OpenEmu
Inactive- Open source
A native macOS frontend that runs its own emulator cores behind an iTunes-style game library.
Works with 2 emulators listed here: Genesis Plus GX, mGBA.
Frontends
You don't have to set up each emulator yourself. These tools run emulators for you, from a single app to a whole operating system. Emulator pages list which ones they work with.
Frontends
RetroArch
Active- Open source
The reference libretro frontend: one interface that runs hundreds of emulator cores, with shaders, run-ahead, netplay and RetroAchievements shared across them.
Works with 25 emulators listed here.
Launchers
ES-DE
Active- Open source
EmulationStation Desktop Edition: a controller-friendly game library that starts the right emulator for each system, with scraped artwork and themes.
LaunchBox
Active- Commercial
A Windows game library and launcher for emulated and PC games, with a free edition and a paid Big Box mode for TV and cabinet setups.
Installers
EmuDeck
Active- Open source
Installs and configures standalone emulators and RetroArch on the Steam Deck and Windows, with controller layouts and Steam library integration.
RetroDECK
Active- Open source
An all-in-one Flatpak that bundles ES-DE and a set of emulators, configured for the Steam Deck and Linux desktops.
Distributions
Batocera
Active- Open source
A Linux distribution for emulation that boots from a USB stick or SD card, with a console-style interface and many emulators preconfigured.
Lakka
Active- Open source
A lightweight Linux distribution that boots straight into RetroArch, for small PCs and single-board computers.
Works with 25 emulators listed here.
RetroPie
Active- Open source
Turns a Raspberry Pi or Linux PC into a retro gaming machine, combining EmulationStation, RetroArch and standalone emulators.