Best Pokemon Emulators: Tested Picks for Android, iPhone, PC, and Mac

The best Pokemon emulators that you can install right now heavily depend on your current game and device. For example, if you’re after Pokemon games from the Game Boy era, there’s nothing better than mGBA if you’re playing on PC.

Pokemon emulators are apps or programs designed to mimic the processing capabilities of various Nintendo systems, allowing their users to play their favorite Pokemon games from common devices like Android phones, iPhones, Windows computers, and laptops.

This post covers the best and most widely used Pokemon emulators across different systems, so you can easily choose the right one when you are ready to play a new Pokemon game.

Best Pokemon Emulator by Device and System

Here is a table that shows the best emulators for running Pokemon games across all systems — from all the Game Boy models, DS consoles, and 3DS.

What Is the Best Emulator for Pokemon Games?

Since Pokemon games are playable on multiple Nintendo systems, the “best Pokemon emulator” title may refer to a number of emulators that managed to build a positive reputation among the systems that they emulate.

We tested all available emulators that can run Pokemon games from Generation 1 to 7, and the following sections will feature our most recommended picks for each platform and Nintendo system.

Best Pokemon Emulators for PC (Windows)

Windows PC is by far one of the top two most powerful platforms where emulators can show their full potential. Hence, many emulators today have downloadable versions for Windows.

Our top picks for PC are the following:

• mGBA (Game Boy systems): The undisputed king of GBA and GBC emulators. Visual Boy Advance is also high up there, but mGBA wins in terms of hardware accuracy.
• melonDS (NDS): melonDS’ active development with open-source status makes it the most ideal DS emulator.
• Azahar (3DS): Citra’s spiritual successor and most popular fork. The original Citra sadly stopped development in 2024, passing the torch to Azahar.
• RetroArch (multiple systems): The jack-of-all-trades of modern emulation. It’s available on Steam and can run different types of classic systems, not just those from Nintendo.

Best Pokemon Emulators for Mac

Since fewer Mac users play Pokemon games compared to Windows users, the platform has fewer emulator options. However, several Mac-compatible emulators are still capable of running Pokemon games smoothly.

The top-tier Mac-based emulators for Pokemon games in 2026 are:

• mGBA (Game Boy systems): The go-to Game Boy emulator of modern Mac users.
• OpenEmu (multiple systems): Another jack-of-all-trades emulator like RetroArch, but it runs on MacOS.
• melonDS (NDS): This emulator is also unrivaled by other DS emulators on Mac.
• Manic EMU (multiple systems): Many of the community members at PokeCoders use Manic EMU for emulating 3DS Pokemon games.

Best Pokemon Emulator for Android

Mobile gaming is more popular in some countries, and playing emulated games from handheld consoles can feel more natural on a phone than on a computer and keyboard.

Here are our top recommendations if you want to play Pokemon games on an Android device:

• My Boy! (GBA): Everything you need for a GBA emulator is already available on My Boy!. Its closest rival would be Pizza Boy A, so feel free to pick one between the two.
• melonDS (NDS): As we already mentioned, no one can dethrone melonDS for now in NDS emulation, especially since it even reaches Android users.
• Azahar (3DS): Azahar is what Citra would have been if its development continued past 2024.
• Citra MMJ (3DS): This Citra fork can compete well with Azahar in performance and can exceed the capabilities of the original and mainline Citra.

Best Pokemon Emulator for iPhone and iPad

iPhone and iPad users are slowly closing the gap with Android in terms of numbers, which has also led to the rise of several emulators designed to let iOS users enjoy classic Pokemon games.

What we can recommend so far for iOS are the following:

• Delta (multiple systems): Made by the same developer of GBA4iOS, this emulator can handle Pokemon games from different eras with ease.
• Manic EMU: Mainly known for running 3DS games, but it also supports other systems and offers broader capabilities than Delta.

Which Emulator for Which Pokemon Game?

For more specific, game-focused emulator recommendations, check out the table below to see which emulator works best for each Pokemon game and even GBA ROM hacks, from the Game Boy era to titles released for the Nintendo 3DS.

How to Stay Safe When Downloading a Pokemon Emulator

Downloading a Pokemon emulator is generally straightforward, but you still need to be careful about where you get it. Some websites offer modified versions, fake downloads, or files disguised as legitimate emulators, so sticking to trusted sources is the safest approach.

Download from trusted sources

Whenever possible, download your emulator from the developer’s official website, the Google Play Store, or the Apple App Store. These sources give you a better chance of getting the legitimate version without unwanted files bundled with the download.

Avoid APK and modified versions

Be careful with websites offering APK files or versions labelled “modded,” “premium unlocked,” or similar. These files can be modified by third parties and may contain unwanted software, so it is safer to use the official version instead.

Watch out for copycat websites

Some emulators are no longer actively maintained, but their names can still appear on websites offering fake downloads. Citra is one example, so always check the developer and source before downloading anything that claims to be an official emulator.

Know what is legal

Emulators themselves are generally legal, but downloading or distributing copyrighted Pokemon games without permission can violate copyright laws. We do not host or link to ROM files, so make sure you understand the laws in your region before obtaining game files.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pokemon Emulators