome browser. This is another great example of how RetroArch is still being actively developed and will be one of the best emulators for years to come.

9. AetherSX2

Speaking of complicated consoles to emulate, the PS2 has been the most frustrating console to find a good emulator for. In late 2021, AetherSX2 hit the scene, and frankly to users, we thought it would never come. One of the reasons PS2 emulation is so difficult is that the games and platform are more powerful and complex than gamers and developers expect.

Unfortunately, there’s a pretty good reason why AetherSX2 isn’t higher on this list. This is due to the fact that AetherSX2 is no longer in active development after regular “complaints, demands and death threats” since its release. However, as an act of goodwill, you can still download the latest official release of this PS2 emulator from the AetherSX2 archive.

Play your favorite classic games on your Chromebook

For many of us, playing games on the NES is a fond memory and likely helped fuel your love for gaming. This is partly the reason NES.emu It tops the list because you can play almost all your favorite classic games on the platform from your Chromebook.

It’s no secret that some of the best games we’ve ever seen have been released on the Nintendo DS and 3DS. DraStic DS it continues to be considered the best emulator for mostly these games and works flawlessly on many of the best Chromebooks.

Rounding out our top three picks of the best emulators for Chromebooks is a one-size-fits-all approach. dolphin. Instead of focusing on just one platform or console, Lemuroid makes it so you can emulate games from many of the best consoles released over the years.