All you’ll need to do is download the cores you want, each one with a single click from within OpenEmu. But OpenEmu does all that work for you, and comes packaged with integrated cores for popular systems-again with an iTunes-like, or even App Store-like interface. When I think of a front end, normally I think of a program I’ll have to install alongside a base emulator.

The best part: OpenEmu takes care of the core emulation engines behind each platform. And for once, it’s a Mac exclusive, instead of something that only works on PCs. OpenEmu doesn’t work for computer platforms-you’ll still need separate emulators for, say, the Atari 800 or 1040ST. It lets you make playlists of your favorite games by category across platforms, and universalizes controller schemes for each emulated system-all with easy-to-understand and attractive graphics. What makes OpenEmu different is that it works a lot like a streamlined iTunes-that is, if iTunes were smooth and fast, and not sluggish and confusing.įor example, OpenEmu shows you actual box art for each of your games, and sorts them automatically by platform. On its own, that’s nothing new front ends have existed for a long time. Instead, it’s a robust front end for other console emulators. Originally released in 2013, OpenEmu is not actually an emulator in and of itself. This time around, I wanted to touch on the Mac side, primarily because of a huge development that has changed the vintage console gaming scene for the better: OpenEmu. When researching that article, I ran into the aforementioned problem pretty often. Four years ago, I wrote a lengthy story for our sister site ExtremeTech about how to play retro video games on a modern PC. Then Windows or Mac OS updates render languishing emulators unstable or otherwise unusable.ĭon’t despair, though. Other emulators fall out of favor as developers move on to different projects. Dedicated volunteer programmers develop better emulators in an effort to improve accuracy and add features. The Web is littered with emulators that aren’t compatible with current operating systems, or ROMs that don’t run in their corresponding emulators. Programs and ROMs that worked several years ago may no longer load now. The vintage emulator scene-going on 20 years now, by a rough estimation-is constantly evolving. If you have a Mac and fond memories of game consoles past, read on. Altered Beast and Strider on the Sega Genesis. F-Zero and Street Fighter II: Turbo on the Super NES. The Legend of Zelda and Megaman 2 on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). How to Play Retro Games on Your Modern Mac With OpenEmu

Best controller for openemu