The RetroArch video game emulation frontend was just released in the iOS App Store this Thursday. And, along with the most popular PSP emulator, PPSSPP, we now have a complete set of emulators that will make any Apple device a complete retro gaming console.
While the popular and more elegant Delta emulator emulates about six Nintendo consoles for iOS at the moment, RetroArch comes fitted with more than 78 combined emulators covering a wide range of computer systems.
But that’s not all. RetroArch is also one of the first emulators to be released on the Apple tvOS App Store. And this is all possible because of one simple change in policy from Apple. In March, the company released an iOS update that included concessions that were meant to comply with the EU’s Digital Market Act (DMA), which forced Apple to allow sideloading of apps into iOS devices in the EU.
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So, before RetroArch was released, it was only possible to use Apple TV via AirPlay. This meant that you could only use Delta to cast on your AppleTV’s screen.
But, RetroArch has changed the game. You can now play your favorite retro games on your choice of retro console natively on the Apple TV.
As the access to video game emulators becomes simpler, and the hardware more capable of providing a high-quality experience — like playing Sega Genesis games on an Apple TV for example — the emulation community, and the platforms that they are being distributed on, are creating a moment similar to that of the iPod in the early aughts.
The technology existed to play MP3 files, but it wasn’t until the iPod’s release that it became truly mainstream. And, once playing MP3s was easy, the question of where you got all those MP3s from in the first place changed music distribution forever, first with the iTunes Store and later streaming services like Spotify.
The RetroArch, Delta, and PPSSPP apps are available on the App Store from Thursday.
