The Pokémon video game series is the third best-selling video game franchise of all time with more than 440 million copies sold and one billion mobile downloads. It is part of the childhood of many gamers.
However, Pokémon has always been a console exclusive and getting these consoles is not that easy nowadays. This is where emulators come into play - nowadays Pokemon fans can just set up an emulator on PC to play any game they want without any problem.
In this article, Gurugamer is going to showcase the top 5 best emulators for Pokemon games on PC (2023).
1. RetroArch
Official Page: RetroArch
RetroArch is a program that acts as a hub for all your emulation needs. It is actually a collection of emulators called "cores" that allow players to play thousand of classic games on dozens of old consoles. The program is easy to use, giving the user tons of control to customize and fine-tune their experience. Cores can be installed directly within the emulator via the Online Updater.
It offers an easy interface to help you with the simple Pokémon game download. It offers a host of features such as shaders, net play, rewinding, next-frame response times, run-ahead, and much more.
Additionally, the program is still getting updated - the developers keep adding new features and improvements to RetroArch over time. If you want a solution with all the features, RetroArch is your best option. As a cross-platform best Pokémon emulator for PC, RetroArch makes it easy to play games on multiple devices.
| Pros | Cons |
| Overlays and run ahead
Per core configs Hotkeys |
Lags
Rewind doesn't work. |
2. Project 64
Official Page: Project 64 – N64
Project64 is a completely free and open-source emulator for the Nintendo 64 and 64DD written in C++. It is capable of playing your favorite N64 games on your PC with high definition graphics, excellent compatibility, save states, built-in cheat codes, and more.
The simple and intuitive user interface of Project 64 allows games to just run out of the box with no configuring. Though if you want there are dozens of configuration options to make it work the way you want. The best part is a tool to alter the aspect ratio without any unnecessary cropping or stretching that would compromise the original viewing experience.
This best emulator for Pokémon also boasts a fantastic retro gaming community. The developers and contributors keep adding new features to this emulator on a regular basis.
| Pros | Cons |
| Top quality gaming
High-speed retro gaming Expandable memory |
Limited texture cache
No metal gear solid |
3. Dolphin
Official Page: Dolphin Emulator
Dolphin is an emulator for two recent Nintendo video game consoles: the GameCube and the Wii. It allows PC gamers to enjoy games for these two consoles in full HD (1080p) with several enhancements: compatibility with all PC controllers, turbo speed, networked multiplayer, and even more!
Obviously, this new emulator comes with some caveats. You'll need a high-end CPU to play some solid games on Dolphin Emulator. It offers an excellent gaming experience, but most game’s only run at 30 frames per second. Dolphin Emulator for PC offers many customization options.
| Pros | Cons |
| Lag-free gaming
Easy user interface Compatibility with multiple devices |
Becomes slow over time
Games can run only at 30fps. |
4. Yuzu
Official Page: Yuzu
Yuzu is an experimental open-source emulator for the Nintendo Switch from the creators of Citra. Yuzu is by far the best and most comprehensive emulator for the Nintendo Switch. Using this emulator, players can experience the newest pokemon games.
Currently, Yuzu can run over 70% of Switch games, which is fairly formidable.
While Yuzu started with homebrew games in the beginning, it’s gone on to emulate Switch titles that are currently available to purchase. Recent tests have shown that the emulator can replicate some games at the exact same frame rate as the Switch itself!
| Pros | Cons |
| Enhanced graphics
Supports add-on controllers |
Require a good PC
Complicated to download and install |
5. DeSmuMe
Official Page: DeSmuMe
DeSmuME is the most seasoned open-source Nintendo DS emulator. It sports tools designed for hackers, speedrunners, youtubers, and casual gamers. Outside of a couple of issues with DSi compatibility, DeSmuME is pretty stellar. It is considered the best DS core for RetroArch and amongst the best emulators for DS emulation.
The Windows and OSX versions are both relatively feature-rich, and there is a small universe of forks and mods that add even more features for casual gaming.
In addition, the NDS emulator offers a save slot to enable you to continue the game. Despite its popularity among Nintendo DS fans, DeSmuMe has some problems. Developers rarely update the project, and the last stable update was released in 2015.
| Pros | Cons |
| Multiple Customization options
Save and resume game options Cheat codes |
Doesn’t support many games
No updates available |
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