Emulators for Mac: Play retro video video games and use previous computer systems

Amassing previous online game consoles and classic computer systems is a enjoyable interest, however preserving all that {hardware} working can rapidly change into an costly, unending process — to not point out all of the area you want simply to retailer the gear. You may as an alternative (properly) choose to play your favourite video games and software program utilizing emulators to your Mac.

On this information to Mac emulation, I’ll stroll you thru one of the best apps you should utilize to perform the 2 most typical situations: enjoying previous video video games, and taking Traditional Mac OS for a take a look at drive on a contemporary Mac. Plus, I’ll wrap up with the best solution to virtualize trendy working methods like Home windows and Linux in your Mac. (This helpful virtualization software program additionally works for previous and obscure pc working methods.)

Better of all, every of those Mac emulation strategies is free and open supply.

Play retro video video games and use previous computer systems with emulators to your Mac

You possibly can watch a video that walks via these apps right here:

1. OpenEmu performs Nintendo, Sega, Atari, Sony video games and extra

OpenEmu is, palms down, the best solution to play previous video video games in your Mac. Whenever you first launch the app, it’ll ask which consoles you wish to allow. There are dozens of choices from the Nineteen Eighties, ’90s and 2000s — together with some obscure ones just like the Vectrex and the ColecoVision.

Successfully, it’s a user-friendly interface on high of a bunch of separate emulators that you’d in any other case must spend an hour or extra every establishing. However with OpenEmu, you possibly can obtain ROM recordsdata on-line copy ROM recordsdata from sport cartridges you already personal and easily drag-and-drop them into the app so as to add them to your library.

Then, you simply double-click on a sport to launch it. You possibly can customise the controls to your Mac’s keyboard or use a linked controller. And you’ll simply create save states to select up the place you left off. You possibly can even use a shader to simulate the blurring impact of a CRT tv for previous console video games or the pixellated LCD of a GameBoy Coloration.

The video games will mechanically type into classes by console; you possibly can create your personal collections, too.

Obtain from: OpenEmu

2. Traditional Mac OS emulators to your net browser

Infinite Mac is the best solution to device round with early variations of Mac OS, as a result of there’s no set up wanted. Utilizing the magic of WebAssembly, these open supply digital machines run straight inside any trendy net browser. You possibly can arrange all method of mixtures of Apple system software program with the basic Mac of your alternative.

All of the installations include a number of the hottest apps and video games of the period by which the Mac OS was launched: MacWrite and MacPaint, Photoshop, Microsoft Phrase, KPT Bryce, Marathon, One other World, SimCity, Lemmings, Civilization and extra.

You possibly can add your personal software program that you just discover on-line from websites like Macintosh Backyard with a easy drag-and-drop. Infinite Mac will deal with it such as you’re inserting a floppy disk.

Save your work by placing recordsdata within the Outdoors World folder, which can be downloaded immediately to your Mac.

Use it at: Infinite Mac web site

3. UTM virtualizes trendy working methods

UTM is the best solution to emulate or virtualize trendy working methods on a Mac. It’s evening and day simpler to arrange than VirtualBox, which has sucked away many irritating hours of my life that I’ll by no means get again.

In contrast to VirtualBox, including a brand new digital machine utilizing UTM is so simple as clicking a few buttons. After you obtain the free software program, simply hit the + and click on Obtain prebuilt from UTM Gallery. You possibly can obtain any of the preset machines proven there and boot them proper up.

Possibly you wish to play a basic PC sport, like Quake III, Rollercoaster Tycoon or SimTower, inside Home windows XP. Or, you possibly can have an set up of Mac OS 9 that runs domestically in your pc. (It’s extra dependable than Infinite Mac, which runs in your net browser.) There’s additionally Solar Solaris 9, a novel working system made for workstation {hardware}, that’s simply plain enjoyable to poke round.

UTM can also virtualize trendy working methods like Home windows 11 for the few PC packages you may must run. In case you use your Mac for software program improvement, you possibly can run all types of flavors of Linux — Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian and extra.

In fact, you possibly can construct your personal, in the event you don’t see what you need within the gallery. On an Apple silicon Mac, you possibly can virtualize another model of macOS for Apple silicon (macOS Monterey and newer). This might be a vital device for testing Mac apps on older Apple working methods with out preserving a pile of MacBooks in your workplace.

I plan on utilizing UTM to make backups of a few of my private computer systems, beginning with my beloved 2006 Acer TravelMate 2430, for the day when it inevitably fails.

Obtain from: UTM undertaking web site (free) or the Mac App Retailer ($9.99).

We initially printed this text about emulators for Mac on November 18, 2023. We republished it on Might 29, 2025.