The gaming landscape for smartphones right now is better than ever before. Most gaming titles that do well on PC and consoles eventually find their way to the mobile platform. This is especially true for FPS and battle royale games like Fortnite, PUBG, COD, and more. As much as people enjoy the cutting-edge gameplay and detailed graphics on these titles, those who grew up in the 90s have a special place in their hearts for Super Nintendo games. If you’re wondering if there’s any way to play those games on your iPhone, you have come to the right place. So get ready to scratch the itch of nostalgia as we walk you through the process of installing and playing SNES Emulator on your iPhone.
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In This Article
How is it possible to play SNES games on an iPhone?
If you’ve ever browsed the App Store for retro games, you may have come across some cheap knock-offs or complete remakes of the titles for a new mobile platform. Either option isn’t able to recreate the feeling of the SNES console. But, there is one other option that may take some time but eventually delivers – an SNES emulator.
You may be wondering what an emulator even is. To put it in a nutshell, an emulator is an app or software that renders the environment of another device or hardware. For example, if you want to run an Android app on your PC, you need to download the Bluestacks emulator which creates an Android simulation on your PC. Similarly, to play SNES games on your iPhone, you need an SNES emulator. These emulators aren’t available on the App Store, so you will need to sideload them.
Install AltStore
Since the App Store does not allow emulators in its app market, you will need to download them using a different method. Luckily, you can do that without jailbreaking your device. All you need to do is install AltStore. This will require using a PC or a Mac.
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable.
Step 2: Launch your preferred web browser on your Mac and go to the official AltStore website.
Step 3: Click on Get AltStore and download the macOS version of the AltServer.
Step 4: Unlock your iPhone and hit the Finder option in the top menu on your Mac.
Step 5: Select your iPhone in the side menu.
Step 6: Select Show this iPhone when on WiFi.
Step 7: Click the AltServer icon in the menu.
Step 8: Go to Install AltStore and select your iPhone.
Step 9: Sign in using your Apple ID and hit Install.
Step 10: Go to Settings on your iPhone and select General.
Step 11: Tap on Profiles & Device Management and select Trust [Your Apple ID].
Install Delta using AltStore
Now that AltStore is installed on your iPhone, use it to download the Delta emulator. Here’s how.
Step 1: Before you begin, turn on the Developer Mode on your iPhone. Go to Settings>Privacy & Security>Developer Mode and turn on its toggle switch.
Step 2: Launch AltStore and select Delta.
Step 3: Hit Install.
Download a ROM to play an SNES game on your iPhone
Once the Delta emulator is installed on your iPhone, the hard part is over. Now, all you need to do is download the ROM for the game you want to play. Think of ROM as the equivalent of the physical disk you used to insert on your SNES to play a game. You can easily find the ROM for any SNES game on the Internet, but you should know that this clearly falls under piracy. Once you have downloaded the ROM file, here is how you can load it on Delta.
Step 1: Launch the Delta emulator on your iPhone and hit the plus icon at the top right corner of the screen.
Step 2: Select Files.
Step 3: Browse to the downloads folder containing the ROM file.
Step 4: Tap on the ROM to load it on the emulator.
Step 5: Wait for a few seconds for the game to load.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I play SNES games on my iPhone?
Yes, your iPhone is capable of running SNES games, but only with the help of an emulator. Delta emulator is the best one for this task and can be sideloaded on your iPhone using the AltStore.
Is it illegal to install an emulator on my iPhone?
While the App Store does not allow any emulator apps on its platform, it is still not illegal to install one on your iPhone. However, downloading a ROM file for a game is certainly illegal as it falls under piracy.
Does installing an SNES Emulator on my iPhone require jailbreaking the device?
No, you don’t need to jailbreak your iPhone to install an SNES Emulator. You can sideload it on your device using AltStore. You will need a Mac or PC for this.
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Conclusion
This is how can install and play the SNES emulator on your iPhone. You can also change the skin of the controller and remap the keys once the emulator has been installed on your phone. Check out this list for our list of the top 7 Game Boy Emulators for iPhone. What is your favourite emulator to use on your iPhone? Let us know in the comments!
