Emulators are becoming more available on Apple devices, including Vision Pro, and they work well with Joy-Cons and other gamepads.
What’s Delta?
Delta is an app you can download from the iPhone’s App Store that lets you play old-school video games on your phone. It’s one of the first emulator apps approved by Apple.
With Delta, you can play games from classic consoles like Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, and N64. The app even shows you virtual buttons on your screen, mimicking the controls of those old consoles. It’s not quite the same as using a real controller, but it’s easy to use and supports Haptic Touch.
You can also connect game controllers like PS4, PS5, Xbox One S, and Xbox Series X to play with a more traditional feel.
But here’s the catch: Delta doesn’t come with any games pre-installed. You have to find and load your own game files, called ROMs. You can get them from your own collection, sync them through iTunes, or store them on cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Even before Apple officially allowed emulators on its App Store, a limited-run TestFlight allowed a Game Boy Advance emulator on Vision Pro. Now, the popular Delta emulator is available on all current Apple devices, supporting various Nintendo systems like Game Boy, DS, NES, SNES, and N64.
Nintendo acknowledges the demand for classic games on current systems but doesn’t offer its Virtual Console on non-Nintendo hardware. Other gaming platforms like Xbox, Steam, and PlayStation have streaming services available on different app stores. Could Apple surprise everyone by partnering with Nintendo for its Vision Pro?
As gamers and retro fans get older, they’re finding ways to preserve and enhance classic games. Open source repositories and hardware tools help keep these games alive, with some fans even restoring or extending original functionality.
Virtual reality headsets like PSVR 2 and Vision Pro can offer a unique way to experience classic games with their high-quality displays. But legal issues arise when it comes to copying and preserving game files, as Nintendo’s strict copyright policies show.
Despite legal concerns, fans are dedicated to preserving the games of their childhood. Emulation is advancing rapidly, with apps like CitraVR and Delta available on headsets like Quest and visionOS. You can also play How to stop games from crashing in Delta Nintendo iOS emulator and Best Controller & Accessories to use with Delta Game Emulator
The future of gaming could include LAN parties on phones and headsets, split-screen multiplayer across VR and TV, and officially licensed nostalgic games. But is Nintendo ready to adapt to this changing landscape?
