Software Alternatives & Reviews

RetroArch VS EmulationStation

Compare RetroArch VS EmulationStation and see what are their differences

RetroArch

RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.

EmulationStation

a graphical emulator front-end
  • RetroArch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-22
  • EmulationStation Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-10-20

RetroArch

Categories
  • Gaming
  • Emulators
  • Media Player
  • Gaming Tools
Website retroarch.com  

EmulationStation

Categories
  • Gaming
  • Gaming Tools
  • Emulators
  • Online Games
Website emulationstation.org  

RetroArch videos

RetroArch - Getting Started! Your Ultimate Retro Gaming PC! [Setup and Demonstration]

More videos:

EmulationStation videos

Playing Classic Games with EmulationStation & RetroArch

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to RetroArch and EmulationStation)
Gaming
88 88%
12% 12
Emulators
88 88%
12% 12
Gaming Tools
84 84%
16% 16
Media Player
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using RetroArch and EmulationStation. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare RetroArch and EmulationStation

RetroArch Reviews

Best DS Emulator: Are These Emulators Safe And Legal To Use?
RetroArch also supports a wide range of controller types, making it a great choice for gamers who want to use their favorite controller.
Source: appletoo.us
5 Best Nintendo DS Emulators for PC
It has highlights like RetroArch are shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, run ahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and much more.
Best emulators for Android in 2023
RetroArch is a popular open-source front-end for emulators. If you’re into playing retro games, RetroArch is your one-stop shop for all your emulating needs. It's not an emulator by itself but instead allows you to add "cores" that act as the backend to emulate several legacy consoles. While most of its most popular emulators are already covered here by dedicated apps, it...
5 of the Best GameBoy Advance (GBA) Emulators for Android
RetroArch is a poster child worldwide of emulation, specifically due to the fact that it’s not precisely an emulator. The retroArch is best refer to as a solitary, unified application where you can communicate with other emulators.
4 Free Open Source Game Emulators For Windows PC, Linux, and macOS
In addition to this, you are able to run original game discs (CDs) from RetroArch. RetroArch has advanced features like shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, runahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and more! What systems does it play?

EmulationStation Reviews

We have no reviews of EmulationStation yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, RetroArch should be more popular than EmulationStation. It has been mentiond 20 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

RetroArch mentions (20)

  • RetroArch cannot be found on the PlayStore, the first result is a copycat. It is just me?
    No, isn't just you. Every 64-bit phone haves the Play Store Retroarch available, the 32-bits no. But you can still download the 32-bit version on the Retroarch website. Source: 9 months ago
  • Cause of the intrusion has been found and isolated. Sites are operational again.
    It was only the download links on retroarch.com on the Platforms page that got (briefly) redirected for a few hours. That should all be safe now. Source: 9 months ago
  • Malicious download links?
    Yes, only the retroarch.com and libretro.com websites were affected. Source: 9 months ago
  • Recent update from supposed hackers
    I went to retroarch.com and it said "discord.gg/evaderz is big haxors" its unrespectable. Source: 9 months ago
  • Latest RetroArch on Xiaomi Mi box
    I've got installed RetroArch Plus from Google Play on my Xiaomi Mi box 4k and I want to update it to the latest version. I downloaded apk from retroarch.com but when I use apk installer to update it say is not compatible. I removed version from Google Play but fresh install 1.15.0 is not compatible too. I tried 32 and 64 version. What I'm doing wrong? Is any other AndroidTV version? Source: 9 months ago
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EmulationStation mentions (13)

  • Anyone using a launcher?
    In my opinion the ideal situation would be a backend that any developer could build a frontend to that would suit their approach. For example there are many Retroarch frontends like Highscore, EmulationStation, etc. These all suit the needs for what some person may want. Source: 11 months ago
  • SteamDeck Windows 11 Guide - Installed Win 11 on the SteamDeck and don't know what to do next? This is for you.
    Replacement for the epic EmuDeck. It utilises EmulationStation. Source: about 1 year ago
  • Is there a user interface that will load all roms from NES up through GameCube?
    I use EmulationStation on a lot of devices. It would cover what you're looking for. Other frontends I like are RetroArch and Daijisho. Source: about 1 year ago
  • Gifting an old pc to my handicapped grandson.
    If you want to piece meal and customize it RetroArch and Emulation Station is the way to go. Also have a robust wiki. Source: about 1 year ago
  • First ever “setup” im very poor
    Helpful link https://emulationstation.org/. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing RetroArch and EmulationStation, you can also consider the following products

OpenEmu - Console and Arcade video game emulator for macOS.

Batocera.linux - Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer/nano computer into a gaming console during a game or permanently.

LaunchBox - LaunchBox is a portable, box-art-based games database and launcher for DOSBox, emulators, arcade cabinets, and PC Games. Download it free!

BSNES - bsnes is a Super Nintendo (SNES) emulator focused on performance, features, and ease of use.

RetroBat - RETROBAT RetroBat is a software distribution designed for emulation and to be the easiest way to enjoy your game collection on your Windows computer.

Snes9x - Snes9x is a portable, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator.