Emulator

MAME emulator shown running on an Apple TV dev kit

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

The new Apple TV, which still lacks an official launch date, but is scheduled to touch down sometime in late October, is looking like quite the winner. Not only do the apps look great, but the Siri remote looks lightyears better than its predecessor. Even more exciting, for me however, is the prospect of running old school games by way of emulators.

While it's doubtful that we'll ever see emulators allowed in the App Store, users can now take it upon themselves to side load apps using Xcode 7. With this in mind, several developers have taken the initiative to create Apple TV emulators. One of the latest emulators to be shown off is a MAME emulator by developer Kevin Smith.

MAME stands for Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator, and as its name states, it allows gamers to emulate games from a variety of arcade hardware. As first spotted by MacRumors' Juli Clover, Smith has posted a video of the his MAME emulator running on an Apple TV dev kit.

How to compile apps using Xcode 7 to run on a non-jailbroken device

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

As of iOS 9, you no longer need to rely on a jailbreak if you want to run some of the apps that aren't available on the App Store. All you need is a Mac, Xcode 7, the code you wish to compile, an iOS device running iOS 9, a free developer account, and some time. If you have all of those things, then you can install apps on your iPhone or iPad without a paid developer account, and without a jailbreak.

Compiling apps using Xcode 7 is fairly straightforward, but if you've never done it before, it can be a bit tricky. In this post, I'll show you how to compile code using Xcode 7 and run it on your iOS 9 device. I'll also discuss some of the errors and issues that you might incur along the way.

Provenance classic game emulator launches for Apple TV, and iOS devices

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

A week ago, we told you about Provenance, a then upcoming emulator that would be one of the first of its kind for the new Apple TV. Today, Provenance officially launched for the Apple TV and it also works with other iOS devices.

Provenance is a multi-emulator, meaning that it can emulate games from a variety of classic platforms. Users can look forward to emulating their favorite NES, SNES, Genesis/MegaDrive, Sega CD, Master System, GameBoy & GameBoy Color, and GameBoy Advance games.

Want to see what Provenance looks like on the big screen? Check here for more screenshots.

Here’s the first emulator built for the new Apple TV

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

One of the new Apple TV’s biggest upsides is its game playing ability. Indeed, Apple’s next generation Apple TV will focus heavily on gaming, and even comes equipped with a Wii-inspired motion remote/controller with a touchpad.

Certain developers are already licking their chops at the possibilities of the Apple TV as a gaming hub. In fact, one such developer has already used the now-available Apple TV simulator to run an emulator. This emulator allows for old-school games, like the Sega classic Golden Axe, to be played.

One such example is with an emulator named Provenance. Developed by James Addyman, Provenance is a multi-emulator capable of emulating games from a variety of legacy hardware. Provenance is already running on the Apple TV simulator found inside the latest version of Xcode.

Another Nintendo emulator sneaks onto App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

A file management app innocently named Floppy Cloud, which contains a hidden emulator of the Nintendo NES and Super Nintendo, is now available in the App Store.

As pointed out by TouchArcade, its developer Kyle Hankinson has cunningly exploited the annual App Store shutdown to sneak Floppy Cloud onto Apple's servers “moments before the iTunes freeze,” which started yesterday and ends on December 29.

Developers are unable to upload new code to the App Store during the iTunes freeze window so Floppy Cloud should be available on the App Store for a few days before Apple pulls it first thing in the morning on December 29.

Nintendo files for patent for Game Boy emulation on phones and other devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 28, 2014

As TechCrunch reported this morning, the United States Patent & Trademark Office yesterday published a patent application for “Hand-held Video Game Platform Emulation” that Nintendo filed on June 23, 2014.

The invention describes software emulation of Nintendo's popular mobile game consoles such as the Game Boy family on a variety of mobile devices, including smartphones and in other settings such as seat-back displays in airplanes and trains.

GBA emulator developer talks about the death of the date trick in iOS 8.1

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

GBA4iOS developer, Riley Testut, has posted an enlightening entry on his personal blog about the history of GBA4iOS. It delves into its humble beginnings up to its current status as a lame duck emulator waiting to be largely phased out post iOS 8.1.

Testut's post is a fascinating read that explains not only the history of the uber-popular GameBoy Advanced emulator, but it also sheds some much-needed light on how the emulator was ever able to work on non-jailbroken devices in the first place. I highly recommend reading it.

How to play Super Nintendo games on your iOS 8 device

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated June 11, 2018

Although there is no iOS 8 jailbreak, there is still a way to add a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) emulator. Because Nintendo is missing the opportunity to make millions of dollars by releasing their games to the Apple App Store, people have turned to emulators for years. Since the iPhone was jailbreakable, it seems there was some way to play the old classics.

Thanks to a tip from @flawlessfox, whom you may recognize as one of the JailbreakCon organizers, we tested the SNES emulator "SiOS" and can confirm it works quite well, especially on the iPhone 6 Plus. Step inside for quick step-by-step instructions and you will be enjoying your favorite SNES games in about 5 minutes time. Yes, you read it correctly, there is no jailbreak required.

GBA4iOS returns following Nintendo takedown

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated March 20, 2018

Less than a few weeks after receiving a takedown notice from Nintendo of America, iOS developer Riley Testut has made his popular Gameboy Advance emulator GBA4iOS available for download again. An updated version of the emulator is now available through the official GBA4iOS website, which came back online just moments ago. Testut confirmed the news on Twitter in a recent tweet…

Nintendo strikes GBA4iOS with DMCA takedown notice

Joe Rossignol ∙ May 14, 2014

In what is rather disappointing news for fans of iOS emulators, Nintendo of America has issued popular Gameboy Advance emulator GBA4iOS with a Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice.

As a result, the official GitHub website for the emulator has been taken offline until further notice, and in-app downloads of ROMs have been temporarily suspended. GBA4iOS creator Riley Testut confirmed the news on Twitter last night…

G-PAD silicone sleeve throws your iPhone back to Game Boy days

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

A new IndieGoGo campaign created by Aws Jan wants to throw you back to the 1990s by turning your iPhone into a Game Boy using a silicone rubber game pad sleeve.

The G-PAD sleeve is intended for the GBA4iOS emulator that has been making its rounds in high schools across the world, as teenagers and young adults want to relive their childhoods by playing Game Boy games. What's more convenient than playing from their iPhone?

Nintendo DS emulator that runs on both non-jailbroken and jailbroken iOS devices arrives

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Back in February, GBA4iOS 2.0 released with iOS 7 controller support and Dropbox integration, running fine on both non-jailbroken and jailbroken devices.

If you're not a big fan of Game Boy Advanced, Game Boy Color and original Gameboy games, how about a similar iOS emulator that lets you play Nintendo DS titles, no jailbreak required whatsoever?

Enter NDS4iOS, now available to install through an over-the air download via the NDS4iOS website. This app has been available for ages, but not for non-jailbroken devices. Starting today, NDS4iOS supports both non-jailbroken and jailbroken iPhone and iPad devices, allowing you to play Nintendo DS ROMs though you'll need to set your device's date back to February 8, 2014 to install it properly...