PPSSPP
Free PSP emulator that upscales textures and runs games in full HD
Emulators for PC: Windows picks sorted by system coverage
The catalog lists 19 emulators and compatible runners for Windows in 2026. The most useful way to sort them is by what they cover. PPSSPP handles PSP games, PCSX2 targets the PlayStation 2, DuckStation is a PlayStation 1 emulator, and Cemu is a Nintendo Wii U emulator. Mesen 2 combines NES, SNES, Game Boy and several other consoles in one program, while RetroArch acts as a frontend that gathers many systems under one interface.
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After coverage, check how recently the app was updated and how heavy it is. Cemu's latest listed build is from February 6, 2025, DOSBox dates to June 26, 2019, and ScummVM was updated on October 10, 2026. Sizes run from 1.4 MB for DOSBox to 199.4 MB for RetroArch. This page does not point to ROMs or BIOS files.
Apps in this category
RetroArch
Free Libretro frontend with shaders, netplay and runahead for Windows
DuckStation
Free PlayStation 1 emulator for Windows, version 0.1.11894, from github.com
Cemu
Free open-source Wii U emulator for Windows, version 2.6, 25.2 MB
PCSX2
Free, open-source PlayStation 2 emulator for Windows, version 2.8.2
BizHawk
Free C# emulator for Windows with rerecording and debugging on every core
DOSBox
Free 1.4 MB GPL emulator that runs DOS programs on Windows, version 0.74-3
DOSBox Staging
Free DOS emulator with SC-55 audio and CRT colour options in 0.83.0
ScummVM
Run over 325 classic point-and-click adventures on Windows, free
Mesen 2
Free GPL-3.0 emulator running NES, SNES, GBA and more on Windows
xemu
Free, open-source original Xbox emulator for Windows, only 10.9 MB
melonDS
Free GPL-3.0 Nintendo DS emulator for Windows, aimed at correctness and speed
Project64
Free, open-source N64 and 64DD emulator for Windows, only 4.2 MB
Vita3K
Free, open-source PS Vita emulator for Windows, build 0.2.1.4263
Azahar
Free open-source 3DS emulator for Windows with a CIA security fix
MAME
Free MAME 0.289 emulator for Windows covering arcade, console and calculator hardware
DeSmuME
Free, open-source Nintendo DS emulator for Windows, version 0.9.13, 5.8 MB
mGBA
Free, open-source GBA emulator for Windows, 15.8 MB, from github.com
shadPS4
Free GPL-2.0 PlayStation 4 emulator in C++, version 0.21.0, only 30.3 MB
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Top 5 picks
PPSSPP
PPSSPP, version 1.20.4 from May 16, 2026, runs PSP games on a PC in full HD resolution. It can also upscale textures drawn for the small PSP screen, which would look blurry otherwise. The download is 21.2 MB, the license is GPL-2.0, and it is free. A narrow tool that does one job.
PCSX2
PCSX2 2.8.2, updated September 4, 2026, is a free, open-source PlayStation 2 emulator. It recreates PS2 hardware through CPU interpreters, recompilers and a virtual machine that tracks hardware state and memory. The package is 44.6 MB under GPL-3.0. Pick it when the PS2 is the console you care about.
RetroArch
RetroArch 1.22.2, from April 15, 2026, is a frontend that hosts other emulation cores and engines instead of being a single emulator. It keeps one shared settings layer, so you configure things once. Listed extras include shaders, netplay, rewinding and runahead, and it can run original game discs. At 199.4 MB it is the largest of these five.
Mesen 2
Mesen 2, version 2.1.1 from July 6, 2025, covers NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, PC Engine, SMS/Game Gear and WonderSwan. It runs on Windows, Linux and macOS. The download is 32.5 MB under GPL-3.0. It suits anyone who wants classic consoles and handhelds in one app.
DOSBox Staging
DOSBox Staging 0.83.0-7b400 was updated on August 27, 2026. It continues DOSBox and mostly replaces older versions, keeping existing configurations working. Sensible defaults mean most games need no tweaking, and deeper options remain for those who want them. The download is 31.3 MB under GPL-2.0-or-later. The older DOSBox 0.74-3 is only 1.4 MB but dates to 2019.
Questions and answers
Do these emulators include games?
No games are bundled, and this catalog does not provide ROMs or BIOS files. ScummVM, for example, runs classic adventures only when you already have their data files.
Which emulator fits PlayStation games?
PCSX2 2.8.2 targets the PlayStation 2 and was updated on September 4, 2026. DuckStation 0.1.11894 is a fast PlayStation 1 emulator for x86-64 and AArch64, updated on September 12, 2026.
Is ScummVM an emulator?
No. ScummVM is a rewrite of the executables of certain adventure and role-playing games, and it supports over 325 games. Version 2026.4.0 was updated on October 10, 2026, and the download is 133.5 MB.
Related categories
Best-of lists
Before installing, read the license line. DuckStation is listed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, and BizHawk carries a mixed license that its own listing flags with a note to read the License URL. Both are worth a look if you plan anything beyond personal use.
Also compare update dates. Cemu 2.6 was last updated on February 6, 2025, so check whether that fits your hardware and the games you own. BizHawk 2.11, at 87.1 MB, adds rerecording and debugging tools, which matter mostly to people who want those controls.