Key Takeaways
- iOS emulation on iPhones makes retro gaming more accessible and portable than standalone Android gaming handhelds.
- iPhones offer more power for demanding games through emulators, covering a wide range of consoles without hardware limitations.
- Android gaming handhelds excel thanks to built-in controllers, superior mapping software, and support for a variety of emulators out of the box.
Apple made waves in the retro gaming community when it decided to allow game emulators on the App Store for the first time ever. Last week, the best Nintendo emulator — Delta — hit the App Store and a flurry of iPhone users tried their hand with emulation. It’s true that emulation has been around for ages and retro gaming is nothing new to owners of the best Android phones, but the move is significant nonetheless. There are over 2 billion Apple devices in the wild, and emulators will now run on many of them. While Android users may be unimpressed, this is a big shift that lets iPhone users dabble in the world of retro gaming without needing to buy a separate gaming handheld.
But should you buy a standalone retro gaming device anyway? Shortly after Apple updated its App Review Guidelines to allow for emulator apps, I reviewed the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro. It’s a small retro gaming handheld that runs Android, just like many phones, but features a tiny form factor and a built-in controller. On paper, that doesn’t sound too different from the experience you’d get from using an iPhone, the Delta app, and a mobile game controller. To find out which is best, I tested an iPhone and the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro side-by-side, and I was surprised to find that both devices have clear benefits to being used as a retro gaming console.
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Why iOS emulation is best for retro gaming
The best gaming device is the one you have with you
There’s a saying in consumer tech that goes like this: the best device is the one you have. That heavily applies when talking about iOS emulation, because iPhone users likely carry their smartphone with them at all times. As such, the advantage to using something like Delta emulator on iOS as opposed to an Android gaming handheld is that you’ll always have it in your pocket. Waiting five minutes for a train to arrive? Pull out your iPhone and play Pokémon: Emerald Version. Bored in a work meeting? Sneak in some Wii Sports. Simply having access to the iOS emulator on a device as important and ubiquitous as the iPhone one-ups an Android handheld. The reason I don’t use my dedicated retro gaming handheld as much as my iPhone is because it’s rarely in my bag or in my pocket when I have time to kill playing games.
iPhones are more powerful and can run more demanding games
With retro gaming handhelds, you have to carefully pick which games are supported, since on-device processing power is often limited. By going with an iPhone and an emulator app instead, that isn’t an issue in the slightest. After all, the latest iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max can run AAA titles without any hiccups due to their A17 Pro system-on-a-chip. You’ll still have to find emulators that support the platforms of the types of ROMs you own, but Delta in itself is an expansive emulator app. For now, it supports emulating games from these consoles:
- Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
- Nintendo 64 (N64)
- Game Boy / Game Boy Color (GBC)
- Game Boy Advance (GBA)
- Nintendo DS (DS)
- Sega Genesis / Mega Drive (GEN) (in beta)
That covers a lot of excellent games, and there’s more. By using an iPhone as your retro game emulator, you can go from playing decades-old Game Boy titles to playing flagship games like Call of Duty: Warzone. That kind of versatility is hard to beat in a gaming device, especially when it’s the same device you use as your primary smartphone.
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Mobile game controllers make the experience surprisingly similar
The experience is really taken to the next level when you pair your iPhone with one of the best mobile gaming controllers. Android gaming handhelds are essentially a tiny Android device sandwiched between a gaming controller, so using a mobile game controller with an iPhone and an emulator app should provide a similar experience. That’s true, for the most part. If you go with something like the GameSir G8 Galileo, you’ll get an Xbox-style controller in both layout and feel. Alternatively, the GameSir X2S is more like a retro gaming controller with a flat design and old-school layout. The great thing about using one of these controllers is that you can pick the one for you based on your personal preferences. However, you’ll need to make sure you have it with you when you want to play emulated games on your iPhone.
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Why Android handhelds are best for retro gaming
Built-in controllers with excellent mapping software
In many ways, Android gaming handhelds get a lot closer to providing the perfect retro gaming experience than iPhones with emulation apps. That starts with having built-in controllers, which just feel nicer in the hand and more ergonomic than clunky mobile gaming controller. It’s nice that iPhone users can add a mobile gaming controller for about $50 and have a better time emulating games, but Android handhelds are the clear winner here. The Retroid Pocket 4 Pro, for example, includes analog triggers and Hall effect joysticks.
Controller software is key, too. Android gaming handhelds typically feature screen-mapping software that allows users to fix controller incompatibility issues. Generally, I didn’t experience many incompatibility issues when using Delta emulator on iPhone, but you’re bound to run into them eventually. When you do, devices like the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro let you easily map a game’s on-screen controls to the handheld’s built-in hardware controls. It’s an invaluable feature that gives you the best chance of compatibility with most emulated games.
Better support for a variety of emulators out of the box
Speaking of software, it’s clear that Android has been doing emulation for a lot longer than iOS. When you first set up the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro, you’ll be greeted with a custom setup page that lets you pick a suite of emulators to pre-install. All the heavy lifting is done by the system, so there is no need to go searching for emulator apps. There are also many more apps available on Android than iOS, at least for now. A few emulator apps have popped up on the App Store before being quickly removed or pulled by the developer for various reasons. iPhone users have Delta, but Android users have the likes of Dolphin, AetherSX2, and more. Maybe iOS will catch up eventually; however, Android gaming handhelds have the clear advantage in the variety of emulators available now.
A thinner, lighter, and more “retro” design with more ports
Compared to most iPhones, Android retro gaming handhelds are tiny. That does result in a slight benefit for iPhone users thanks to the extra screen real estate available. For the most part, the bulky form factor that comes with using an iPhone with a mobile gaming controller can be more of a hassle than anything else. Having a controller built into an Android gaming console creates a sleeker and more streamlined design. This is a big benefit to going with a dedicated handheld that is much thinner and lighter than any smartphone gaming setup. Plus, there are more built-in ports. For example, the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro has a USB-C port, headphone jack, microSD card slot, and a micro HDMI port. By comparison, my iPhone 15 Pro Max has just one USB-C port — and that’s it.
Which is right for you?
iOS emulation might be the gateway to a dedicated handheld
The way I see it, iOS emulation isn’t competing with Android gaming handhelds. Apple allowing emulator apps on the App Store will expose more people to the world of retro gaming devices, and some of those converts might eventually pick up something like the Retroid Pocket 4 Pro. When I tried out Game Boy emulation with the Delta emulator, it only made me more intrigued by dedicated devices like the Miyoo Mini+. For people that just want to play casual retro games in their downtime, using an iOS emulator isn’t a bad option. However, standalone Android handhelds have obvious benefits, like a built-in controller, better software, and a lighter form factor. The two types of retro gaming experience can coexist, with each one offering key advantages.
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