I have started using an awesome bit of kit (that is free) for emulation. Called
LaunchBox. It basically acts as a front end, a bit like Steam or Gamepass for your emulators and emulated games. Currently Android and Windows only.
You need to source your own emulators and your own game files and ROMs (not hard with the internet.). But once you do and you have configured each emulator which takes a few minutes but not long, all your games for each emulator automatically appear in their own folders organised by platform. It works so well. I no longer have to work out what emulator to launch based on what game I want to play. Or look at boring grey square ROM files or default Windows, yellow folder game files. I can now see the games in the app with great box art and information, double click and it will launch the emulator required. Much better than browsing non descript and identical looking default windows files when browsing emulator ROMs.
The best feature for me apart from being a one stop loader for my emulated games, is the app automatically goes online to find meta data, game information, box art and screenshots to be added to the app for each game (as seen below) to make browsing so much better.
The app looks great too, as seen below, here is my N64 library. Not a single game I have for any emulated platform come with box art, meta data, or screenshots, this app got them all, for every game (over 1000) automatically once the ROM's were neatly stored in their platform specific folder. It is amazing.
PCSX2, a PS2 emulator running one of my favourite classics, GTA: Vice City. The only way to play is through a PS2 or emulator, as newer versions of the game removed songs and messed with lighting and all sorts. The original is the best.
Launching Blood Wake, an Xbox exclusive from over 20 years ago, launching through Xemu, an original Xbox emulator.
Another classic, Resistance: Fall of Man, launching though RPCS3, a PS3 emulator. This game never came to PC, another one of my favorites from years gone by, the multiplayer was great.
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A final classic, my favourite, Red Dead Redemption, 7th gen console exclusive game that had no PC release. Launching through LaunchBox and the 360 emulator, Xenia.
Can not recommend this enough, makes the process of playing emulated games so much better on PC and Android.
You find a game within your LaunchBox library, double click it and it will load the correct emulator and game to run. All the examples above, for the purpose of screenshots are launching in windowed mode, for a more seamless experience, I recommend launching them in full screen mode automatically.
A final thing to note, because emulators literally work by creating a virtual software version of whatever console is being emulated, the newer emulated consoles require quite a bit of power to run. Even older and slower PC's will run Dreamcast, GameCube, PS2, Xbox and all consoles before with ease. My fairly modern PC has a partial workout running the PS3, Switch and 360 emulators though, due to how much juice is used just by creating a virtual PS3 or Xbox. So a decent PC is a must for the modern emulators, the older ones will be fine for anyone.
But this software is a must and free! The best thing I've found this year, I must have lived under a rock for a long time!
